There is no official “Agenda 2030 smart cities list” that names NEOM, The Line, Riyadh, Qiddiya, or The Red Sea as compulsory global smart-city projects. The UN 2030 Agenda is a sustainable-development framework, and SDG 11 is the relevant city goal: inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities [S1], [S2]. For Saudi Arabia, the useful 2030 smart cities list is a Vision 2030 evidence map: NEOM and The Line as greenfield digital-city ambitions, Riyadh as an operating smart-city and transport modernization case, Qiddiya as a PIF entertainment city, and The Red Sea as a regenerative tourism platform with smart infrastructure claims [S3], [S4], [S5], [S6].
Where It Is
The Saudi smart-city portfolio is not one city. It is distributed across northwest Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, and the Red Sea coast.
| Project or city | Location | Why it belongs in the smart-city comparison |
|---|---|---|
| NEOM | Northwest Saudi Arabia, on the Red Sea coast | PIF frames NEOM as a 26,500 square kilometer living laboratory for entrepreneurship, innovation, renewable energy, and new urban models [S4]. |
| The Line | Inside NEOM | Vision 2030 describes The Line as a 170 kilometer, renewable-energy urban concept for 9 million people [S5]. |
| Riyadh | Saudi capital | Riyadh has an operating 176 kilometer metro network and municipal smart-city initiatives using AI, IoT, digital maps, parking systems, open data, and 15-minute-service indicators [S6], [S7]. |
| Qiddiya City | Southwest of Riyadh | PIF describes Qiddiya as a city built for entertainment, sports, and culture; current official progress pages show some assets complete and others still under construction [S4], [S8]. |
| The Red Sea | Saudi west coast | PIF describes The Red Sea as a regenerative tourism destination with renewable utilities, airport operations, opened resorts, and phased development through 2026 and beyond [S9]. |
Current Status
Riyadh has the clearest operating smart-city evidence because the metro has opened in phases and the municipality lists active digital initiatives [S6], [S7]. The Red Sea has opened multiple resorts and airport operations, with more assets scheduled [S9]. Qiddiya has construction-progress evidence for selected assets, but the full city is not complete [S8]. NEOM and The Line remain the highest-ambition and highest-risk cases: official pages still present the large-scale urban vision, while independent reporting and 2026 Reuters-syndicated comments point to reprioritization and uncertainty around what must be delivered by 2030 [S5], [S10], [S11].
Map, Ownership, And Governance
Location
Saudi Arabia’s smart-city agenda has two different geographies. The first is greenfield construction: NEOM, The Line, Qiddiya, The Red Sea, and related PIF platforms. The second is retrofit modernization: Riyadh’s transport, municipal technology, open-data, monitoring, and service-access systems [S4], [S6], [S7].
This distinction matters. A greenfield project can design infrastructure, energy, data, mobility, and built form from scratch. A retrofit city has to upgrade a real urban system while people, traffic, businesses, land markets, and government services are already operating.
Responsible entity
| Project or city | Main entity | Governance read |
|---|---|---|
| NEOM | NEOM / PIF | PIF is the strategic sponsor and classifies NEOM as a giga-project aligned with Vision 2030 [S4]. |
| The Line | NEOM / PIF | The Line is a NEOM region and official Vision 2030 project, but delivery is subject to phasing and reprioritization [S5], [S11]. |
| Riyadh | Royal Commission for Riyadh City and Riyadh Municipality | RCRC leads major metropolitan infrastructure such as Riyadh Metro, while the municipality runs smart-city service initiatives [S6], [S7]. |
| Qiddiya | Qiddiya Investment Company / PIF | PIF says Qiddiya Investment Company is wholly owned by PIF and was incorporated in 2018 [S12]. |
| The Red Sea | Red Sea Global / PIF | PIF identifies Red Sea Global as the developer of The Red Sea and Amaala [S4], [S9]. |
PIF/ministry/commission role
PIF is the capital and portfolio center for the largest greenfield bets. NEOM, Qiddiya, Red Sea Global, ROSHN, and Diriyah sit inside the fund’s giga-project or portfolio architecture [S4]. Riyadh is different: its smart-city layer is split between RCRC’s metropolitan infrastructure mandate and Riyadh Municipality’s digital service agenda [S6], [S7].
