Saudi Arabia is accelerating a digital overhaul of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, aiming to position it among the world's smartest sites by 2030. According to The Saudi Times, the effort combines smart mobility, electronic booking, digital mapping and integrated government systems to raise efficiency and improve the experience of pilgrims and visitors.
The initiative embeds technology across transport, meal distribution, field operations and visitor services. Officials describe it as part of Saudi Vision 2030, with the wellbeing of pilgrims placed at the centre of the work.
Waiting times cut from two hours to nine minutes
Dr. Mohammed Al-Saqr, deputy CEO for Digital Transformation at the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, said the authority's smart mobility platform has automated transport services and integrated electronic booking and payment.
According to Al-Saqr, the system has cut waiting times for pilgrims from around two hours three years ago to roughly nine minutes during the most recent Hajj season. The improvement matters most during peak periods, when visitor density around the Grand Mosque rises sharply and crowd movement becomes hardest to manage.
More than 38 million iftar meals managed digitally
The digital push also extends to the management of iftar meals at the Grand Mosque. According to the authority, the modernised system handles the distribution of more than 38 million meals, with transaction values approaching 500 million Saudi riyals.
Administrative procedures around these services have been streamlined through automation and integration with Ehsan, the national charitable platform, along with third-party oversight. According to the reported figures, these measures cut administrative clearance times from eight days to around eight minutes.
Rafed and digital mapping link government services
At the field level, a platform called Rafed connects 18 government entities to handle field reports, routing issues to the relevant authorities within a coordinated digital environment. The authority says this supports faster responses at a site where security, health, logistical and organisational services must work closely together.
An interactive digital mapping system handles roughly 600,000 cases each year, serving nearly 10 percent of the six million annual visitors. Location-based technology helps authorities identify sites quickly, improve field response times, and base decisions on real-time geographical information.
Beyond putting services online
The authority says the transformation goes further than simply digitising traditional services. Transport platforms, electronic booking and payment, meal management, government integration and interactive mapping are being connected into a single smart operating environment built on automation, data and coordination between systems.
As the Kingdom expands these systems across both the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, it is developing a model for managing high-density religious sites through digital infrastructure and real-time data.
Practical tips for pilgrims
Pilgrims can make the most of these systems by using official channels to book transport and services, and by keeping electronic confirmations ready on their phones. Smart mobility works best when pilgrims follow the assigned routes and timings rather than seeking shortcuts during peak hours. Because services increasingly run through official apps, download them before arrival, set your preferred language, and keep a charged power bank on hand, since network demand around the holy sites peaks during busy periods.