Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud inaugurated the Riyadh Metro, a major public transport project that he initiated while serving as the Chairman of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh, the predecessor of Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
Riyadh’s new metro network, the world’s largest metro project built in a single phase, launched on November 27 with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud inaugurating perhaps his greatest infrastructure project over his close to 60 years overseeing development of Riyadh city and its environs.
The first phase of the project was delivered by the BACS consortium headed by Bechtel and including Almabani General Contractors, Consolidated Contractors Company and Siemens. The consortium was responsible for the design, construction, testing, commissioning and integration of the network’s Blue Line (line 1), now operational and the Red Line (line 2), set to officially commence passenger operations soon,
Designed to be the backbone of the Riyadh’s public transportation network all six lines are expected to be operating by January 5. The network will be able to transport over 3.6 million passengers at maximum capacity and is a fully automated (driverless) system. 183 trains with 448 carriages manufactured by Siemens of Germany, Bombardier of Canada and Alstom of France, constitute the riding stock used for the system.
Arab News, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman inaugurates Riyadh Metro project
The Royal Commission for Riyadh City stated that, “The Metro will improve connectivity … and offer quick and seamless travel options that will alleviate traffic congestion and shorten travel times. This improvement in transport infrastructure will boost efficiency and address daily mobility challenges, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for residents.”
It will also include 80 bus routes and pass through 2,860 stops with 842 buses and will cover most of Riyadh’s densely populated areas, public centers and the educational, commercial and medical institutions. It will also be connected to King Khalid International Airport and King Abdullah Financial District, the city’s main universities, downtown Riyadh and the public transport center.
Riyadh’s population is expected to reach 15 to 20 million by 2030, from 7.5 million last year.
Saudi Press Agency, Riyadh Metro to Commence Phased Operations Across 176 Km
