SAUDI ARABIA announced Wednesday it is ready to open the first part of the Riyadh Metro, a major project intended to help shift the car-centric kingdom to public transport. Three lines will open to the public on 1 December, “with gradual launches completing the six-line, 176-kilometre (109 mile) network across the city,” the Royal Commission for Riyadh City said in a statement. All six lines are expected to be operating by 5 January, the statement said. The Riyadh Metro, a fully automated (driverless) system, is designed to transport over 3.6 million passengers at maximum capacity. It will operate with 183 trains and 448 carriages built by Siemens, Bombardier, and Alstom, featuring a unified design by Avant Premiere.
Officially inaugurated by King Salman, the metro is part of Riyadh’s transformation under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. This ambitious project aims to reduce reliance on cars, despite extreme summer temperatures. The metro reflects the kingdom’s commitment to sustainability, integrating eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient systems.
AFP
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