Saudi Rail Network Carries 38 Million Passengers in Three Months

More than 38 million passengers travelled across Saudi Arabia's rail network during the second quarter of 2026, according to new figures released by the Transport General Authority (TGA).

Urban rail systems accounted for the vast majority of journeys, carrying 36 million passengers during the three-month period. The Riyadh Metro led the network with 29.7 million passengers, while the Al-Mashaaer Metro transported 1.9 million. Elsewhere, the automated people mover at King Abdulaziz International Airport served approximately 3.9 million passengers, while the equivalent system at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University recorded 635,000 passengers.

Intercity rail services also saw steady demand. The Haramain High Speed Railway, which links Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport and King Abdullah Economic City, carried 1.6 million passengers during the quarter.

The Eastern Train, connecting Riyadh with Dammam through Hofuf and Buqaiq, transported 389,000 passengers, while the Northern Train, serving destinations including Majmaah, Qassim, Hail, Al-Jouf and Qurayyat, carried around 246,000 passengers.

Freight operations also remained active during the period. The TGA reported that 3.7 million tons of minerals and goods were transported by rail, including 3.3 million tons carried on the North Train and 396,000 tons on the East Train. Rail operators also moved approximately 47,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containerised cargo during the quarter.