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The Transport General Authority reported that rail services across Saudi Arabia carried more than 40.9 million passengers during the third quarter of 2026. Intra-city operations accounted for the majority of journeys with 38.3 million passengers while intercity routes handled 2.5 million. The authority’s quarterly indicator also documented growth in several key segments compared with the preceding quarter.
Riyadh Metro led intra-city ridership with 30.4 million trips according to the Transport General Authority. The Automated People Mover at King Abdulaziz International Airport transported 7 million passengers during the period after moving 3.9 million in the second quarter. The Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University rail line added another 911,200 passengers to the intra-city total.
Intercity services showed particular strength on the Haramain High-Speed Railway the Transport General Authority data indicated. The line linking Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport and King Abdullah Economic City carried more than 1.9 million passengers up from 1.6 million in the second quarter. Overall passenger numbers rose from the comparable period in 2025 the authority stated.
Saudi Arabia Railways’ East Network recorded approximately 393,900 passenger trips in the quarter according to the Transport General Authority. The network runs from Riyadh through Abqaiq and Hofuf to Dammam. The company’s North Network which connects Riyadh with Majmaah, Qassim, Hail, Al-Jouf and Qurayyat carried 258,600 passengers over the same period.
Freight operations added further volume with 3.9 million tons of minerals and goods transported alongside 46,300 standard containers the Transport General Authority reported. These cargo figures illustrate the rail sector’s contribution to logistics alongside its passenger services. The authority releases such quarterly indicators to track performance across the expanding national rail system.
The third-quarter totals build on more than 38 million passenger journeys recorded in the second quarter of 2026 according to the same Transport General Authority dataset. Growth has been evident in both urban metro systems and high-speed intercity connections. The authority continues to publish regular updates on rail activity as infrastructure projects advance throughout the Kingdom.
