Saudi Arabia launches major bus services project to link 200 cities, provinces

Image: SPA

Saudi Arabia has launched a mega bus transport services project aimed at connecting 200 cities and provinces, with the capacity to accommodate six million passengers annually, according to Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser launched the bus services project in Riyadh.

The project operates through three international alliances in three concession areas. It will use a state-of-the-art fleet of buses equipped with advanced technological features to establish links across 76 routes within the designated cities and provinces, SPA reported.

Bus services project to boost GDP

Al Jaseer said the bus services project would create more than 35,000 direct and indirect job opportunities, with an anticipated addition of SAR3.2bn to the gross domestic product.

He said the project was aimed at improving services for beneficiaries and strengthening private-sector partnerships, representing the first foreign investment in this particular field.

In other news, Saudi Arabia is now granting visitor visas to travellers from six newly eligible countries: Türkiye, Thailand, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles and Mauritius, for leisure, business, and religious (Umrah only) travel.

Read: Saudi Arabia e-visa offering now extends to 63 countries