That split should shape analysis. PIF projects are judged by capital allocation, phased delivery, tourism, housing, private-sector crowd-in, and national diversification. Riyadh is judged by operating urban performance: transport access, congestion, service quality, open data, land-use tools, and resident experience.
Timeline And Delivery Status
Announced milestones
| Date | Milestone | Status signal |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | UN members adopted the 2030 Agenda; the goals took effect in 2016 [S1]. | Global policy framework, not a smart-city project list. |
| 2017 | NEOM was launched, according to Vision 2030 materials [S3]. | Strategic launch of Saudi Arabia’s flagship future-region project. |
| 2018 | Qiddiya Investment Company was incorporated as a PIF-owned closed joint-stock company [S12]. | Governance vehicle established. |
| 2021 | The Line was launched as a NEOM urban concept [S5]. | High-ambition greenfield design claim. |
| 2024-11-27 | Riyadh Metro was inaugurated; RCRC reported 176 kilometers, six lines, and 85 stations [S6]. | Confirmed operating infrastructure milestone. |
| 2024-12-01 to 2025-01-05 | RCRC scheduled phased operation of all Riyadh Metro lines [S13]. | Delivery moved from ceremony to passenger operations. |
| 2025 | Riyadh Municipality smart-city page was updated with AI, IoT, smart parking, digital maps, open data, and service-access initiatives [S7]. | Active municipal digital-service layer. |
| 2025-2026 | PIF’s Red Sea page lists opened resorts and remaining Shura Island resorts scheduled by the end of 2026 [S9]. | Tourism platform is operating but still phased. |
| 2026 | Qiddiya’s official progress page lists Six Flags, PlayMaker Studios, and Aquarabia at 100% construction progress, golf at 91%, and Speed Park Track at 39% [S8]. | Selected asset progress, not full-city completion. |
Opened/under construction/planned
| Project or city | Opened or operating | Under construction or phased | Planned or ambition-heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | Metro network opened in phases; municipal smart-city services are active [S6], [S7]. | Road, district, public-realm, Expo, and urban-growth works continue. | Riyadh’s full smart-city outcome depends on adoption, data governance, and service quality. |
| The Red Sea | Six Senses Southern Dunes, St. Regis Red Sea Resort, Nujuma, Shebara, Desert Rock, airport operations, and selected Shura bookings are listed by PIF [S9]. | Remaining Shura resorts and residences are scheduled by end-2026; Laheq Island is set for 2028 [S9]. | Full visitor cap, ecological restoration, and year-round demand need operating proof over time. |
| Qiddiya | Selected assets show 100% construction progress, according to Qiddiya [S8]. | Golf and Speed Park Track remain short of 100% on the official progress page [S8]. | Full-city economics, visitor volumes, residential uptake, and event utilization remain to be proven. |
| NEOM | Some NEOM-region assets have moved ahead, but The Line as a city is not operating at official end-state scale. | PIF says NEOM is progressing; Reuters-syndicated reporting says no cancellations but reprioritization [S4], [S11]. | The original 170 kilometer and 9 million resident The Line vision remains an ambition rather than delivered status [S5]. |
Delays or scope changes
The Line is the main uncertainty. Bloomberg reported in April 2024 that Saudi officials expected fewer than 300,000 residents in The Line by 2030, compared with an earlier 1.5 million medium-term expectation [S10]. In April 2026, Reuters-syndicated reporting quoted PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan saying there had been no NEOM cancellations so far, but that projects were being reprioritized and The Line was not essential by 2030 [S11].
Those claims are not the same as a formal cancellation. They are evidence that analysts should separate The Line’s official end-state concept from what is likely to be delivered by 2030. [S11]
Economics And Vision 2030 Role
Tourism, jobs, housing, or investment thesis
The economic thesis differs by project.
| Project or city | Vision 2030 economic role | Main proof point to watch |
|---|---|---|
| NEOM and The Line | New economic sectors, frontier urbanism, renewable energy, innovation, and international positioning [S4], [S5]. | Revised phasing, capex disclosure, residents, tenants, utility delivery, and operating assets. |
| Riyadh | Productivity, mobility, quality of life, headquarters attraction, and public-service modernization [S6], [S7]. | Metro ridership, congestion effects, district absorption, data governance, and resident-service metrics. |
| Qiddiya | Domestic leisure substitution, sports, culture, youth economy, and visitor spending [S4], [S12]. | Full openings, ticket sales, repeat attendance, venue utilization, hotel demand, and private-sector tenants. |
| The Red Sea | Luxury tourism, hospitality employment, regenerative-development branding, and high-value visitor demand [S4], [S9]. | Occupancy, airlift, ecological reporting, guest volumes, yield, and capex discipline. |
Success metrics
A serious smart-city test is not whether a project uses AI, IoT, digital twins, or sustainability language. It is whether the technology improves measurable urban performance.
