From tickets to timings, here’s how to hop on board.
London has the Tube, New York has the Subway, and Riyadh has opened its very own Metro. The world’s longest driverless metro system was inaugurated on 1 December 2024 and has changed the connectivity in the capital. If you want to hop on board, here’s everything you need to know for a ride to remember.
Riyadh Metro lines
The Riyadh Metro is the largest metro project in the world to be built in a single phase. It spans six lines (or routes) across 176 kilometres, with 84 stations connecting the city.
The Blue, Violet, and Yellow lines are currently operating. The Blue Line will cover Al Olaya, Al Batha, and Al Hayer roads for 38 kilometres, while the Yellow Line will service the King Khalid International Airport. The violet Line will link Abdurrahman Bin Awf Road to Sheikh Hassan Bin Hussain Bin Ali Road.
The Red Line will run along King Abdullah Road for 25.3 kilometres, and the Green Line will follow King Abdulaziz Road. Both lines will launch on Sunday, 15 December.
The Orange Line opens on Thursday, 5 December and will connect Al Madinah Al Munawarah Road to Prince Saad Bin Abdurrahman Road with a 40.7-kilometre distance.
The Riyadh Metro runs daily from 6am to midnight.
Riyadh Metro tickets
Darb cards cost SAR 10 and are available at stations. They must be topped up at the machines and cannot currently be topped up via the app. Payments can be made through Apple Pay, credit cards, debit cards, and Mada Pay. Plus, Darb cards can be used on Riyadh’s bus network.
Standard tickets start from SAR 4 for two hours, SAR 20 for a three-day pass, SAR 40 for a seven-day pass, and SAR 140 for a 30-day pass.
Standard and first-class tickets are available. Different carriages include singles, families and VIPs. The single carriage can be used by single men, the family carriage can be used by families and single females, and the VIP carriage can be used by those with a VIP card.
First-class tickets start from SAR 10 for two hours, SAR 50 for a three-day pass, SAR 100 for a seven-day pass, and SAR 350 for a 30-day pass.
Children who are six years old or under can ride Riyadh Metro for free, and must be accompanied by an adult. Disabled people, seniors who are 60 years old or above and university students are entitled to a 50 percent discount on tickets.
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GO: Visit www.riyadhbus.sa for more information.
