Saudi railways transported more than 40.9 million passengers in Q3 2026, a growth of 5% year-on-year (YoY) compared to about 39 million passengers, according to latest statistics issued by the Transport General Authority (TGA).
Meanwhile, mineral and freight transport declined 4.6% YoY to 3.9 million tons in Q3 2026, compared to 4.1 million tons in the same period last year. 
Saudi Railways Traffic in Q3 2026
Item
Q3 2025
Q3 2026
Change
No. of Passengers (mln)
39.0
40.9
5%
Minerals and Freight (mIn)
4.09
3.90
(5%)
The Riyadh Metro accounted for about 79% of total intracity passengers, amounting to 38.3 million, during the three-month period, compared to 69% in Q3 2025.
Intracity Passenger Distribution (mIn)
Item
Q3 2025
Q3 2026
Change
Riyadh Metro
25.2
30.40
21%
APM at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah
10.2
7.00
(31%)
APM at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah
0.97
0.91
(6%)
Total
36.3
38.30
6%
The Haramain High-Speed Railway accounted for around 76% of the total 2.5 million intercity passengers in Q3 2026, compared with approximately 77% in the same period of 2025. The East Train accounted for around 16%, while the North Train accounted for 10%, as shown in the following table.
Intercity Passenger Distribution (mIn)
Item
Q3 2025
Q3 2026
Change
Haramain High-Speed Railway
2.07
1.90
(8%)
SAR East Train
0.38
0.39
4%
SAR North Train
0.25
0.26
3%
Total
2.70
2.50
(7%)
The total volume of freight and minerals transported via the SAR North Train network exceeded 3.5 million tons in Q3 2026, down 5% from approximately 3.68 million tons in the same period of 2025.
Freight and minerals transported via the SAR East Train network also declined to 398,800 tons, down 4% from 414,900 tons in Q3 2025. Meanwhile, the number of standard containers transported across the network fell to 46,300, down 80% compared with about 227,000 in the same period last year, as shown in the following table.
Freight and Minerals Transported by Rail
Train
Freight and Minerals Transported during Q3 2025
Freight and Minerals Transported during Q3 2026
Change
SAR North Train network (mln tons)
3.68
3.50
(5%)
SAR East Train network (‘000 tons)
414.9
398.8
(4%)
SAR East Train network (‘000 standard containers)
227.00
46.30
(80%)
The total number of rail passengers in Saudi Arabia reached nearly 123.4 million in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% compared with around 111.2 million in the same period a year earlier.
Data monitored by Argaam showed that passenger traffic during the nine-month period comprised 116.04 million intracity passengers and 7.34 million intercity passengers.
The following table shows the development of rail passenger numbers since the beginning of 2026.
Rail Passenger Traffic Since the Beginning of 2026 (mln)
Period
Intracity
Intercity
Total
Q1 2026
41.6
2.60
44.2
Q2
36.14
2.24
38.4
Q3
38.30
2.50
40.9
Total
116.04
7.34
123.4
Saudi railways transported more than 40.9 million passengers in Q3 2026, a growth of 5% year-on-year (YoY) compared to about 39 million passengers, according to latest statistics issued by the Transport General Authority (TGA).
Meanwhile, mineral and freight transport declined 4.6% YoY to 3.9 million tons in Q3 2026, compared to 4.1 million tons in the same period last year.
Saudi Railways Traffic in Q3 2026
Item
Q3 2025
Q3 2026
Change
No. of Passengers (mln)
39.0
40.9
5%
Minerals and Freight (mIn)
4.09
3.90
(5%)
The Riyadh Metro accounted for about 79% of total intracity passengers, amounting to 38.3 million, during the three-month period, compared to 69% in Q3 2025.
Intracity Passenger Distribution (mIn)
Item
Q3 2025
Q3 2026
Change
Riyadh Metro
25.2
30.40
21%
APM at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah
10.2
7.00
(31%)
APM at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah
0.97
0.91
(6%)
Total
36.3
38.30
6%
The Haramain High-Speed Railway accounted for around 76% of the total 2.5 million intercity passengers in Q3 2026, compared with approximately 77% in the same period of 2025. The East Train accounted for around 16%, while the North Train accounted for 10%, as shown in the following table.
Intercity Passenger Distribution (mIn)
Item
Q3 2025
Q3 2026
Change
Haramain High-Speed Railway
2.07
1.90
(8%)
SAR East Train
0.38
0.39
4%
SAR North Train
0.25
0.26
3%
Total
2.70
2.50
(7%)
The total volume of freight and minerals transported via the SAR North Train network exceeded 3.5 million tons in Q3 2026, down 5% from approximately 3.68 million tons in the same period of 2025.
Freight and minerals transported via the SAR East Train network also declined to 398,800 tons, down 4% from 414,900 tons in Q3 2025. Meanwhile, the number of standard containers transported across the network fell to 46,300, down 80% compared with about 227,000 in the same period last year, as shown in the following table.
Freight and Minerals Transported by Rail
Train
Freight and Minerals Transported during Q3 2025
Freight and Minerals Transported during Q3 2026
Change
SAR North Train network (mln tons)
3.68
3.50
(5%)
SAR East Train network (‘000 tons)
414.9
398.8
(4%)
SAR East Train network (‘000 standard containers)
227.00
46.30
(80%)
The total number of rail passengers in Saudi Arabia reached nearly 123.4 million in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% compared with around 111.2 million in the same period a year earlier.
Data monitored by Argaam showed that passenger traffic during the nine-month period comprised 116.04 million intracity passengers and 7.34 million intercity passengers.
The following table shows the development of rail passenger numbers since the beginning of 2026.
Rail Passenger Traffic Since the Beginning of 2026 (mln)
Period
Intracity
Intercity
Total
Q1 2026
41.6
2.60
44.2
Q2
36.14
2.24
38.4
Q3
38.30
2.50
40.9
Total
116.04
7.34
123.4