For Riyadh, the clearest metrics are public transport access, travel time, congestion reduction, parking efficiency, open-data usefulness, land-use transparency, and service availability [S6], [S7]. For NEOM and The Line, the metrics are more basic: delivered kilometers, residents, working utilities, commercial tenants, energy systems, and credible cost control [S5], [S10], [S11]. For Qiddiya and The Red Sea, the test is operating demand after launch: repeat visits, hotel occupancy, event utilization, environmental reporting, and non-oil economic contribution [S8], [S9].
Reality Check
Confirmed facts
The UN 2030 Agenda is a voluntary, country-led sustainable-development framework. It does not publish a mandatory smart-cities roster [S1]. SDG 11 is the city-relevant goal and covers housing, transport, inclusive planning, heritage, disaster risk, environmental impact, public space, and urban-rural links [S2].
WEF’s Global Smart Cities Alliance is a governance initiative for responsible smart-city technologies, data use, transparency, and public trust. Its pioneer-city material is a policy-governance network, not a list of cities required by Agenda 2030 [S14].
Saudi Arabia’s real smart-city evidence is domestic and institutional: Vision 2030 project pages, PIF giga-project pages, RCRC metro announcements, Riyadh Municipality smart-city initiatives, Qiddiya progress pages, and Red Sea Global operating updates [S3], [S4], [S6], [S7], [S8], [S9].
Ambitions
NEOM and The Line carry the strongest ambition language. Vision 2030 still presents The Line as a 170 kilometer urban concept for 9 million residents, based on renewable energy and a new urban model [S5]. PIF frames NEOM as a 26,500 square kilometer living laboratory that will operate entirely on renewable energy [S4].
Qiddiya and The Red Sea also use ambition-heavy language, but they now have more asset-level progress evidence than pure concept pages. Qiddiya lists construction progress by asset, and PIF lists opened Red Sea resorts, airport operations, renewable utilities, and future island phases [S8], [S9].
Uncertain or contested items
The uncertain items are delivery scale, cost, phasing, and operating economics. The Line’s 2030 delivery profile is contested by reporting and softened by official reprioritization language [S10], [S11]. Qiddiya’s construction progress does not yet answer full-city profitability or utilization. The Red Sea’s resort openings do not yet prove long-term occupancy, ecological success, or returns. Riyadh’s digital services and metro are operating, but their full impact requires sustained public performance data.
The cleanest conclusion is this: use “Saudi smart cities list” as an evidence map, not as a prophecy or a ranking. Treat official project pages as ambition and governance evidence. Treat operating infrastructure, hotel openings, passenger service, published progress, and audited data as stronger delivery evidence. [S11]
FAQ
Is there an Agenda 2030 smart cities list?
No. The UN 2030 Agenda is a sustainable-development framework adopted by UN member states. It includes SDG 11 for sustainable cities and communities, but it does not publish an official list naming NEOM, The Line, Riyadh, Qiddiya, or Red Sea as required smart cities [S1], [S2].
Is there an Agenda 2030 smart cities list PDF?
The official PDF to use is the UN document “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” plus the UN SDG 11 material. Those sources explain goals and targets; they are not a Saudi project roster or WEF city mandate [S1], [S2].
What is the best 2030 smart cities list for Saudi Arabia?
For Saudi Arabia, the practical 2030 smart cities list is NEOM, The Line, Riyadh, Qiddiya, and The Red Sea, with related projects such as New Murabba, ROSHN, Diriyah, and Madinah considered where the question is broader urban transformation rather than only digital-city systems [S3], [S4].
Does the World Economic Forum have a smart cities list?
WEF has a Global Smart Cities Alliance and has published pioneer-city and governance material. That list is about technology governance and policy adoption. It should not be treated as a UN Agenda 2030 project list or as proof that Saudi projects are controlled by WEF [S14].
