The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) has awarded contracts worth nearly SR5.5 billion ($1.5 billion) to buy 94 more passenger trains for the Riyadh Metro.
Under a consolidated contract with Siemens and Alstom, the number of trains in service will rise from 183 to 277, an increase of 60 percent. The expansion comes as the network, which has served more than 300 million passengers since it began operating, continues to see fast-rising ridership.
Staged deliveries and testing before service
Trainset deliveries will begin in 2028 and arrive in stages. Each batch will be tested and commissioned before being gradually introduced into service, with the aim of ensuring smooth systems integration as well as passenger safety and comfort.
Capacity gains planned across five lines
The new rolling stock will be deployed on several lines to meet current passenger volumes and forecast travel demand. The planned capacity increases are:
- Red Line: 142 percent
- Yellow Line: 116 percent
- Blue Line: 60 percent
- Orange Line: 27 percent
- Purple Line: 16 percent
The fleet growth is aligned with planned urban development and the city’s accelerating population growth and commercial centres. The project is also described as an essential part of the kingdom’s public transport infrastructure as Riyadh prepares to host Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034.
