Saudi Arabia Vertical Mobility Market Overview, 2031

Key Insights

• The Saudi Arabia vertical mobility market is one of the most dynamic in the Middle East, directly benefiting from the Kingdom's unprecedented construction super-cycle under Vision 2030. Demand is anchored by a massive pipeline of new installations, with a significant share of the country's construction market being vertical-building construction.
• The most important Saudi market driver is the unprecedented pipeline of giga-projects under Vision 2030. New projects valued at over half a trillion dollars—including NEOM, Diriyah Gate, Qiddiya, Amaala, and the Red Sea Project—are transforming deserts into futuristic urban centers, resorts, and cultural destinations, driving demand for elevators and escalators at an extraordinary scale.
• Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, and the western tourism corridor concentrate high-density developments requiring vertical transportation. Riyadh's Expo 2030 infrastructure and mixed-use projects strengthen its position as the principal commercial hub, while hospitality and pilgrimage developments support installations across western cities. The 2034 FIFA World Cup pipeline adds further long-term demand visibility.
• Smart and connected vertical mobility is becoming a major technology trend. AI-driven solutions enhance safety, efficiency, and user experience, with major manufacturers implementing AI-based predictive maintenance in Saudi Arabia. Elevator manufacturers are integrating IoT connectivity, AI-driven predictive maintenance, destination control systems, and energy management features, leading to higher average selling prices and increased customer retention on service contracts. Digitally connected elevator platforms and robotic installation systems are being deployed in the Kingdom.
• Energy efficiency and localization are increasingly important. The Saudi Building Code National Committee Elevator Requirements mandate compliance with energy efficiency standards, including minimum efficiency levels for elevators in new buildings exceeding certain heights, requiring licensed installation and periodic safety inspections.
• The market is dominated by global OEMs including Otis, Schindler Olayan, TK Elevator, KONE, and Mitsubishi Electric. Competition is intensifying as localization policies spur more final assembly operations, with global players and strong regional manufacturers vying for share in the growing smart and green elevator segments.

Market Outlook

• According to the research report, "Saudi Arabia Vertical Mobility Market Overview, 2031," published by Bonafide Research, the Saudi Arabia Vertical Mobility Market is anticipated to grow at more than 7.18% CAGR from 2026 to 2031.
• Saudi Arabia's vertical mobility demand is expected to remain positive through 2031, particularly in commercial, residential, hospitality, and infrastructure developments. New-installation growth will remain linked to giga-project execution, hospitality construction, Expo 2030, and the 2034 FIFA World Cup pipeline. Revenue expansion should outpace equipment-unit growth because maintenance and modernization are forecast to gain value share as the installed base compounds and safety recertification requirements broaden.
• Modernization is expected to become one of the most important service opportunities. The modernization services segment is the fastest growing. The retrofit market for modernizing existing building stock with IoT connectivity, AI-driven predictive maintenance, and advanced traffic management will become a significant and high-margin segment, potentially rivaling new equipment sales in established cities.
• Smart elevators and connected mobility systems will gain importance. Future systems are expected to incorporate AI-supported traffic management, predictive maintenance, remote diagnostics, cloud connectivity, mobile interfaces, destination dispatch, and real-time equipment monitoring.
• High-rise and high-density buildings will continue to require advanced elevator technologies. High-speed elevators, destination-control systems, group control, machine-room-less systems, and advanced traction technologies are increasingly relevant for large commercial towers, residential developments, hotels, and mixed-use buildings.
• Healthcare, education, transportation, and institutional infrastructure will provide additional demand. Hospitals require reliable passenger and service elevators, while airports and major transportation hubs require elevators, escalators, and moving walkways capable of handling high passenger volumes. A major order for elevators and escalators for Line Three of the Riyadh Metro, the longest of the six lines, illustrates the scale of public infrastructure demand.
• The service market is expected to expand alongside the installed equipment base. The expanding installed base generates recurring service contracts and replacement demand. The market value pool grows faster through service attachment, predictive maintenance, and modernization.
• A significant challenge is the need for a skilled workforce for installation, maintenance, and repairs, alongside intense competition among global and local manufacturers and fluctuating raw material prices.

