RCRC launches second phase of Riyadh Bus

A Riyadh public transport bus

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) announced the start of the second phase of the “Riyadh Bus” service as part of the King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport.

The second phase includes the addition of nine extra routes, including the extension of Line 11, which is dedicated for bus lane service, and 223 more buses serving passengers through 500 stations and stops, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

This brings the total number of routes to 24, with 560 buses covering more than 1,100 stations and stops, spanning 1,120 km of the total network of 1,900 km.

The remaining phases will be launched consecutively to fully operate the Riyadh Bus network by the end of 2023.

The first phase witnessed the operation of more than 180,000 trips with more than two million passengers.

RCRC plans to offer more buses, stations, and routes, as the Riyadh Bus services are gradually expanding to reach all passengers and target groups to facilitate their arrival.

Moreover, additional features were added to the “Riyadh Bus” application, with the aim of facilitating trip planning and ticketing. This was available through the “choose your destination” feature, which allows passengers to plan the trip, choose the destination, and buy tickets.

The application map was also updated for direct tracking of bus movements on the selected routes.

Further, additional ticket validity options were launched, including three-day, seven-day, and 30-day options. Tickets can be obtained through the related machines available at some stations or via the application.

In March, RCRC announced the launch of the first phase of the Riyadh Bus service as part of the King Abdulaziz Project for Riyadh Public Transport, which includes the implementation of an integrated network of trains and buses, according to data available with Argaam.

The Riyadh train network consists of six routes with a total length of 176 km across 85 stations.

The King Abdulaziz Project will be launched in several phases, starting from the first phase of the Riyadh bus service to the operation of the entire network during the fourth quarter of 2024.