Saudi Arabia has restarted plans to construct the Jeddah metro project as it issued a preliminary design consultancy tender. The tender issued is for the project’s Blue Line which was issued early January. Interested firms have been given until March to submit their proposals on the project. The Blue Line is expected to run from King Abdulaziz International Airport. It will connect to the Haramain high-speed railway station.

Furthermore, the line will be 35 kilometers long and will include 15 stations. Jeddah Development Authority is the project client responsible for the project. Plans for the Jeddah Metro were first publicly announced in the early 2010s. Furthermore, it was formally packaged into a wider Jeddah public transport program around 2013-2014.

French-based Systra was appointed to complete preliminary engineering for the project in 2014. On the other hand, US-based Aecom inked a $74 million contract to provide pre-program management consultancy services. The revival of the project compliments other rail projects in the kingdom such as the Qiddiya high-speed rail project. 

Challenges Facing the Jeddah Metro Rail Project

The Jeddah metro project is the latest scheme in a number of projects to restart in the Kingdom. After various contracts were issued out in 2015, the project came to a standstill shortly later on. Factors such as government spending priorities took priority.

Moreover, major capital programs were reviewed following the fall of oil prices in 2015. In light of these new developments, the project’s scope, cost and delivery model were reassessed. Early concept designs envisaged a multi-line network integrated with buses and, later, other city-wide mobility upgrades. According to Jeddah Transport Company’s website, the scheme comprises 81 stations. Furthermore, it includes 197 trains serving more than 161km.

The network will have four lines:

Orange Line: a 44.8km line running along Al-Madinah Road and Old Makkah Road. It will also have 29 stops including one at Obhur Bridge

Blue Line: a 35km line running from King Abdulaziz International airport to the Haramain High-Speed Railway station. It will have 15 stations

Green Line: a 17km line running through the city centre, from the downtown area to the Haramain railway station. Moreover, it will have nine stops

Red Line: A 59.7km line running from King Abdullah Stadium north to Old Makkah Street through King Abdulaziz Road and King Abdullah Road. The line will also have 25 stops

Project Factsheet

• Project: Jeddah Metro Project – Blue Line
• Country: Saudi Arabia
• City: Jeddah
• Client: Jeddah Development Authority
• Status:
  • Project restarted
  • Preliminary design consultancy tender issued in early January
  • Proposal submission deadline in March
• Current Line (Blue Line):
  • Length: 35 km
  • Stations: 15
  • Route: King Abdulaziz International Airport to Haramain High-Speed Railway Station
• Background:
  • First announced: Early 2010s
  • Integrated into Jeddah Public Transport Program: 2013–2014
  • Systra appointed for preliminary engineering: 2014
  • Aecom awarded US$74 million pre-program management consultancy contract
• Project History:
  • Contracts issued in 2015
  • Project suspended after 2015
  • Suspension due to spending priority changes and oil price decline
  • Scope, cost, and delivery model later reassessed
• Planned Full Network:
  • Total lines: 4
  • Total length: 161+ km
  • Total stations: 81
  • Total trains: 197
• Lines Overview:
  • Orange Line: 44.8 km, 29 stations
  • Blue Line: 35 km, 15 stations
  • Green Line: 17 km, 9 stations
  • Red Line: 59.7 km, 25 stations