Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 21 Sep 2026, 11:04 AM (Saudi time)
The eastern expansion of the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, part of the Third Saudi Expansion, adds more than 36,500 square metres of space with a new prayer hall, glass domes and shaded courtyards to boost capacity and comfort.
Saudi Arabia Railways says the Haramain High Speed Railway carried more than 1.16 million pilgrims between Makkah and Madinah during the 1447 AH Hajj season with on-time performance above 98 percent.
Saudi authorities have widened shading, cooling, and misting systems across Mecca and the holy sites to protect pilgrims from extreme summer heat, including a second phase of the Mount Arafat cooling project.
The Makkah Route Initiative pre-cleared and transported 388,694 pilgrims on 1,227 flights during the 1447 Hajj season, expanding to 17 ports in 10 countries with Senegal and Brunei joining for the first time.
Madinah authorities have expanded transport links and pedestrian walkways around the Prophet's Mosque, including a 24-hour airport route and over 19,000 square metres of new walkways.
The first phase of Rua Al Madinah, a major development beside the Prophet's Mosque, is scheduled to open in 2026, part of a project that will add 47,000 hotel rooms by 2030.