Saudi Arabia’s Arriyadh Development Authority (ADA) has completed the tunnel excavation works for Line 5 (Green line) of the Riyadh Metro.

Line 5 runs 13 kilometres underground with a bored tunnel along King Abdulaziz Road. It features 11 deep underground stations, in addition to two transfer stations with the Red and Blue lines.

It is one of the three lines awarded to the FAST consortium, which comprises eight firms including:

• FCC (Spain)
• Samsung C&T (South Korea)
• Alstom (France)
• Strukton (Netherlands)
• Freyssinet (Saudi Arabia)
• Atkins (UK)
• Typsa (Spain)
• Setec (France)

Apart from Line 5, the FAST team is also constructing Lines 4 and 6, or a total of 33km of viaducts, 22km of underground and 9km of at-grade track.

Alstom’s part of the deal entails the supply of a fully integrated metro system for the three lines. This includes 69 Metropolis trains, Urbalis signalling, the energy recovery system Hesop as well as tracks.

The Metropolis trains consist of two cars per set and are each 36 metres long. The trains are driverless and 100 per cent motorised, allowing them to run on gradients of up to a 6 per cent slope, according to a Fast consortium statement.

The $23bn, 176km Riyadh Metro is expected to be completed in 2019. It will have 85 stations and six main lines.

The ADA has also released the tender documents for the operation and maintenance contract for the Riyadh Metro in May.

It expects to receive offers from prequalified firms by mid-October.