RIYADH: Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) on Sunday announced an increase in the operational capacity of the Haramain High-Speed Railway for Hajj 2026 to over 2.21 million seats, reflecting efforts to meet increasing demand for transport between Makkah and Madinah.
The enhancement marks an increase of more than 210,000 seats compared to the previous Hajj season, with 5,308 trips planned — up around 11 percent, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
Hajj pilgrim transport through the railway will commence on May 5 (Tuesday) from King Abdulaziz International Airport station to Makkah station, marking the start of Hajj operations for 2026, according to SPA.
The railway fleet includes 35 trains operating at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour across a 453-kilometre track.
The journey between Makkah and Madinah takes around two hours, with five main stations linking the two holy cities and Jeddah.
لرحلة تناسب وقتكم حتى بعد منتصف الليل
خلال موسم الحج، تتوفر رحلات #قطار_الحرمين_السريع في ساعات الفجر، لتوفير مرونة أكبر وراحة أكثر للحجاج والمسافرين.
آخر الرحلات المغادرة
جدة السليمانية: 2:50 فجرًا
جدة المطار: 3:00 فجرًا
مكة والمدينة: 2:45 فجرًاFor a journey that fits your… pic.twitter.com/P8bCYB9bPj
— قطار الحرمين السريع (@haramainrailway) April 23, 2026
This initiative supports the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030 objectives to enhance pilgrim services and improve the overall Hajj experience.
