Saudi Train Passenger Numbers Increase 266.5% as Riyadh Metro Promotes Growth

RIYADH: The number of passengers on Saudi railroads climbed 266.5 percent to 156.4 million in 2025, the influence of Riyadh Metro was felt in its first year of operation.

The General Authority for Statistics said intracity travelers increased 368 percent to 145.4 million in 2024 from 31.1 million in 2024.  

The surge followed the launch of the $22.5 billion Riyadh Metro  expected to eventually serve as many as 3.6 million passengers a day, which opened to the public in stages beginning Dec. 1, 2024.

Saudi Arabia’s investment in urban mobility is paying off, with the Riyadh Metro now carrying most of the (Kingdom’s) 145.4 million intracity trips, Joseph Salem, a partner in Arthur D. Little’s Travel and Transportation Practice, told Arab News, as official figures show the transport system has provided 949,400 trips.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE signed a memorandum of intent on 8 October to promote cross-border rail connectivity for commodities and freight, while Oman confirmed a railway-linkage agreement with the UAE in September.

The Kingdom is also undertaking design work on its section of the planned Gulf Cooperation Council railway, which is expected to connect all six member states.

In June, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye signed a railway cooperation agreement to share experience and collaborate on infrastructure and technology, while a proposed rail line connecting the two nations via Jordan and Syria remained under technical study.

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