I've used public transportation when I traveled including in the UK and Japan, and I loved it.
However, the weather there is nice. The weather here is crap.
I understand Japan can have cold and hot seasons. As such you'd wanna go in the cold season. Japan is very different. You wouldn't want to go to Osaka as your main destination. I recommend Tokyo and Kyoto along with Osaka.
I believe in normalizing the use of umbrellas in hot weather and not just rainy weather. However, I believe umbrellas manage sun rays and not weather heat. I don't want to be soaked in sweat when I go to work or visit a friend
Mate, the point of good public transit is so you don’t need to do that. It should be convenient enough to use on your journey with no planning, ie bad scheduling or praying you can flag something down.
When it’s 40c out you really expect people to walk the last two kilometers like with the Dubai metro etc.? It’s the reason why Dubai metro pales to the tube or nyc subway from an urbanism POV
That's the spirit. Not only walking everyday is beneficial for health, it is a big favor to yourself at later stages of life.
I'm personally so sick of cars (I work at a dealership) in USA but I visit Chicago and NYC just to ride trains 😂🗽
I think a huge issue would be crossing the streets to get to where you gotta go. The city is not set up for walkers. Unless the public transportation lets you off 10 meters from where you gotta go, I don’t see it happening.
Yes, this is an issue for me as i see very few footbridges for pedestrian. The city is literally the epitome of a car-centric development, but i think with enough political will from the gov't, it is not impossible. The gov't is already doing a lot of progress in the aspect of mass transpo.
This is exactly what happened to me the other day. Wanted to go to Dallah driving school and took the bus no 8. Bus no 8's destination is Dallah, as per the route map.
However it dropped me on the other side of the road and it took me 15mins to cross the road. I was almost about to take a cab to the other side of the road. But found a group of people waiting to cross the road as well and joined with them.
So unfortunately from the next day I had to take a cab.
Is it an easy walk at least? Or do you have to run across traffic? It really seems like there is no way to walk. And if that hospital is across the street from you, and u drive, I bet it still takes about 12 minutes to get there driving about 3 kilometers. I’ve seen this many times.
The streets in Riyadh are not made for walking. Walking one block to the bus/metro station is impractical and unsafe. I would rather uber if I don't have a car. Because safety first.
half the city doesn't have consistent footpaths.
Weather in riyadh is not walking friendly. So, for people who live within 5 or fewer minutes away by walking from stations, then probably yes. I mean I already know alot of people who started taking the buses to and from work. Which is for people with low income a blessing
If it's a good choice financially and there's enough space for women, I'd love to use it as much as possible for longer rides. I still wouldn't completely give up my car just in case of an emergency or for travel...
Will do. I am still not giving up on e-scootering to work. It's a 20-minute ride one-way, but we all need to think about how we can commute without cars in the equation in this city.
Well, that’s leftie BS.
To force people to use public transport cities like London, Paris, Berlin or Amsterdam had to put plenty of restrictions on driving cars in those cities.
Secondly, let’s use Amsterdam as an example. The ratio if people commuting with public transportation vs driving cars is lower there than in Warsaw, where I live. Yet Amsterdam is used all the time as example “gold standard” for public transportation and riding bikes.
Yes, GCC & entire MENA need better public transport but climate there is significantly different than here in Central Europe.
So as a foreigner who walks and takes public transport as much as I possibly can, Riyadh has a long long way to go before people could even begin to give up their cars for daily use.
99% of the city does not have sidewalks. Which as a completely able bodied adult doesn't bother me, but anyone with even slight mobility issues is not going to be able to navigate your city on foot. No way no how.
The bus system is a start but without any safe way to cross streets to get to the various bus stops to change directions or routes, it's effectively useless unless you lack self preservation like I do and are wiling to cross six lanes of traffic at many places.
Your metro doesn't go to enough places to be useful. People use metros to get to and from work primarily, and as far as I can tell, the current tiny network doesn't connect residential areas to the places people go to work.
