Three foreign-led consortia will supervise the design and construction of the new $22.5 billion (SR84.4 billion) automated Riyadh Public Transport Project (RPTP), the Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) announced Wednesday.
“This is the biggest infrastructure project to be undertaken and it’s the cornerstone of the bold future that we envision for our city,” said Ibrahim Al-Sultan, president of ADA and member of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh (HCDA).
“Riyadh is one of the world’s fastest growing cities and our citizens deserve a world-class public transport system to enhance their quality of life,” he said.
“The RPTP will be a major driver of employment and economic development. It will also help to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality,” he said.
The new metro system is expected to transform Riyadh, attract investment, support business and make the city more efficient as it continues to grow.
The construction of the project will begin in the first quarter of 2014.
Italian firm Ansaldo STS is the leader of the Arriyadh New Mobility group (ANM), which will be responsible for one line with a total distance of 40.7 km. The contract is valued at $5.2 billion (SR19.5 billion).
US firm Bechtel leads the BACS consortium, which will design and build two lines with a total distance of 63.3 km. The contract is valued at just under $9.5 billion (SR35.6 billion).
Spanish firm FCC Construction heads up the consortium, known as FAST, which will deliver three lines that cover a total distance of 72.5 km. The contract is valued at almost $8 billion (SR30 billion).
Al-Sultan said that these three international firms have experience delivering some of the world’s most iconic infrastructure projects and will work alongside Saudi Arabian expertise to oversee Riyadh’s ambitious and world-class transport project.
The metro system will have 96 stations in total, including the main stations, four transfer stations and five park-and-ride stations. Trains on the six lines will run at 40 km/h. All stations and carriages will be air-conditioned.
Work on Riyadh transport system to begin next year
