Saudi railway passenger numbers reached approximately 156.4 million in 2025, a jump of 266.5% from 42.7 million in 2024, with much of the growth driven by the expansion of public transport in the capital.
Intracity rail travel saw the sharpest rise, reaching about 145.4 million passengers, up 368% from 31.1 million the year before. Within this, قطار الرياض recorded roughly 949,400 trips covering 26.8 million kilometres across its six lines in الرياض.
Fares and passes
A standard two-hour ticket costs SAR 4, while a first-class two-hour ticket is SAR 10. Longer passes offer better value: a standard three-day pass is SAR 20 (SAR 50 first class), a seven-day pass is SAR 40 (SAR 100 first class), and a 30-day pass is SAR 140 (SAR 350 first class). An annual pass costs SAR 1,260 standard and SAR 3,150 first class, while students can get a four-month semester pass for SAR 260.
Tickets cover both قطار الرياض and buses, with free transfers between lines during the ticket's validity period. Annual and student passes became available on 1 January 2026, and all passes are issued on the darb card.
Operating hours
The service runs from 5:30 a.m. until midnight, Saturday through Thursday, and from 10:00 a.m. until midnight on Fridays. Ramadan and Eid schedules may differ and are announced separately.
The surge underlines how quickly public transport is reshaping daily commutes in الرياض, giving residents and expats an affordable alternative to driving and easing pressure on the city's roads.
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