Riyadh's metro and buses near 500 million passengers in under two years
Deputy Transport Minister Rumaih Al-Rumaih says the city's public transport network has carried nearly 500 million users since it opened.
Riyadh's public transport network has recorded nearly 500 million users in less than two years of operation, Deputy Minister of Transport and Logistics Dr Rumaih Al-Rumaih said on Tuesday at the World Energy Congress in Riyadh, Saudi Gazette and Argaam reported.
He said the Riyadh Metro has 85 stations and works alongside a bus network that runs on a mix of electric and conventional fuel. The demand, he said, shows a real change in how people move around the city, despite earlier expectations that residents would keep relying mainly on their own cars.
The figure comes a day after the Royal Commission for Riyadh City announced contracts for 94 new trains, which it says will begin arriving in 2028.
If you have not tried it yet, the network covers 85 metro stations plus the city's bus routes, and trips are paid with the Darb card or a bank card at the gates. Busy lines can be crowded at rush hour, so the extra trains matter: until they arrive, travelling just outside peak times is the easiest way to get a seat.