Ricardo named as Integrated Delivery Partner for Riyadh's new monorail

The King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Monorail is a central component of Riyadh’s evolving urban mobility landscape.

Designed to connect the business and residential precincts within the district, the monorail system is also expected to serve the adjacent entertainment district and support the movement of visitors and residents in and out of one of Riyadh's most dynamic and high-footfall areas. 

Crucially, the KAFD Monorail is being developed with seamless network integration in mind, connecting to Line 1 of the Riyadh Metro via a dedicated transfer station.

CRRC, an international rolling stock manufacturer, along with Hassan Allam, the design and build contractors for the KAFD Monorail, has engaged Ricardo as its Integrated Delivery Partner, a role that will span systems engineering, integration and assurance activities across the monorail’s infrastructure, including both E&M and civil systems.

International delivery and collaboration

The project is being delivered through a cross-border team, with activities coordinated between China and Saudi Arabia. This joint approach allows for seamless communication between the CRRC design team and local implementation teams in Riyadh, ensuring that technical interfaces and delivery timelines remain aligned.

Tony Gao, Ricardo’s project lead based in China, says: “This is more than just a restart. It’s a reinvention. We’re working closely with CRRC and KAFD stakeholders to ensure that every system aligns with the vision for a world-class, resilient transport network.”

Faycal Zerrouki, one of Ricardo’s Dubai-based technical leaders, added: “Lessons from regional infrastructure projects, particularly the Riyadh Metro, have underlined the importance of early systems integration and clarity in safety and regulatory requirements. These insights are directly informing our approach on KAFD.”

Growing interest in monorail technology

The KAFD Monorail is part of a broader international trend that is now looking towards monorail technology as cost-effective transit infrastructure. Such systems offer advantages in speed of deployment, reduced land footprint and scalability, for example, making them a strong option for medium-capacity corridors and urban areas with limited space for traditional urban metro or light rail networks. 

Globally, the monorail market is projected to grow steadily in the coming decade. Cities across Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East are showing increased interest in monorail as a viable mode for sub-transit corridors and last-mile connectivity.

Despite the promise, key challenges remain. There are technical issues to resolve that stem from supplier variation, proprietary technologies and the need for interoperability and long-term maintainability in diverse and evolving urban contexts.

And from a mobility perspective, ensuring effective integration with existing transport modes is essential for network efficiency and user uptake. Ultimately, monorail systems are valuable complements to existing urban transit networks, rather than an end in themselves. As such, the proposed KAFD system is the ideal solution for the circumstances of this specific corridor.    

Technical capabilities beyond assessments

Ricardo’s involvement in KAFD builds on a portfolio of global monorail projects that we have previously supported, including contributions to Dubai Monorail, subsystem development for BYD, driveline technology from the former Scomi Rail Malaysia platform, and engagements in Bangkok, Daegu, Panama City, and Mumbai. 

Experience from these projects will prove valuable in addressing integration and assurance needs on KAFD, ensuring alignment with international best practices while accommodating local technical requirements.

Our work in the Middle East has traditionally focused on Independent Safety Assessments. However, we are now operating as a truly multi-disciplinary technical consultancy in the region, supporting delivery across a range of integrated services. Our experts have become increasingly embedded in the supply chain, offering specialist capabilities in operations and maintenance, asset management, track analysis and cyber security.

This evolution reflects a broader shift in the market, where complex transit systems demand support that spans infrastructure, systems engineering and digital technology. The KAFD Monorail exemplifies this trend, requiring coordination across numerous disciplines and delivery partners.

With Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 placing renewed emphasis on urban mobility, the project is an example of how legacy systems can be reactivated and aligned with contemporary standards and expectations.