RIYADH: Public transport passenger numbers in the Kingdom rose to 420.6 million in 2025, a 129 percent increase from 183.3 million in 2019, the Transport General Authority announced.
Marking World Public Transport Day on April 17, this milestone highlights the sector’s rapid expansion and its role in improving quality of life, reducing traffic congestion, and lowering emissions.
The authority reported 61 percent growth between 2024 and 2025, while the first quarter of 2026 saw a 20 percent increase compared with the same period last year, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
This surge is supported by the expansion of city bus services, now operating in 17 cities and governorates, up from four in 2019, using advanced, tech-equipped fleets to enhance connectivity and reliability.
Taxi trips exceeded 377 million between 2019 and 2025, a 15 percent increase, while ride-hailing apps recorded over 548 million trips, up 64 percent, the authority said.
Automated train systems also performed strongly in 2025, with the King Abdulaziz International Airport train in Jeddah serving over 34 million passengers and the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University train in Riyadh serving more than 3 million.
