Riyadh’s Qasr Al-Hokm Downtown Station, a major hub in the world’s longest driverless metro network, began operations on Wednesday, offering a new gateway for residents and visitors in the heart of the Saudi capital.
The station is one of the four main stations in the network and is a vital center that connects the Blue and Orange Lines of the Metro with the bus transport network. The Qasr Al-Hokm Station serves administrative facilities, palaces, squares, historical markets, commercial centers, tourist sites, and residents of the neighborhoods in the Qasr Al-Hokm area in the center of Riyadh.
The Qasr Al-Hokm Station is distinguished by its design that combines authenticity and modernity, inspired by the principles of the Salmani architecture. It features a shiny steel curtain that visually connects the station's multiple levels with its external surroundings, and helps reflect daylight into the station, while providing shade for the open areas and spaces surrounding the station.
The station includes an innovative green garden that allows passengers to sit and rest while waiting for their train trips. It boosts the station's multiple functions, including providing an attractive public space that facilitates meeting and interaction between the city's residents and visitors.
It also includes 17 electric elevators and 46 escalators and many shops, services and public facilities, in addition to paintings and artistic sculptures.
Riyadh is making significant strides in sustainable and smart transportation with its metro project spanning 176 kilometers, the world's longest driverless rail system.
The project marks a major leap in urban mobility and serves as a key pillar in achieving Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals.
Riyadh’s driverless metro network will help reduce carbon emissions and boost environmental sustainability by relying on clean electric energy instead of fossil fuels used in private vehicles, said Dr. Maher Shirah, senior director of the General Smart Cities Administration at the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the metro’s advanced automation optimizes train speed and braking, improving energy efficiency and air quality in the capital.
Riyadh’s driverless metro is more than just a green initiative—it is a major step toward smart city integration, leveraging real-time connectivity and mobile applications to provide passengers with precise travel updates, said Shirah.
He added that the system features centralized monitoring and control, optimizing infrastructure management while seamlessly integrating with buses and ride-sharing services to enhance the capital’s transport efficiency.
With this milestone, Riyadh is emerging as a global model for modern mobility.
“Riyadh Metro Network is more than just a transit system—it is a step toward a fully integrated urban future,” Shirah explained.
