RIYADH: The number of passengers who used Saudi Railways reached more than 2.3 million during the first half of 2022, a 121-percent increase as compared to the same period last year.

The cargo transported by the railway company’s freight trains also recorded a 24 percent increase as compared to the first half of the previous year to reach more than 6.7 million tons, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

The freight service also contributed to the removal of more than 871,000 trucks from the roads.

The CEO of the company, Bashar Al-Malik, said the first half results are reflective of the high-quality service and emergence of Saudi railways as a reliable transportation option.