Saudi Arabia: Riyadh announces Eid Al Adha operating hours for metro and buses

Dubai: As the Eid Al Adha holiday approaches, Riyadh’s public transport authority has announced a special operating schedule for the city’s metro and bus systems, adjusting hours to accommodate changing travel patterns during one of the busiest times of the year.

According to the announcement, metro services across all lines will uniformly end at midnight during the holiday period, while start times will vary by line and date.

These changes will be in effect from June 5 to June 14 (corresponding to Dhul Hijjah 9 to 18), before regular service resumes.

The Orange Line, a major artery of the city’s expanding metro network, will operate daily from 10 am to midnight during the holiday period. It will revert to its normal start time of 6 am on June 15.

For the other metro lines, services will start at 8 am on June 5. From June 6 to 8, start times will shift to 10 am, then return to 8 am from June 9 to 11. Regular operations, beginning at 6 am, will resume on June 12.

City bus services will maintain consistent coverage, operating daily from 5 a.m. to midnight between June 5 and June 12. The transport authority also confirmed that on-demand bus services will be available throughout the holiday, providing added flexibility to meet increased demand—especially around key gathering spots and commercial centers.

Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE.