Saudi Arabia's railways transported more than 40.9 million passengers and 3.9 million tons of freight and 46,300 containers in the third quarter of 2026, according to the Transport General Authority (TGA).
Meanwhile, Riyadh is moving to expand the capacity of its metro system, supplying 27 new driverless trains and 52 additional carriages for the Riyadh Metro.
In its quarterly report, TGA said passenger numbers rose compared with the same period last year, reflecting growing demand for rail travel in the Kingdom.
Intra-city rail services carried 38.3 million passengers, including 30.4 million on Riyadh Metro, seven million on the King Abdulaziz International Airport Automated Train, and about 911,200 on the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University line.
The TGA report added that intercity services carried more than 2.5 million passengers. The Haramain High Speed Railway, linking Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, and King Abdullah Economic City, carried over 1.9 million.
Saudi Arabia Railways' Eastern Network, connecting Riyadh, Abqaiq, Hofuf, and Dammam, served about 393,900, and its Northern Network, linking Riyadh, Al-Majmaah, Qassim, Hail, Al-Jouf, and Al-Qurayyat, carried 258,600.
Siemens Mobility to supply new trains for Riyadh Metro
Germany's Siemens Mobility has signed a contract with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) to supply 27 new driverless trains and 52 additional carriages for the Riyadh Metro.
Each new train will comprise four carriages, while the additional carriages will be used to expand the capacity of existing two-carriage trains.
The expansion is aimed at increasing passenger capacity on the metro's Blue and Red lines, also known as Lines 1 and 2, to meet growing public transport demand in the Saudi capital.
All vehicles will be built on the proven design of the current Riyadh Metro fleet, ensuring seamless integration and full system compatibility.
“This fleet expansion marks an important step in strengthening Riyadh’s public transport network,” said Frank Hagemeier, Managing Director, Siemens Mobility Saudi Arabia.
“By delivering state-of-the-art, driverless trains for Lines 1 and 2, we are supporting the Royal Commission for Riyadh City in operating a reliable, high-capacity metro system for millions of people every day,” Hagemeier said, adding that Siemens Mobility is proud to contribute to a system that strengthens sustainable mobility and supports the Kingdom’s long-term vision to enhance the daily life of residents.