Policies

• Building Codes & Safety Standards: Vertical mobility equipment in Saudi Arabia is subject to the Saudi Building Code (SBC) and regulations overseen by the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), implemented through the SABER platform. The Saudi Building Code National Committee Elevator Requirements, 2021, mandates compliance with energy efficiency standards including minimum efficiency levels for elevators in new buildings exceeding certain heights, requiring licensed installation and periodic safety inspections to ensure operational safety and sustainability.
• Certification & Inspection Requirements: Elevators and escalators must comply with SASO regulations and technical standards, and imports require strict compliance with certification and inspection procedures. Certificates of Conformity (CoC) are required, demonstrating that the elevator meets SASO standards. The SABER platform is used to implement regulatory requirements.
• Accessibility Regulations: Saudi building codes establish requirements for accessible vertical transportation. Elevators must be designed to be accessible to persons with disabilities, with specific provisions for cabin dimensions, control panel heights, and Braille markings. These requirements ensure that vertical transportation systems are accessible to wheelchair users and other persons with mobility limitations.
• Platform & Stair Lift Standards: Accessibility-focused equipment must comply with applicable technical requirements. Platform lifts and stair lifts are regulated products within the Saudi market, with specific standards governing their design, installation, and safety features. These products represent a regulated part of the accessibility segment rather than simply an optional building convenience.
• Localization & Manufacturing Requirements: The Saudi government is actively promoting localization of elevator and escalator manufacturing through partnerships such as the TK Elevator–Alat joint venture, which received all statutory and regulatory approvals in August 2026. The JV will locally manufacture elevators, escalators, and moving walks for Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA market, supported by a local product-development center and training facility. This aligns with PIF's economic-diversification agenda and the broader Saudi Vision 2030 goal of building a world-class manufacturing hub for advanced technologies.
• Worker Safety & Maintenance Regulations: Elevator installation, maintenance, repair, and construction activities are subject to Saudi workplace-safety requirements. Employers must manage hazards associated with electrical systems, hoistways, machinery, elevated work, confined spaces, lockout/tagout, fall protection, and construction activities. Regular inspections and maintenance are mandated to uphold safety standards, with the SBC and SASO frameworks establishing the requirements for maintenance and inspection activities.
• Energy & Building Efficiency Requirements: Increasing adoption of building-energy codes and sustainability requirements is influencing elevator specifications. The SBC mandates minimum efficiency levels for elevators in new buildings exceeding certain heights. The market is seeing a shift toward energy-efficient technologies, with AI-driven energy management features and IoT-enabled systems becoming more prevalent. Stricter energy efficiency standards and potentially carbon footprint reporting for building systems will accelerate the phase-out of inefficient hydraulic systems in favor of traction and MRL technologies.
• Infrastructure & Public-Facility Requirements: National investment in airports, public transportation, healthcare facilities, universities, government buildings, and other public infrastructure supports demand for elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and accessibility equipment. The Riyadh Metro, with six lines and 85 stations, represents one of the largest public transit projects driving demand for vertical mobility solutions. The KONE order for 418 elevators and escalators for Line Three illustrates the scale of public infrastructure investment.

Industry News

• September 2026: Schindler Wins Major Supply Contract for Makkah Giga Project. Schindler won a major supply contract from Umm Al Qura for Development & Construction Company for a key phase of its urban giga mixed-use development in Makkah, providing all 150 elevators for the latest phase of Masar, along with 36 Schindler 9300 escalators and five platform elevators.
• September 2026: Alat and TK Elevator Get Key Regulatory Approvals for USD 186 Million Saudi JV. Alat, a unit of Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF, and TK Elevator confirmed receipt of all statutory and regulatory approvals required to close their €160 million (USD 186.3 million) joint venture and Alat's 15% equity investment in TKE.
• September 2026: Gulf Elevators & Escalators to Set Up New Saudi Production Unit. Saudi-based Mayar Holding Company announced that one of its key subsidiaries signed a partnership agreement with Chinese industrial major Shenyang Yuanda Intellectual Industry Group to set up a new factory for production of elevator and escalator products in the Kingdom.
• May 2026: Fuji Saudi Arabia Elevators & Escalators Signs Contract for Iwan Sidra Project. Mayar Holding Company's subsidiary, Fuji Saudi Arabia Elevators & Escalators Co., signed a contract with Building Construction Co. Ltd. for the supply and installation of elevators at the Iwan Sidra Project in Riyadh, with a total value of SAR 26.86 million excluding VAT, awarded on April 8, 2026.
• 2025: KONE to Supply 418 Elevators and Escalators for Riyadh Metro Line Three. KONE will supply 418 elevators and escalators for Line Three, the longest of the six lines of the Riyadh Metro, which has 22 stations across its 41-km stretch. The order includes 156 elevators.
• 2025: KONE Wins Jeddah Tower Order for World's Tallest Building. KONE won the order for the Jeddah Tower in Saudi Arabia, which will become the world's tallest building at over 1,000 meters in height. The order includes a high-tech vertical transportation solution comprising seven MiniSpace double-deck elevators and two Jump Lift construction elevators.

