Jeddah Metro

About Jeddah Metro

The buzz around Riyadh Metro is not the only transportation news in the region. Jeddah is also getting a new metro system, with plans approved in 2013 and a projected cost of $60 billion. Expected to be completed by 2025, Jeddah Metro will feature three lines under development, connecting King Abdulaziz International Airport to Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium with style. British architecture firm, Foster + Partners, has been tasked with designing Jeddah Metro, which is expected to have a sleek look and feel.

Jeddah Metro is an integrated urban masterplan for the 23rd century that outlines a completely unified design vision of the city’s transport system, incorporating a long-term strategy that will act as a catalyst for urban growth, setting in place the foundations for a sustainable future for Jeddah. Inspired by the city’s vision for infrastructure development, the proposal is a joint venture with engineers Arcadis, and takes a holistic approach towards different modes of transport, public spaces, energy and communication infrastructure, and landscaping, ensuring each of these aspects forms a coherent and complementary whole.

Designed in response to the local climate, the masterplan is city-wide and draws on the high-density, compact urban model of the ancient quarter of Al Balad, with its mixture of uses and comfortable, walkable shaded streets. Currently only a small percentage of the population live within a 10-minute walk of Jeddah’s transport nodes – the project aims to achieve a significantly larger percentage, through a process of densification and strategic planning. Each station node will create a new neighbourhood, with a unique character, and together these will create a diverse and vibrant city. The metro network is defined by a series of viaducts – a distinct, sculptural presence that marches through Jeddah, providing space for multiple functions and catalysts for positive urban growth and a natural orientation to the city.

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