RIYADH — Minister of Transport and Logistics Saleh Al-Jasser announced on Wednesday that Riyadh public transport buses will start operation in March. The operation of the bus service will be part of the first phase of the King Abdulaziz Public Transport Project. This project, which consists of trains and buses and costing $22.5 billion, is considered as the largest public transport project in the world. Addressing the Zakat, Tax and Customs Conference, Al-Jasser said that the Riyadh Metro will be operated in the coming months. The minister said that the international shipping lines and logistics companies are racing to do business in Saudi Arabia. He also stated that Saudi Arabia tops the index of the 25 best ports in the world. It is noteworthy that Fahd Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, said at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month that the population of the city of Riyadh increased to 8 million in 2022. He said that the public transport project in the city of Riyadh was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, and was slightly delayed. "Today we are looking at a plan to expand the Riyadh metro lines in light of the city's population growth," Al-Rasheed pointed out. The Riyadh Metro or electric trains is also part of the King Abdulaziz Public Transport Project. The Riyadh Metro is one of the giant projects in the world. It includes 85 railway stations, apart from six major metro lines that have been established to cover the capital city of Riyadh from all directions. There will also be a network of buses and all these cover an area of 1800 km. It was revealed recently that more than 80 percent of the works of railway stations and 350 km of railroads across the city have been completed.
