The BACS consortium, which includes Siemens Mobility, has successfully completed the Blue and Red metro lines in Riyadh. This development is part of a larger effort to transform public transportation in Saudi Arabia, addressing both current and future mobility demands as the country prepares for several major international events.
Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, remarked on Riyadh's rapid growth: “Riyadh is rapidly growing and thriving economically. To support a growing population, the Saudi Arabian Government is implementing one of the world's largest public transport systems. This investment creates an efficient, safe, and sustainable transportation network, generates thousands of jobs, and boosts the economy. The Blue and Red lines include fully automated operations, enabling shorter headways between trains to significantly increase passenger capacity. They offer digital and sustainable travel options for Riyadh’s citizens and represent a flagship project for Siemens Mobility’s Turnkey business.”
The mass transit project features six metro lines covering 176 kilometers with 842 buses running over 1,900 kilometers. Siemens Mobility contributed by delivering 67 Inspiro trains and equipping key metro lines with advanced train control systems. Furthermore, Siemens Mobility secured a service contract from the Capital Metro Company (CAMCO) for maintenance work extending three years.
The new driverless trains are tailored to withstand local climatic conditions with enhanced air conditioning systems. Additionally, these trains can automatically couple or decouple based on demand managed from the operations control center.
Siemens Mobility has been instrumental in Saudi Arabia's transportation infrastructure since 2006. It introduced high-speed rail solutions like the European Train Control System for regional railways and contributed to electrifying key metro lines within the Kingdom.