The Riyadh Metro opened in 2024 as one of the largest metro systems ever built in a single phase — six lines, 85 stations, and 176 kilometres of track, completed simultaneously at a project cost exceeding SAR 78 billion. It earned a Guinness World Record for the longest driverless metro network at opening. And it is not finished.
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 agenda calls for Riyadh to grow into a global city of 15 to 20 million people. The existing metro was designed for a city of 7 to 8 million. Two major expansion programmes are now in planning and construction: an extension of the Red Line westward toward Diriyah, and an entirely new Line 7 connecting Diriyah to the Qiddiya entertainment city in the south. Together, they will add more than 73 kilometres and 24 stations to the network.
This guide covers what the current network looks like, what is being built, the confirmed timeline and contractor information, and how the expansion fits into Riyadh's broader development strategy under Vision 2030.
The current Riyadh Metro network
As of 2024, the Riyadh Metro operates across six lines covering 176 kilometres and 85 stations. The network is fully driverless and runs on standard gauge track, using Alstom Metropolis rolling stock. All six lines connect at the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) or at the central interchange stations along the Blue Line, making the network hub-and-spoke in structure with strong east-west and north-south coverage of central Riyadh.
The six lines and their broad directions are: Blue Line (Line 1, north-south through central Riyadh), Red Line (Line 2, east-west across the city including the airport), Orange Line (Line 3, northeast corridor), Yellow Line (Line 4, King Khalid Airport to KAFD), Purple Line (Line 5, southern arc), and Green Line (Line 6, western residential districts to KAFD).
The entire network uses the Darb card fare system with time-based passes rather than zone or distance fares. A SAR 4 two-hour pass covers unlimited travel across all lines within the window, making the fare structure unusually simple for a network of this scale.
Red Line western extension — Diriyah branch
The Red Line currently runs 40 kilometres from the eastern terminus near the airport to the western end at Abu Baker Al Siddiq station in Al Suwaidi. The extension project adds 8.4 kilometres of new track continuing westward from the current terminus, with five new stations serving communities and landmarks between the existing western end and the Diriyah UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The contract for the Red Line western extension was awarded to Italian contractor Webuild, which was also involved in the original metro construction. Webuild announced the contract in late 2024 with a project value in the range of SAR 3 to 4 billion. Construction is underway with completion expected in the early 2030s, aligning with the planned opening of the Diriyah Gate development — a major cultural and hospitality project built around the At-Turaif district.
The strategic logic of the extension is direct: Diriyah Gate Authority aims to attract 3 to 4 million visitors annually to what is being developed as the world's largest living heritage site. A metro connection from central Riyadh to the site removes the dependency on private transport and aligns with the carbon and tourism targets of Vision 2030.
Line 7 — the Diriyah to Qiddiya corridor
Line 7 is a new metro line, not an extension of an existing one. It is planned to run 65 kilometres from Diriyah in the north — connecting with the Red Line extension — to Qiddiya City in the south, which is being developed as Saudi Arabia's flagship entertainment and sports destination. The project includes 19 stations along the corridor.
Construction on Line 7 is expected to begin in 2026. The project has been described by Saudi officials as a dedicated transit spine for the two largest Vision 2030 megaprojects in the Riyadh region. Qiddiya, when complete, is planned to include the largest theme park in the world, a Formula 1 circuit, multiple sports arenas, and residential communities — generating demand for mass transit that private vehicles alone could not handle.
At 65 kilometres, Line 7 would add more than a third of the current network's track length in a single project. Its 19 stations are designed to serve both the anchor destination nodes and the communities developing along the corridor as the Diriyah-to-Qiddiya belt grows into a connected urban district.
How the expansions connect to Vision 2030
Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 programme sets explicit targets for tourism (150 million visits per year by 2030), non-oil GDP contribution, and urban liveability. Riyadh is the central delivery city for most of these targets, and its metro expansion is a direct infrastructure enabler of the programme rather than a standalone transport project.
Diriyah Gate is one of the highest-profile Vision 2030 projects — a UNESCO World Heritage Site being developed into a multi-billion-riyal cultural and hospitality district. Metro access by 2030 converts it from a destination that requires a car or taxi into one that can be reached on a SAR 4 Darb pass from anywhere in central Riyadh.
Qiddiya represents a similar logic applied to entertainment. A city-scale entertainment destination, planned for 334 square kilometres in the southwest of Riyadh, needs its own mass transit connection to function at the visitor volumes being planned. Line 7 is that connection. The two projects — Diriyah and Qiddiya — effectively bracket Vision 2030's Riyadh ambitions, and Line 7 stitches them to the existing metro network.
What the expansion means for riders today
For people riding the current Riyadh Metro now, the immediate practical impact is limited but worth understanding. The western extension of the Red Line will eventually make Diriyah reachable by metro from any point on the existing network — currently the journey requires a taxi or bus connection from the western Red Line terminus.
Once complete, a journey from KAFD to Diriyah Gate will be possible entirely by metro — a significant change for tourists, residents in western Riyadh, and the hospitality workers staffing the new hotels and venues at the heritage site.
For residents making long-term decisions about where to live or work in Riyadh, the Line 7 corridor is worth watching. The land between Diriyah and Qiddiya is undergoing rapid development. Station proximity will matter as communities and commercial buildings develop around the planned stops over the next decade. The Riyadh Metro's original six lines already demonstrated how new stations become anchors for surrounding development — Line 7 will repeat that pattern at scale.
Timeline and what to expect
Based on available public information as of 2026: the Red Line western extension is under construction and targets early 2030s completion; Line 7 is in planning and design phase with construction expected from 2026 onward; no confirmed opening date for Line 7 has been announced.
These timelines are subject to revision — large infrastructure projects in Saudi Arabia have experienced both accelerations and delays as priorities and contractor schedules shift. The most reliable source for current construction status is the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), which publishes project updates through its official communications.
The broader Riyadh Metro expansion is not a distant aspiration. Contracts are signed, construction is active on the Red Line extension, and Line 7 design work is underway. Visitors and residents planning multi-year stays in Riyadh should factor the expanding network into their assumptions about which districts become more accessible in the coming years.
Frequently asked questions
- How many stations does the Riyadh Metro currently have?
- The Riyadh Metro opened in 2024 with 85 stations across 6 lines covering 176 kilometres. It holds the Guinness World Record for the largest single-phase driverless metro opening.
- What is Line 7 on the Riyadh Metro?
- Line 7 is a planned new metro line, 65 kilometres long with 19 stations, running from Diriyah in the north to Qiddiya entertainment city in the south. Construction is expected to begin in 2026. It is separate from the existing 6-line network.
- When will the Riyadh Metro Red Line extension open?
- The Red Line western extension — 8.4km and 5 new stations toward Diriyah — is under construction by Italian contractor Webuild and is expected to open in the early 2030s, aligned with the Diriyah Gate development timeline.
- Will the Riyadh Metro reach Diriyah?
- Yes. The Red Line western extension is specifically designed to connect the existing network to the Diriyah UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Diriyah Gate cultural development. Once complete, Diriyah will be reachable by metro from anywhere on the current network.
- Will the Riyadh Metro reach Qiddiya?
- Yes, via the planned Line 7. This new 65km line will run from Diriyah to Qiddiya City, serving the planned entertainment, sports, and residential development in the southwest of Riyadh. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.