Saudi Arabia’s rail sector recorded a remarkable performance in Q3 2025, transporting over 39 million passengers — an increase of nine million compared to Q3 2024, according to the Transport General Authority (TGA).
On an annual basis, the number of passengers surged by 496% (around 36.3 million) for Q3 2025,while intercity train passengers declined 7% year-on-year (YoY) to 2.7 million, as shown below:
Train Passengers in Q3 2025 (mln)
Category
Q3 2024
Q3 2025
Change (%)
Urban trains
6.1
36.3
+496%
Intercity trains
2.9
2.7
(7%)
Total
9.0
39.0
+333%
Statistics showed that over 36 million passengers used urban trains, led by the Riyadh Metro with more than 25 million passengers, followed by the automated people mover (APM) at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, which carried over 10 million passengers.
The APM at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh transported about 900,000 passengers, as detailed below:
Urban Train Passengers in Q3 2025 (mln)
Riyadh Metro
25.2
KAIA APM (Jeddah)
10.2
Princess Nourah University APM (Riyadh)
0.97
Total
36.3
Intercity train passengers totaled 2.7 million in Q3 2025, with the Haramain High-Speed Rail accounting for the majority at over 2 million, followed by the East Train (SAR) with 378,000, and the North Train (SAR) with 251,000, as shown below:
Intercity Train Passengers in Q3 2025 (mln)
Haramain High-Speed Rail
2.07
East Train (SAR)
0.38
North Train (SAR)
0.25
Total
2.70
Regarding freight and minerals, TGA said that over 4 million tons of minerals and goods and more than 277,000 containers were transported by rail during Q3 2025.
The East Train Network carried 227,000 standard containers and 414,900 tons, while the North Train Network transported 3.68 million tons.
Since the start of 2025, a total of 111.2 million passengers have traveled by train in Saudi Arabia, including 102.4 million on urban trains and 8.8 million on intercity trains.
Argaam data showed steady growth in urban train ridership throughout 2025, rising from 32.3 million passengers in Q1 to 36.3 million in Q3. Meanwhile, intercity passenger numbers remained stable at around 2.7 million in both Q2 and Q3, after reaching 3.4 million in Q1.
Train Passenger Since Start of 2025 (mln)
Period
Urban
Intercity
Total
Q1 2025
32.3
3.4
35.7
Q2
33.8
2.7
36.5
Q3
36.3
2.7
39.0
Total
102.4
8.8
111.2
According to Argaam’s data, train passengers in Saudi Arabia rose to about 42.7 million in 2024, up 41% YoY, with urban trains carrying 31.1 million passengers and intercity services transporting around 11.6 million.
Saudi Arabia’s rail sector recorded a remarkable performance in Q3 2025, transporting over 39 million passengers — an increase of nine million compared to Q3 2024, according to the Transport General Authority (TGA).
On an annual basis, the number of passengers surged by 496% (around 36.3 million) for Q3 2025,while intercity train passengers declined 7% year-on-year (YoY) to 2.7 million, as shown below:
Train Passengers in Q3 2025 (mln)
Category
Q3 2024
Q3 2025
Change (%)
Urban trains
6.1
36.3
+496%
Intercity trains
2.9
2.7
(7%)
Total
9.0
39.0
+333%
Statistics showed that over 36 million passengers used urban trains, led by the Riyadh Metro with more than 25 million passengers, followed by the automated people mover (APM) at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, which carried over 10 million passengers.
The APM at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh transported about 900,000 passengers, as detailed below:
Urban Train Passengers in Q3 2025 (mln)
Riyadh Metro
25.2
KAIA APM (Jeddah)
10.2
Princess Nourah University APM (Riyadh)
0.97
Total
36.3
Intercity train passengers totaled 2.7 million in Q3 2025, with the Haramain High-Speed Rail accounting for the majority at over 2 million, followed by the East Train (SAR) with 378,000, and the North Train (SAR) with 251,000, as shown below:
Intercity Train Passengers in Q3 2025 (mln)
Haramain High-Speed Rail
2.07
East Train (SAR)
0.38
North Train (SAR)
0.25
Total
2.70
Regarding freight and minerals, TGA said that over 4 million tons of minerals and goods and more than 277,000 containers were transported by rail during Q3 2025.
The East Train Network carried 227,000 standard containers and 414,900 tons, while the North Train Network transported 3.68 million tons.
Since the start of 2025, a total of 111.2 million passengers have traveled by train in Saudi Arabia, including 102.4 million on urban trains and 8.8 million on intercity trains.
Argaam data showed steady growth in urban train ridership throughout 2025, rising from 32.3 million passengers in Q1 to 36.3 million in Q3. Meanwhile, intercity passenger numbers remained stable at around 2.7 million in both Q2 and Q3, after reaching 3.4 million in Q1.
Train Passenger Since Start of 2025 (mln)
Period
Urban
Intercity
Total
Q1 2025
32.3
3.4
35.7
Q2
33.8
2.7
36.5
Q3
36.3
2.7
39.0
Total
102.4
8.8
111.2
According to Argaam’s data, train passengers in Saudi Arabia rose to about 42.7 million in 2024, up 41% YoY, with urban trains carrying 31.1 million passengers and intercity services transporting around 11.6 million.
