Riyadh Metro to accept bids for station names from Dec. 17

Riyadh Metro will start accepting bids on Dec. 17 from private companies for the naming rights for some stations, Gulf News reported, citing a notice published in the newspaper.

The process of accepting bids will end on Jan. 25, 2018, it said.

Companies must have a minimum trading history of three years in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), according to the published notice.

Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA), the entity responsible for delivering the metro project, is offering naming rights on ten stations, out of a total of 85, the newspaper said.

According to the Riyadh Metro website, the program will "open the door for the private sector to participate in the long-term sustainability of the Kingdom’s first public transit system."

Earlier this month, Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud, Riyadh governor and chairman of ADA, said the metro project is expected to ease the Saudi capital’s heavy traffic congestion, Al Eqtisadiah newspaper reported.

The Riyadh Metro will span 176 kilometres and include 85 stations when completed. A bus network will complement the metro with 24 routes, running 1,083 kilometres and stopping at 776 stations.