Segment Analysis

Saudi Arabia Vertical Mobility Market by Product Type
• Elevators / Lifts represent the core product segment. Passenger elevators dominate the market due to their essential role in residential and commercial buildings, driven by the increasing number of high-rise constructions and urbanization trends. Freight elevators also hold a significant share, particularly in industrial applications, while escalators and moving walkways are gaining traction in public infrastructure projects. The market is segmented by product type (passenger elevators, freight elevators, moving walkways, escalators), by technology (hydraulic, traction, machine-room-less, pneumatic), and by speed category (low-speed, medium-speed, high-speed, ultra-high-speed).
• Escalators are primarily used where large volumes of people need continuous movement between adjacent floors. Shopping centers, airports, railway and metro stations, and large commercial buildings represent important applications. The Riyadh Metro project alone requires hundreds of escalators across its 85 stations.
• Moving Walkways are used for horizontal or gently inclined movement across large facilities. Airports, transit terminals, exhibition centers, shopping complexes, and large public facilities are key applications.
• Stair Lifts provide accessibility for residential and commercial users who cannot easily use conventional stairs. The segment includes straight and curved stairway chairlift systems and is supported by aging populations, accessibility requirements, and demand for independent mobility.
• Platform & Vertical Platform Lifts provide vertical accessibility where a conventional elevator may not be technically or economically appropriate. The Masar Destination project in Makkah includes five platform elevators. These products represent a regulated part of the accessibility segment.
• Service / Dumbwaiter Lifts are used to move goods, food, documents, equipment, and materials between floors. Hospitals, restaurants, hotels, laboratories, commercial kitchens, retail facilities, and institutional buildings represent key demand centers.
• Specialized / Vertical Transport Systems include vehicle elevators, freight elevators, industrial lifts, construction-related systems, and other specialized vertical transportation equipment. Demand is linked to specialized building designs, industrial facilities, parking structures, logistics facilities, and infrastructure projects.
Saudi Arabia Vertical Mobility Market by End-Use Industry
• • Residential is a dominant and growing segment, supported by apartment construction, condominium developments, and residential modernization. Over 2.6 million new housing units will be needed by 2030, putting immense pressure on the construction industry to expand rapidly to meet this demand. The residential segment reflects increasing demand for elevators in high-rise apartments. Demand includes passenger elevators, low-rise hydraulic systems, MRL elevators, accessibility lifts, and stair lifts.
• Commercial leads the market, driven by the rapid growth of shopping malls, office buildings, hotels, and retail projects. The Avenues Riyadh, with 293 vertical transportation units, exemplifies the scale of commercial demand. High passenger volumes make traffic management, elevator availability, energy efficiency, and destination control increasingly important.
• Industrial applications include factories, warehouses, distribution centers, manufacturing plants, industrial laboratories, and production facilities. Freight elevators, service lifts, personnel elevators, and specialized vertical transport systems are important in this segment. Industrial applications are growing, particularly in logistics and manufacturing sectors.
• Institutional demand comes from hospitals, universities, schools, government buildings, courthouses, libraries, and other public institutions. Reliability, accessibility, safety, and emergency operation are particularly important in these applications. Government and utilities are investing in public infrastructure projects.
• Transportation & Infrastructure includes airports, railway stations, metro systems, transit hubs, bridges, tunnels, parking facilities, and other major infrastructure. The Riyadh Metro, with six lines and 85 stations, represents one of the largest public transit projects driving demand for vertical mobility solutions. KONE's supply of 418 elevators and escalators for Line Three illustrates the scale of this segment.
Saudi Arabia Vertical Mobility Market by Technology
• Hydraulic elevators remain important for low- and mid-rise applications. However, stricter energy efficiency standards and potentially carbon footprint reporting will accelerate the phase-out of inefficient hydraulic systems in favor of traction and MRL technologies. Aging hydraulic systems are increasingly becoming targets for modernization.
