Photo Credit: X / SPA_Eng
Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Riyadh City has awarded a contract to extend the Red Line of the Riyadh Metro, adding 8.4 kilometres and five new stations to carry the route from King Saud University to the Diriyah Gate, according to local media reports.
The Red Line extension, also known as Line 2, will span 8.4km, with 1.3km running on elevated tracks and 7.1km constructed underground. The project includes five stations, comprising two elevated stations and three underground stops.
The expansion is designed to improve rail access to Diriyah, one of Saudi Arabia’s flagship heritage and tourism destinations, while strengthening connectivity between Riyadh’s educational, business and cultural districts. Industry sources have previously described the Red Line extension as a key next phase for the metro network, with most of the new alignment running underground and additional stations planned along the corridor leading to Diriyah.
Once completed, travel times across the expanded network are expected to improve significantly. Journeys from STC station to Diriyah are projected to take less than 15 minutes, while trips from the King Abdullah Financial District are expected to be under 20 minutes. Travel times from King Fahd Sports City are forecast at under 40 minutes, while journeys from Qasr Al Hokm should take less than 30 minutes, supporting a shift towards public transport for both residents and visitors.
The project builds on Riyadh’s phased rollout of its metro system, part of a broader strategy to transform urban mobility and reduce dependence on private vehicles. The Riyadh Metro comprises six fully automated lines connecting residential neighbourhoods with business hubs and major destinations across the capital.
The six-line network includes the Blue Line, Orange Line, Yellow Line, Red Line, Green Line and Purple Line. The 38km Blue Line runs through Al Olaya Street, Al Batha and Al Hayer, while the 25.3km Red Line follows King Abdullah Road. The Orange Line spans 40.7km along Al Madinah Road, the Yellow Line extends 29.5km via King Khalid International Airport Road, the Green Line covers 12.9km along King Abdulaziz Road, and the Purple Line runs 29.7km along Abdulrahman Bin Awf and Sheikh Hassan Bin Hussein roads.
Metro stations are equipped with air conditioning, safety systems and real-time travel information, with selected stations also offering retail outlets, commercial services and park-and-ride facilities to enhance passenger convenience.
