The BACS consortium led by Bechtel, along with local construction companies Almabani and Consolidated Contractors Company, and in collaboration with Siemens Mobility, have successfully delivered Riyadh Metro’s 64-kilometer Blue Line (line 1) and Red Line (line 2), equipped with 67 Siemens Mobility Inspiro trains for fully automated, driverless operations.
This marks a significant achievement in the development of public transportation in the capital city, providing residents and visitors with a fast, safe, and eco-friendly mass transit system.
The passenger operations on the network´s Blue Line starts December 1st with Red Line officially commence passenger operations on December 15.
This state-of-the-art transportation system not only meets Riyadh´s present transportation needs but also supports the increasing mobility demands as Saudi Arabia prepares to co-host the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, welcome the World Expo 2030, host the 2034 Asian Games, and bid for the FIFA World Cup 2034. Construction for the project started in 2013.
Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, says: “Riyadh is rapidly growing and thriving economically. To support a growing population, the Saudi Arabian Government is implementing one of the world’s largest public transport systems.
“This investment creates an efficient, safe, and sustainable transportation network, generates thousands of jobs, and boosts the economy.
“The Blue and Red lines include fully automated operations, enabling shorter headways between trains to significantly increase passenger capacity.
“They offer digital and sustainable travel options for Riyadh´s citizens and represent a flagship project for Siemens Mobility´s Turnkey business.”
Riyadh’s impressive mass transit project consists of six metro lines spanning a total of 176 kilometers, alongside a fleet of 842 buses covering 1,900 kilometers of route length.
Siemens Mobility has played a crucial role in this development not only by delivering 67 Inspiro trains but also by equipping the Blue Line and Red Line with the latest version of the Communications-based Train Control System (CBTC).
In addition to its involvement in the metro project, Siemens Mobility has secured a separate service contract from the Capital Metro Company (CAMCO), a joint venture between RATP Dev and SAPTCO, the operator of the Blue Line and the Red Line.
This contract encompasses a mobilization phase, followed by the maintenance of all components and systems provided by Siemens Mobility, as well as the track infrastructure for an additional three years.
