Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro Enables Smart Transport For Hajj 1447 AH

Saudi Arabia Railways is stepping up preparations for the 1447 AH Hajj season, focusing on smooth crowd movement at the holy sites. The Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro will handle more than two million passengers, supporting pilgrims’ journeys between key locations while easing pressure on roads and improving overall safety during peak ritual days.

The metro now forms a central part of the pilgrims’ transport network, offering an organised alternative to road travel. Its high hourly capacity supports crowd management plans and limits delays. The system is designed to keep journeys short, reduce waiting times, and help pilgrims move between rituals with greater reassurance and clear scheduling.

The rail system can move around 72,000 passengers each hour, placing it among the highest-capacity transport operations worldwide. The fleet includes 17 trains, each about 277 metres long, and each train can carry up to 3,000 passengers per trip. Trains can reach speeds of 80 km/h between the holy sites.

The line stretches for 18 kilometres and serves nine stations across the Hajj route. There are three stations in Arafat, three in Muzdalifah, and three in Mina, in addition to Jamarat Station. The travel time between Arafat Station 1 and Mina Station 3 is about 20 minutes, which supports tightly timed Hajj movements.

SAR’s integrated plan for 1447 AH aims to run this network with high operational efficiency. The objective is to offer a smart, safe system that aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 targets for transport services. The plan focuses on reliability, clear timetables, and coordination with other Hajj authorities across Mina, Muzdalifah, and Arafat.

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The electric metro uses clean energy and produces zero direct carbon emissions, which supports environmental goals at the crowded sites. Its operation has already removed about 50,000 bus trips from roads leading to the holy areas. This reduction helps limit congestion, improves air quality, and strengthens safety for pilgrims walking or travelling by bus.

The Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro entered service in November 2010 after two years of construction and has since become a key element in Hajj logistics. As SAR continues preparations for 1447 AH, the system remains central to managing large pilgrim numbers while supporting comfort, orderly movement, and the Kingdom’s wider transport development plans.

With inputs from SPA