Siemens Mobility Expands in Riyadh, Solidifies Transport Leadership in Saudi Arabia

Siemens Mobility has planted deeper roots in Saudi Arabia, unveiling a new office in Riyadh that signals its intent to stay the course in shaping the future of transport across the Middle East. The move slots neatly into the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plans and the Saudi Green Initiative, both driving the push toward cleaner, more connected mobility.

At the official opening, company leaders rubbed shoulders with government officials, diplomats, and long-term partners. Among them were Germany’s ambassador Michael Kindsgrab and executives from E.A. Juffali & Brothers Co.—a good reminder of how close Saudi–German business ties have become over the years.

Frank Hagemeier, Siemens Mobility’s CEO for Saudi Arabia, highlighted that this expansion builds on nearly two decades of local involvement, stretching back to the firm’s first Saudi contract in 2005. He described the new Riyadh base as a step to bring the company “closer to customers and strategic partners” while giving it a better vantage point to take part in the region’s transport megaprojects. I reckon that’s spot on; proximity often makes all the difference when complex infrastructure is at stake.

Siemens’ contribution in the Kingdom is already pretty hefty. It rolled out the first European Train Control System between Riyadh and Dammam—no small feat for the region—and helped power the Haramain High-Speed Railway linking the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. Then there’s the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro Line, ferrying pilgrims between sacred sites during Hajj, where Siemens handled parts of the electrification and key services.

More recently, Siemens helped deliver the Riyadh Metro, the longest driverless system on the planet. The figures are impressive: 67 Inspiro trains, top-bracket communications control (CBTC), and more than 100 million passengers carried since it began operating in late 2024. Still, maintaining all of it—hardware, software, and tracks—day to day is no walk in the park. That said, the company’s service contract ensures the system keeps ticking like clockwork.

Beyond just infrastructure, Siemens is also working to build local know-how. Its partnership with the Saudi Railway Polytechnic gives Saudi students both classroom lessons and hands-on experience with signaling, electrification, and communications technology. In my view, that kind of real-world training will prove far more valuable than any textbook.

At Arageek, we’ve met many young founders who see transport tech as a future goldmine—but they’ll tell you it can be a bit of a faff finding the right mentors or corporate allies. Seeing big players like Siemens investing in education might inspire a few of them to jump aboard the mobility wave rather than watching it pass by.

All in all, Siemens’ latest chapter in Riyadh underlines a smarter approach: plant the flag, hire locally, grow skills, and let the results speak for themselves. It’s exactly the kind of long-game thinking we love spotting in the region’s expanding corporate landscape—even if, well… it takes a while to show.

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