ALSTOM selects GMV for the AlUla tramway system in Saudi Arabia

Alstom, a company specialized in rail systems and rolling stock, has selected GMV to supply the automatic vehicle location system (AVLS) for the AlUla Experiential Tramway project in Saudi Arabia. This innovative light rail system, inspired by the historic Hijaz railway, will immerse its passengers in a cultural journey through AlUla’s five historic districts. Featuring a combination of the latest technologies and a sustainable approach to mobility, it will operate in one of the country’s most iconic cultural settings.

This is an ambitious project involving 20 of the newest generation of Alstom’s CITADIS trains, which will run along a 22.4 km line with 17 stations, to connect a series of historical destinations that include UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The journey will offer passengers an immersive experience, as they enjoy a unique tour of the AlUla oasis and the surrounding desert, along a route that reflects the rich history of pilgrimages of the past.

GMV will be implementing its SAE-R^® solution on all of the system’s trains, to provide its advanced capabilities for rail traffic operation and management. This solution from GMV is already in operation on major fleets such as Spain’s RENFE trains and Barcelona’s light rail system, as well as internationally on systems including the Warsaw Tramway in Poland, TfNSW in Australia, and ONCF in Morocco. This multi-application computer-aided dispatch / automatic vehicle location (CAD/AVL) platform gives rail operators the ability to perform integrated transportation management, including planning of services, monitoring and managing fleets in real time, providing passenger information, and using recorded data for statistical purposes.

GMV’s AVLS system complements the traditional functions of this type of system, such as accurate train location, efficient management of driver and passenger messaging, onboard and in-station passenger information systems, driver management, and service regulation operations, with other cutting-edge and groundbreaking new features, such as automatic route requests and real-time driver information for energy-efficient driving.