Riyadh Metro races past 100 million riders in just nine months

Surging ridership on Riyadh Metro shows city’s need for reliable, modern public transit

Last updated: August 26, 2025 | 11:34

Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor

2 MIN READ

The Riyadh Metro, one of the world’s most ambitious urban transit projects, has crossed a significant milestone by welcoming its 100 millionth passenger — less than nine months after its official launch in December 2024.

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According to the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), the Blue Line, which connects the Olaya–Batha corridor, has been the busiest route, serving 46.5 million commuters to date.

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The Red Line along King Abdullah Road follows with 17 million riders, while the Orange Line on Al Madinah Al Munawwarah Road has carried around 12 million passengers.

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The remaining three lines have together transported 24.5 million passengers, underscoring the network’s rapid adoption across the capital.

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Riyadh Metro trains move along central city roads on December 3, 2024. Just two days earlier, Saudi Arabia opened three lines of the network, a landmark project aimed at reducing car dependency and promoting sustainable public transport across the capital.

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Women take the metro at King Saud University station in Riyadh on April 27, 2025.

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Integrated with Riyadh’s extensive bus network — including on-demand services and public transport parking facilities — the metro ensures commuters enjoy smooth door-to-door connectivity.

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This integration is central to the city’s broader mobility strategy, offering residents and visitors a sustainable and modern alternative to car travel.

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The metro’s reliability has been a key factor in its success, with a 99.78% on-time performance rate since operations began, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Key stations such as Qasr Al Hokm, KAFD, stc, and the National Museum interchange have emerged as hotspots, collectively handling over 29% of the total ridership.

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The rapid uptake of the Riyadh Metro reflects both the growing demand for efficient urban transport and the city’s vision to transform public mobility. As it continues to expand, the system is set to play a central role in shaping Riyadh’s sustainable urban future.

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Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor

Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.