Where are Saudi Arabia’s smart cities located?
NEOM and The Line are in northwest Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is the capital and the strongest operating smart-city retrofit case. Qiddiya City is southwest of Riyadh. The Red Sea is on Saudi Arabia’s west coast [S4], [S5], [S6], [S9], [S12].
How much do Saudi smart cities cost?
There is no single verified cost for the full Saudi smart-city portfolio. PIF, NEOM, Qiddiya, Red Sea Global, RCRC, and municipal entities publish different project scopes and progress signals. Analysts should avoid adding old headline estimates together unless the source, date, and definition of cost are clear.
When will they open?
Riyadh Metro is already operating in phases that began in December 2024 [S13]. The Red Sea has multiple opened resorts and active airport operations, with further assets scheduled [S9]. Qiddiya has selected assets listed at 100% construction progress but is not a fully complete city [S8]. The Line has no verified full opening date at official end-state scale [S5], [S10], [S11].
Who owns or governs them?
PIF is central to NEOM, Qiddiya, Red Sea Global, and other giga-project platforms [S4], [S12]. Riyadh’s major infrastructure and planning roles sit with RCRC, while Riyadh Municipality runs municipal smart-city initiatives [S6], [S7].
Are these investment opportunities?
They can create supplier, hospitality, technology, construction, mobility, and operations opportunities, but the investable route depends on procurement, private-sector partnerships, tenant programs, concessions, or listed-company exposure. A project being strategic under Vision 2030 does not automatically make it a liquid or low-risk investment.
Related Analysis
- Saudi technology and smart cities hub
- NEOM project status and Vision 2030 role
- The Line status, cost, and reality check
- Riyadh development tracker
- Qiddiya entertainment and stadium economics
Sources
[S1] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, official policy text, “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” adopted 2015, accessed 2026-05-26, https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda
[S2] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, official SDG page, “Goal 11,” accessed 2026-05-26, https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11
[S3] Saudi Vision 2030, official project directory, “Key Projects,” accessed 2026-05-26, https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/en/explore/projects
[S4] Public Investment Fund, official portfolio page, “Giga-Projects,” accessed 2026-05-26, https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/our-investments/giga-projects/?sp=true
[S5] Saudi Vision 2030, official project page, “THE LINE,” accessed 2026-05-26, https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/en/explore/projects/the-line
[S6] Royal Commission for Riyadh City, official news release, “Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Inaugurates Riyadh Metro,” 2024-11-27, https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/custodian-of-the-two-holy-mosques-inaugurates-riyadh-metro/
[S7] Riyadh Municipality, official service page, “Riyadh Smart City,” last updated 2025-05-16, https://www.alriyadh.gov.sa/en/content/smart-cities-initiatives
[S8] Qiddiya, official progress page, “Qiddiya City Construction Progress,” accessed 2026-05-26, https://qiddiya.com/en/qiddiya-city/progress/
[S9] Public Investment Fund, official project page, “The Red Sea,” accessed 2026-05-26, https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/our-investments/giga-projects/red-sea-global/the-red-sea/
[S10] Bloomberg, high-reliability reporting, “Saudis Scale Back Ambition for $1.5 Trillion Desert Project Neom,” 2024-04-05, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-05/saudis-scale-back-ambition-for-1-5-trillion-desert-project-neom
[S11] Reuters via Sahm Capital, high-reliability reporting, “Saudi PIF governor says no NEOM cancellations, The Line not required by 2030,” 2026-04-15, https://www.sahmcapital.com/news/content/saudi-pif-governor-says-no-neom-cancellations-the-line-not-required-by-2030-2026-04-15
[S12] Public Investment Fund, official portfolio page, “Qiddiya,” accessed 2026-05-26, https://www.pif.gov.sa/en/our-investments/our-portfolio/qiddiya/?sp=true
[S13] Royal Commission for Riyadh City, official news release, “RCRC Announces Sequential Operation Schedule of Riyadh Metro Lines,” 2024-11-27, https://www.rcrc.gov.sa/en/rcrc-announces-sequential-operation-schedule-of-riyadh-metro-lines/
[S14] World Economic Forum, official initiative page, “Our Alliance is creating smart city governance,” updated 2025-06-03, https://www.weforum.org/impact/smart-cities-governance-alliance/