The Riyadh Metro network’s Orange line (Line 3), whose development involved the Group, is the longest of the 176-kilometre, driverless metro network     

Group, a metro sector leader, set to inaugurate metro line in Thessaloniki, Greece 

RIYADH, November 28, 2024 – His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud officially inaugurated yesterday the Riyadh Metro network, whose 6 fully-automated lines cover a combined length of 176 kilometers. The network, whose longest line was developed by the Webuild Group, will contribute to meeting the capital’s urban mobility needs, enhancing the quality of life of residents and visitors alike, in line with the objectives of Vision 2030.

The Riyadh Metro’s Qasr Al Hokm Downtown Metro Station stands out as the network’s 4 iconic stations, located near the Riyadh Region Governor’s Palace. Covering 20,000 square meters, its striking design features a large, inverted stainless steel cone, symbolizing the Kingdom’s vision for development.

"We are very proud to have contributed to such an important project, supporting the development of a strategic piece of infrastructure for both the Kingdom and its capital city,” said Webuild Chief Executive Pietro Salini. “The Riyadh Metro is the mirror of a city where tradition embraces modernity. The network will meet the needs of the Kingdom’s rapidly growing capital city, improving the quality of life of residents, helping to reduce congestion, and improving overall air quality. The project also serves as a model for new sustainable infrastructure, combining engineering excellence with aesthetic beauty. The inauguration of the network is the result of a great team effort, showcasing our Group’s unique expertise developed by working on the world’s largest sustainable mobility projects. We are present in Saudi Arabia since 1966, and we have completed 90 projects in the Kingdom. We have a project pipeline of interest to us valued at more than €30 billion, and Saudi Arabia is a market where we want to grow”.

“We are involved in the development of large innovative projects like NEOM in which we are building the Connector and three dams at Trojena. Webuild is a Group that is growing quickly, with almost 92,000 people in the world, 10,000 people employed in 2024 alone, and 4,000 engineers for design and engineering. Only companies of such scale have the ability to guarantee the delivery of projects, working with a supply chain of 19,400 suppliers highly specialized in infrastructure, and investing in quality, innovation, legality procedures, safety and training. For years, Webuild has been a global leader in the water sector, from desalination to waste-water treatment plants, in addition to dams. On this front, we are very active, especially in the Middle East, where water scarcity is a major issue. We are ready to serve countries to help solve this problem, which Italy also faces. For this reason, we have worked on a proposal to resolve the water crisis in Sicily (Italy) in the next two years with emergency and structural works, offering ourselves as a strategic partner of reference at the service of the country," said Salini.

Webuild has a long-standing presence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with its first projects dating back to 1966. Today, the Group is involved in major works across the Kingdom, including the high-speed Connector rail line and a system of three dams along with a freshwater lake for the city of Trojena, part of the NEOM development program. In Riyadh, it is working on a massive underground parking facility with 10,500 spaces, and the Sang Villas Urbanization Plan. The Group’s portfolio of completed works include the iconic Kingdom Center in Riyadh, which was awarded the 2002 Emporis Skyscraper Award for the best-designed skyscraper in the world; more than 70 healthcare facilities; and the Shuaibah-3 desalination plant, built by Fisia Italimpianti, a Group subsidiary specializing in water treatment and desalination.

In the sustainable mobility sector, Webuild has completed projects such as Milan’s M4 metro line and some of the most beautiful "Stations of Art" of the Naples metro system; the Cityringen metro line in Copenhagen, Denmark; and the skytrain viaduct and curved cable-stayed bridge in Sydney, Australia. The Group is working on technically challenging projects, including Line C of the Rome Metro, the recently awarded West Line 15 and 16 of the Grand Paris Express; as well as Suburban Rail Loop East in Melbourne, for which it recently signed the contract.