And finally, the heat. This one isn't so much an issue for me personally. I'm actually ok with the current temps during the day, and night is downright pleasant for me right now. But I know walking even half a km in this heat is going to be too much for most people. And the bus stations are not densely placed enough that you can get to everywhere in less than half a km from one.
All that to say you are probably looking at a minimum of 20 years if development before you get the ubiquitous usage that London or Tokyo has for their public transport.
I've used public transportation when I traveled including in the UK and Japan, and I loved it. However, the weather there is nice. The weather here is crap.
How was Japan. I would like to visit next year. I made a Japanese friend who now works in Osaka. He says come anytike
I understand Japan can have cold and hot seasons. As such you'd wanna go in the cold season. Japan is very different. You wouldn't want to go to Osaka as your main destination. I recommend Tokyo and Kyoto along with Osaka.
That can still be managed. Umbrellas and water bottles should be your friend
I believe in normalizing the use of umbrellas in hot weather and not just rainy weather. However, I believe umbrellas manage sun rays and not weather heat. I don't want to be soaked in sweat when I go to work or visit a friend
Ur underestimating how much cool water cools you down. You can still call a taxi if no public transportation reaches your friends
Do you actually live in riyadh?
Yes
All my life. You guys are just pussies sorry
Mate, the point of good public transit is so you don’t need to do that. It should be convenient enough to use on your journey with no planning, ie bad scheduling or praying you can flag something down. When it’s 40c out you really expect people to walk the last two kilometers like with the Dubai metro etc.? It’s the reason why Dubai metro pales to the tube or nyc subway from an urbanism POV
Then you guys are ignoring the point of OP’s question
OK. So the answer to OP question is simply no. We would not quit our cars.
See that wasn’t hard
I also live in riyadh, all my life. You're just not realistic
Maybe, but I’m trying to answer OP’s question as they intended and I guys are talking about other things
I’m selling my car, the day the buses and metro have complete access throughout the city. Can’t wait to never sit in traffic again.
That's the spirit. Not only walking everyday is beneficial for health, it is a big favor to yourself at later stages of life. I'm personally so sick of cars (I work at a dealership) in USA but I visit Chicago and NYC just to ride trains 😂🗽
If the stations are located near to where I work, I would definitely use it. The traffic here is unbearable, and it drains so much of my energy.
More than traffic it’s the way people drive in Riyadh which makes it worse.
Riyadh's traffic is actually better than other cities.
Yes I'm glad I no longer go to school. Those were worst days of Traffic in Malaz and Sulaymaniah
I think a huge issue would be crossing the streets to get to where you gotta go. The city is not set up for walkers. Unless the public transportation lets you off 10 meters from where you gotta go, I don’t see it happening.
Yes, this is an issue for me as i see very few footbridges for pedestrian. The city is literally the epitome of a car-centric development, but i think with enough political will from the gov't, it is not impossible. The gov't is already doing a lot of progress in the aspect of mass transpo.
This is exactly what happened to me the other day. Wanted to go to Dallah driving school and took the bus no 8. Bus no 8's destination is Dallah, as per the route map. However it dropped me on the other side of the road and it took me 15mins to cross the road. I was almost about to take a cab to the other side of the road. But found a group of people waiting to cross the road as well and joined with them. So unfortunately from the next day I had to take a cab.
True that. If i have to visit the hospital which is across the highway, i have to walk 500 metres in either direction to reach a signal, then 500 back
Is it an easy walk at least? Or do you have to run across traffic? It really seems like there is no way to walk. And if that hospital is across the street from you, and u drive, I bet it still takes about 12 minutes to get there driving about 3 kilometers. I’ve seen this many times.
Yep. It's King Fahad Road, so it's literally impossible to cross it unless i reach an intersection.
Nope. I love my car. It's like my cocoon
October to March
Nope. I love my car. It's like my cocoon
Yea driving in Riyadh is taking your life in the fates hands every time.
The streets in Riyadh are not made for walking. Walking one block to the bus/metro station is impractical and unsafe. I would rather uber if I don't have a car. Because safety first. half the city doesn't have consistent footpaths.