• Traction technology is widely used in mid-rise and high-rise buildings. Gearless and geared traction systems provide higher-speed operation and greater suitability for taller buildings. The technology is particularly important in commercial towers, hotels, hospitals, residential towers, and mixed-use buildings. The Jeddah Tower will feature seven MiniSpace double-deck elevators using advanced traction technology.
• Machine Room Less (MRL) elevators place the traction machine and associated equipment within the hoist way rather than requiring a dedicated machine room. MRL systems can reduce building-space requirements and are increasingly relevant in residential, commercial, and modernization applications. The phase-out of hydraulic systems in favor of traction and MRL technologies is expected to accelerate.
• Smart / IOT-Enabled systems integrate sensors, connectivity, cloud platforms, predictive analytics, remote diagnostics, destination control, and AI-supported maintenance. This is expected to be one of the most important technology directions through 2031. AI monitors real-time data from sensors installed in elevators and escalators to predict and prevent potential malfunctions, reducing downtime and improving equipment reliability. Otis Gen3 digitally connected elevators integrate the Otis ONE IOT digital system, using cloud technology, machine learning, and APIs. Schindler R.I.S.E is being deployed in Saudi Arabia to enable quality and speed of elevator installations.
Saudi Arabia Vertical Mobility Market by Load Capacity
• <500 kg primarily serves residential buildings, accessibility applications, small commercial buildings, and specialized low-capacity applications. The segment includes certain home elevators, compact passenger lifts, and accessibility-oriented systems. These solutions are suited to low-rise buildings where conventional elevator infrastructure is difficult or uneconomical.
• 500–1,000 kg represents a broad passenger elevator category used in residential buildings, offices, hotels, healthcare facilities, and small-to-medium commercial properties. The Schindler 5500 elevators supplied for The Avenues – Riyadh fall within this range for passenger and service applications. The segment combines passenger capacity with relatively efficient building-space requirements.
• 1,000–2,000 kg elevators are generally used in higher-traffic commercial, institutional, healthcare, hospitality, and mixed-use applications. These systems can support larger passenger loads and more demanding traffic patterns. They are common in mid- and high-rise buildings requiring reliable performance.
• >2,000 kg includes heavy-duty passenger, freight, hospital, industrial, vehicle, and specialized elevators. Demand is associated with large commercial developments, hospitals, manufacturing facilities, logistics buildings, parking structures, and infrastructure projects. Traction systems in this range support the heaviest loads and most demanding operating cycles.
Saudi Arabia Vertical Mobility Market by Service / Business Segment
• New Installation / New Equipment includes elevators, escalators, moving walkways, lifts, and specialized vertical transportation equipment installed in newly constructed buildings and infrastructure. New-installation volume is expected to expand at approximately 4.8% annually. Demand is influenced by residential and commercial construction, giga-project execution, hospitality construction, Expo 2030, and the 2034 FIFA World Cup pipeline. New installations create the installed base that later requires maintenance and modernization.
• Maintenance & Repair represents the recurring service component of the Saudi vertical mobility market and is a significant source of long-term revenue. The expanding installed base generates recurring service contracts and replacement demand. Revenue expansion should outpace equipment-unit growth because maintenance and modernization are forecast to gain value share as the installed base compounds and safety recertification requirements broaden. By 2035, IoT connectivity, AI-driven predictive maintenance, and advanced traffic management will transition from premium features to expected standards, driving service contract attachment.
Considered in this report
Historic Year: 2020
Base year: 2025
Estimated year: 2026
Forecast year: 2031
Aspects covered in this report



Aspects covered in this report
Vertical Mobility market size, in terms of value, with forecasts and segment analysis
Various market drivers and challenges
Ongoing trends and developments
Top profiled companies
Strategic recommendations

By Product Type
Elevators / Lifts
Escalators
Moving Walkways
Stair Lifts
Platform & Vertical Platform Lifts
Service / Dumbwaiter Lifts
Specialized / Vertical Transport Systems
Ropeway / Cable Systems

By End-use Segment
Residential
Commercial
Industrial
Institutional
Transportation & Infrastructure



By Technology
Hydraulic
Traction
Vacuum / Pneumatic
Machine-Room-Less (MRL)
smart / IoT-enabled

By Load Capacity
<500 kg
500–1,000 kg
1,000–2,000 kg
2,000 kg

By Service / Business Segment
New Installation / New Equipment
Maintenance & Repair