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The General Authority for Statistics released its Railway Transport Statistics for 2025 on October 18 detailing a sharp rise in network usage. Total passengers reached 156.4 million for the year as urban rail lines absorbed growing demand in major cities. The authority compiled the annual data from operators across intracity and intercity routes.
GASTAT figures show intracity passengers climbed to 145.4 million in 2025 from 31.1 million in 2024 for a 368 percent increase. Intercity passengers totaled 10.9 million compared with 11.6 million the prior year marking a 5.6 percent decline. The breakdown highlights how metro and light rail systems drove overall growth while long-distance travel eased slightly.
According to the GASTAT report passenger volumes reached a monthly low of 10.8 million in April. The network recorded its highest monthly total in December at 15.9 million. These fluctuations reflect seasonal patterns in both urban commuting and intercity journeys.
The authority’s assessment found freight activity expanded with 8,885 trips completed in 2025 against 6,807 in 2024. Rail freight moved 16.1 million tons of cargo during the year. The report also listed 915,400 standard containers transported by rail services.
GASTAT data places the Riyadh train at 949,400 trips covering 26.8 million kilometers in 2025. The Haramain High-Speed Railway achieved a 97.8 percent on-time performance rate the highest among services reviewed. Freight trains covered 6.1 million kilometers across all routes.
Quarterly updates from the Transport General Authority had previously shown progressive gains in urban rail ridership that fed into the annual totals. The Transport General Authority reported more than 39 million passengers in the third quarter of 2025 with the Riyadh Metro contributing the largest share. These sequential releases from official bodies confirm sustained expansion of the rail sector throughout the year.
