Riyadh Metro, Line 3

The assigned contract concerns an important part of the larger construction project of an underground network that includes 6 lines with a total length of about 180 km and a total value of $ 23.5 billion.

Line 3 will cross Riyad from the west side (near the Jeddah Expressway) to the east side (near the National Guard Camp of Khashm El Aam) for a total of 41.6 km, of witch 25.7 km on viaducts and 9.4 km underground.

The project foresees construction of 22 stations, divided into tree different types:

Elevated stations. 9 stations, including the iconic Western Station, made of a structure that recalls the “desert sand dunes” in a modern key. The station also affords an interchange hub between multimodal transit systems. 

Underground stations. 8 stations including Qasr Al-Hokm Station (or Downtown Station), the crossroads of the city’s two metro lines.

Shallow underground stations. 5 stations built inside the road underpasses, involving the construction of minor structural works.

The construction of 6 car parks (capacity of 600 vehicles) and 2 storage areas for internal cleaning, inspections, maintenance, repairs and painting of the trains are also planned.

The trains that will run on Line 3 will have a maximum length of 36.7 m (2 carriages), a capacity of 267 passengers and a maximum speed of 100 km/h.

Technical data 

The work plays a key role for the control of traffic in a city expected to grow from its current 6 million inhabitants to 8 million by 2030. The new metro will therefore 

Reduce traffic congestion and lower pollution are among the main benefits of the new metro which will represent a sustainable and efficient means of transport. 

The project adopts the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) energy and sustainability certification standard on Western and Downtown stations. It is the most widely used certification in the world.