SAUDI ARABIA: Contracts have been awarded for the construction of a monorail within Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District mixed-use development. This is intended to reduce the need for private vehicles as part of the vision for a walkable ‘10 min city’.
The 3·6 km elevated circular line will have six stations serving office, retail and leisure facilities in the ‘city within a city’, and easy connections to the Riyadh Metro.
It will be operated using six automated trainsets, and is expected to handle up to 3 500 passengers/h at peak times.
King Abdullah Financial District Development & Management Co has signed the contracts with a consortium of CRRC (Hong Kong) Co, CRRC Nanjing Puzhen and Hassan Allam Construction.
‘With this project, we are not only enhancing the quality of life for KAFD’s residents and visitors but also contributing to the long-term sustainability of Riyadh’, said Stephen Thomas, Chief Operations Officer of KAFD DMC, on October 30. ‘The monorail is a symbol of progress, seamlessly connecting the district while supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.’
CRRC said the project ‘is set to deliver an advanced transportation network that not only enhances connectivity in KAFD but also sets a new benchmark for urban innovation and mobility in Saudi Arabia and beyond.’
A previous KAFD monorail project was cancelled in 2016, two years after Bombardier Transportation unveiled the first vehicle at InnoTrans 2014. Planning was relaunched in 2022, with Systra appointed to provide technical and supervision services.
