Some press reports suggest that an invitation to bid for the Design and Build Contract for the first phase of the Jeddah metro should be issued during the second quarter of this year.

The project involves the development of a 180 km long railway that will run across the city comprising three major lines:

  • Orange (67 km and 22 stations)
  • Blue (24 km and 17 stations)
  • Green (17 km and 7 stations)

This system will also incorporate a bus network of 816 buses and 2,950 stops. It is anticipated that the project will be implemented in three phases. Under current plans, phase 1 (USD 6.8 billion) should be completed in three years; phase 2 (USD 5 billion) should be completed in five years and phase 3 (USD 4.7 billion) should be completed in seven years.

The project has two primary aims. First, it is, of course, intended to create a robust transport network which will encourage people to use public transport rather than their cars (a recent study showed that 96% of Jeddah's inhabitants see their primary mode of transport as the car). Second, the Transport Ministry sees the development of transport infrastructure as having a role in solving the country's unemployment problems.

According to the Transport Minister, the project is currently in the design phase and once this is complete the project will be submitted to "higher authorities" for consideration.

This project will be let as a traditionally procured contract.

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