The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) has declared a significant transportation improvement project for the nation’s capital, Riyadh, by awarding contracts worth nearly SR5.5 billion ($1.5 billion) to procure a further 94 passenger trains.
The consolidated contract with Siemens and Alstom, global manufacturing leaders, will see the total number of Riyadh Metro trains operate in service increase by 94 from 183 to 277, a 60 percent increase.
This multi-billion-riyal expansion comes as the Riyadh Metro continues to see fast-rising patronage with the network already serving over 300 million passengers since commencement of operations. Trainset deliveries will occur in stages starting from 2028.
Once delivered, each batch will be subjected to testing and commissioning before being gradually introduced into service, ensuring seamless systems integration and passenger safety and comfort.
Network Capacity Breakdown Across Lines
The additional rolling stock will be deployed on the following lines of the metro to meet the passenger volume and forecasted travel demand:
Red Line: Capacity increase of 142 percent
Yellow Line: Capacity increase of 116 percent
Blue Line: Capacity increase of 60 percent
Orange Line: Capacity increase of 27 percent
Purple Line: Capacity increase of 16 percent
Preparing for Riyadh’s Urban Growth and Global Events
The fleet expansion is in line with the proactive urban planning approach to match the increase in the city’s accelerating demographic growth rate and commercial centers.
The network will not only have a daily positive impact on commute journeys but also acts as an essential component of the kingdom’s public transportation infrastructure at a time when Riyadh is preparing to host Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034.
