Riyadh Speeds Up Rail, Bus and Road Projects

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City is pushing ahead with a wide package of transport and road projects aimed at easing congestion and improving mobility across the capital, combining the completed public transport network with major upgrades to main roads.

Riyadh’s integrated public transport system brings together قطار الرياض (Riyadh Metro) — six lines spanning about 176 km with 85 stations — and a complementary Riyadh Bus network of 22 lines covering around 1,200 km, both under the King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport. The metro reached full integration in 2025 after the Orange Line entered service in January of that year, while the bus network’s main routes are reported as completed and operational by 2026.

Passengers use a unified smart ticketing and access-control system covering both metro and buses, managed through a centralized smart mobility platform. Specific fares, card types, and recharge options have not been publicly detailed.

Roads and smart traffic

On the road side, the Commission is delivering a Main and Ring Road Axes Development Program covering more than 500 km of roads. Package 1, launched in August 2024, included four projects worth about SAR 13 billion, followed by Package 2 in February 2025 with eight projects exceeding SAR 8 billion, and a further group of six major projects also topping SAR 8 billion.

A dedicated project, “Engineering Enhancements for Congested Areas – Phase II,” targets eight high-congestion locations using advanced intersection solutions to raise traffic capacity by 40–60%. In 2026, work began on three new bridges at the Prince Turki Road–Northern Ring Road interchange, and in May 2026 construction started on a roughly 4.3 km enhancement scheme along Othman Bin Affan Road and King Salman Road.

Together, these efforts aim to give residents smoother daily journeys, better links between transport corridors, and less time stuck in traffic across Riyadh.

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