Land Transport Traffic Surges in 2025
Passenger and freight movement across land borders shows significant annual growth.
1Record Passenger Traffic Growth
The General Authority for Statistics reported that total passenger movement across land borders reached 70.7 million in 2025. This represents a 7.2% increase compared to 2024 figures. Arrivals accounted for 37 million passengers, while departures totaled 33.7 million, reflecting a robust recovery and expansion in cross-border travel activity throughout the year.
2Dominance of King Fahd Bridge
King Fahd Bridge emerged as the primary gateway, handling 49.1% of all passenger traffic. The Al-Khafji port followed, capturing 12.2% of the total volume. January marked the peak period for travel with 7.4 million passengers recorded, whereas March saw the lowest activity level at 4.6 million, highlighting significant seasonal fluctuations in border transit.
3Freight Volume Expansion
External freight movement through land ports exceeded 26.8 million tons, marking a 4.4% rise over the previous year. Outbound shipments grew by 6.3% to reach 14.3 million tons, while inbound cargo increased by 2.4% to 12.5 million tons. This data underscores the growing reliance on land routes for regional trade and supply chains.
4Key Logistics Hub Performance
Al-Batha port led in both export and import logistics, processing 27.9% of outbound and 31.9% of inbound freight. Al-Haditha port handled 23.2% of outbound shipments, while Riyadh’s Dry Port managed 26.0% of imports. These hubs remain critical infrastructure points for maintaining the flow of goods across the nation's extensive land border network.
5Vehicle Fleet Growth
The total number of registered vehicles reached 16.7 million by the end of 2025, a 5.3% increase from 2024. Private vehicles dominated the fleet at 71.2%, followed by private transport at 20.0% and public transport at 4.4%. Additionally, 1.1 million new vehicles were registered for the first time during the calendar year.
6Driver Licensing Trends
There were 11.3 million valid driver licenses by year-end, with private licenses comprising 87.2% of the total. Demographic distribution shows 51.0% of license holders are Saudi nationals, while 49.0% are non-Saudis. Despite the growth in vehicle ownership, the number of new licenses issued dropped by 8.1% compared to the previous year's figures.
7Annual Statistical Reference
The annual transport statistics bulletin serves as a comprehensive reference for researchers and policymakers. By tracking vehicle registrations, border crossings, and freight volumes, the report provides a baseline for local and international comparisons. These metrics are essential for evaluating infrastructure capacity and planning future investments in the national land transport sector.
8Strategic Infrastructure Implications
The consistent growth in both passenger and freight movement indicates a strengthening of regional economic integration. The data suggests that land ports are under increasing pressure to maintain efficiency. Future policy decisions will likely focus on optimizing these key transit points to accommodate the rising demand for both personal mobility and commercial logistics.
Original article: Okaz — Land Transport Traffic Surges in 2025