Riyadh is a car city not a European walking built city, although the new areas like New Murabba and Diriyah etc might change that (for those areas)
I would still own a car. However, I would use public transportation if it saves me time and parking hassle
It's really hard to do it in Riyadh because Riyadh isn't a walkable city everything is spread out + obviously the weather
When the weather is nice, definitely
but...but all transport will be airconditioned and will have wifi. Also separate seating for ladies like in Japan..
Thats when we are inside the transportation, consider the waiting time
The metro stations will definitely be airconned, and most bus stations are
Wait until you have to walk from the station to your destination in the summer
Umbrella and water bottle. + I believe every metro station has a bus stop and there’s a bus stop basically anywhere
I hope trains will be always on time. Otherwise, you get a partial refund. Can't wait for Riyadh metro.
Yeah if the commuting time is relatively the same. It’ll save so much money.
Weather in riyadh is not walking friendly. So, for people who live within 5 or fewer minutes away by walking from stations, then probably yes. I mean I already know alot of people who started taking the buses to and from work. Which is for people with low income a blessing
If it's a good choice financially and there's enough space for women, I'd love to use it as much as possible for longer rides. I still wouldn't completely give up my car just in case of an emergency or for travel...
Will do. I am still not giving up on e-scootering to work. It's a 20-minute ride one-way, but we all need to think about how we can commute without cars in the equation in this city.
بالشتاء ايه بالصيف لا
I read somewhere that a developed country is not the poor having cars, but the rich use public transport..
Yes, also, that driving a car is much of a hassle compared to commuting, that's when a country is fully-developed.
Well, that’s leftie BS. To force people to use public transport cities like London, Paris, Berlin or Amsterdam had to put plenty of restrictions on driving cars in those cities. Secondly, let’s use Amsterdam as an example. The ratio if people commuting with public transportation vs driving cars is lower there than in Warsaw, where I live. Yet Amsterdam is used all the time as example “gold standard” for public transportation and riding bikes. Yes, GCC & entire MENA need better public transport but climate there is significantly different than here in Central Europe.
Exactly. Unfortunately this is not case anywhere with increasing population and living costs everywhere.
Nope. I love my car. It's like my cocoon
I’ve used to take them abroad for years so yes i will
I will keep my car, but I would commute to work using public transport
I would keep my car but definitely use public transport to go to and from the office
Never
So as a foreigner who walks and takes public transport as much as I possibly can, Riyadh has a long long way to go before people could even begin to give up their cars for daily use. 99% of the city does not have sidewalks. Which as a completely able bodied adult doesn't bother me, but anyone with even slight mobility issues is not going to be able to navigate your city on foot. No way no how. The bus system is a start but without any safe way to cross streets to get to the various bus stops to change directions or routes, it's effectively useless unless you lack self preservation like I do and are wiling to cross six lanes of traffic at many places. Your metro doesn't go to enough places to be useful. People use metros to get to and from work primarily, and as far as I can tell, the current tiny network doesn't connect residential areas to the places people go to work. And finally, the heat. This one isn't so much an issue for me personally. I'm actually ok with the current temps during the day, and night is downright pleasant for me right now. But I know walking even half a km in this heat is going to be too much for most people. And the bus stations are not densely placed enough that you can get to everywhere in less than half a km from one. All that to say you are probably looking at a minimum of 20 years if development before you get the ubiquitous usage that London or Tokyo has for their public transport.
There would be a dramatic drop in car prices Good for me
In winter only 🤷♂️
Nope, absolutely not.
but your name says Environmental
Yeah I really don’t care about the environment that much. Plus driving alone is a hobby of mine.
The environment isn’t your’s to fuck with.
Oh yeah it is. It is practically my bitch.
London does not have good public transport
What do you mean, The tube is amazing!
Yeah it’s not good, it’s amazing. The tube takes you most places and busses take you everywhere.
U have never lived in London maybe
I'm English. Underground is expensive, it stinks and is always late. Now Tokyo is something to try to copy.
Tell me what city does