New TGA Leadership Pushes Public Transport Upgrades

The Transport General Authority (TGA) is advancing plans to expand public transport and improve logistics efficiency across Saudi cities under a renewed leadership structure. Eng. Fawaz Al-Suhaili was appointed president of the authority by Royal Order O/275, corresponding to 12 February 2026, and leads implementation of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy.

The 2026 leadership line-up also includes Hesham Al-Angari as Director of Freight Transportation and Logistics (since January 2026) and Abdulmajeed Altassan as Vice President for Regulation (since April 2026). Vice Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Rumaih bin Mohammed Al-Rumaih remains a key figure in the sector and serves as president of a regional and global transport body until 2028, supporting cross-border coordination.

Under the strategy, the authority aims to raise the share of public transportation in Saudi cities and expand rail transport, targeting around 100,000 railway jobs by 2030, up from about 13,000 today. This growth supports both urban mobility and freight logistics capacity. For intercity travel, the Intercity Bus Service linking about 200 cities and governorates remains under TGA oversight, with tickets available through operator channels and stations.

What it means for Riyadh residents

From 1 January 2026, the Riyadh Metro introduces new pass options: a standard-class annual pass at 1,260 SAR, a first-class annual pass at 3,150 SAR (both valid 12 months), and a student semester pass at 260 SAR valid for about four months. Passes are purchased and managed through the Riyadh Metro official channels and mobile app.

The TGA is also updating fare policy for taxis through a draft on determining public transport fares. Under the draft, the standard tariff applies up to 80 km from the trip start, after which a 50% discount on the per-kilometer cost applies for the remaining distance, with certain additional charges borne by passengers.

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