Riyadh Metro Red Line Expansion Awarded to Webuild-Led Consortium

Riyadh Metro Red Line Expansion Awarded to Webuild-Led Consortium

(IN BRIEF) Webuild has been awarded the contract to lead the consortium delivering the extension of Riyadh Metro’s Red Line, further strengthening its role in one of the world’s largest driverless metro networks. The project includes the construction of an 8.4-kilometre metro line, five stations, and advanced signalling systems, with most of the route built underground. Integrated into Riyadh’s six-line automated network, the extension will improve connectivity across the city and link the metro system with Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site undergoing major redevelopment. The award builds on Webuild’s long-standing presence in Saudi Arabia and its extensive global experience in metro construction.

(PRESS RELEASE) MILAN, 13-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Webuild has secured a major new contract in Saudi Arabia after the Royal Commission for Riyadh City awarded the extension of Riyadh Metro’s Red Line to an international consortium led by the Group. The consortium also includes India’s Larsen & Toubro, Saudi Arabia’s Nesma, and France’s Alstom. The project further reinforces Webuild’s role as a key contributor to one of the world’s largest and most ambitious urban mobility programmes.

The scope of work covers the design and construction of an 8.4-kilometre driverless metro extension, the majority of which will be underground. Around 7.1 kilometres of the line will be excavated using tunnel boring machines, while a further 1.3 kilometres will run on viaducts. The project also includes the construction of five new stations, three of them underground, together with advanced signalling systems to ensure seamless integration with the existing network.

This extension forms part of Riyadh’s fully automated metro system, recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s longest driverless metro network. Once completed, the new Red Line section will be integrated into the six-line system launched in December, which spans 176 kilometres and represents one of the most extensive infrastructure undertakings globally. The extension will enhance connectivity across the city, adding new stations serving King Saud University and linking key urban developments.

A central objective of the project is to connect the existing Red Line with Diriyah, the first capital of Saudi Arabia and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Diriyah is currently undergoing a major transformation to become a leading cultural and tourism destination, with development plans focused on preserving its Najd architectural heritage while opening the area to international visitors. The metro extension is expected to play a vital role in supporting this transformation by improving access and sustainable mobility.

Webuild’s long-standing presence in Saudi Arabia underpins its involvement in the project. The Group has operated in the Kingdom since 1966 and has delivered more than 90 projects across the country, including metro infrastructure, hospitals, and major water treatment facilities. In Riyadh, Webuild is currently engaged in several strategic developments, while past landmark projects include the Kingdom Center skyscraper, numerous healthcare facilities, and the Shoaiba-3 desalination plant built through its subsidiary Fisia Italimpianti.

Globally, Webuild brings extensive experience in metro construction, having delivered more than 890 kilometres of rail lines worldwide. Recent milestones include new stations on Rome’s Metro Line C, the completion of Milan’s M4 line, and the inauguration of Thessaloniki’s first driverless metro. The Group is also actively delivering major metro projects in cities such as Paris, Lima, Sydney, and Naples, underscoring its position as a leading international player in underground and urban transport infrastructure.

Webuild is a global leader in the design and construction of large, complex infrastructure projects in sustainable mobility, hydropower, water treatment, and green buildings. A recognized leader in the water sector, it works in approximately 50 countries with over 92,000 people of 125 different nationalities. The Group boasts nearly 120 years of applied engineering on more than 3,700 completed projects, with a track record of 13,648 kilometres of railways, 891 kilometres of metro lines, 82,577 kilometres of roads and highways, 1,022 kilometres of bridges and viaducts, 3,462 kilometres of tunnels, and 318 dams and hydropower plants. Among its most famous projects: the expansion of the Panama Canal, the Long Beach International Gateway bridge in California, the Third Bosphorus Bridge in Turkey, the Sydney Metro Northwest skytrain viaduct and bridge, the Kingdom Centre skyscraper in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and numerous metro lines in Copenhagen, Paris, Rome, Milan, Naples, Doha, Thessaloniki, and Riyadh. Among the main ongoing projects, the following stand out: the New Genoa Breakwater, the Brenner Base Tunnel, the Pedemontana Lombarda Highway, Line C of Rome’s metro network, the high-capacity railways between Genoa and Milan, the high-speed railway between Naples and Bari, the Palermo-CataniaMessina high-capacity railway, the Snowy 2.0 hydropower scheme in Australia, and the Trojena dam network in Saudi Arabia. As of December 31, 2024, the Webuild Group registered total revenues for €12 billion and a total backlog of €63 billion, with more than 90% of its construction backlog related to projects linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Webuild, subject to the direction and coordination of Salini Costruttori S.p.A., is headquartered in Italy, islisted on the Milan Stock Exchange, Borsa Italiana (WBD; WBD.MI; WBD:IM), and since 2021, it is included in the MIB ESG index of the Italian blue-chip companies with the best ESG practices.

Media Contacts:

Francesca Romana Chiarano
Senior Manager – Media Relations
Tel. +39 338 247 4827
email: f.chiarano@webuildgroup.com

Amarilda Karaj
Investor Relations
Tel +39 02 444 22476
email: a.karaj@webuildgroup.com

SOURCE: Webuild