Saudi Arabia has activated a massive transport plan for Hajj 2026, comprising 3.1 million airline seats across 12,000 flights and 5,308 Haramain High-Speed Rail trips to move pilgrims between Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah. The plan, announced on April 20, represents one of the largest single-event transport operations in the world.

Air Transport at Scale

The 12,000 flights will ferry pilgrims from countries across the globe into Saudi Arabia's two main pilgrim airports - King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport in Madinah. With 3.1 million seats available, this represents a significant capacity increase to handle the expected 1.7-1.9 million international and domestic pilgrims.

Jeddah-bound flights begin from May 4 for most countries, with Madinah flights having started from April 18 for pilgrims choosing to visit the Prophet's Mosque first. The return airlift after Hajj is equally massive, with most pilgrims departing between May 30 and June 10.

Haramain Railway Operations

The 5,308 scheduled Haramain High-Speed Rail trips will connect the three key cities at speeds of up to 300 km/h. The railway carried 2 million passengers in Q1 2026 alone, and demand is expected to surge during the Hajj period as pilgrims move between Makkah and Madinah.

Key stations for pilgrims:

  • Makkah (Al Rusaifah): Approximately 8 km from Masjid al-Haram
  • Jeddah: Connected to King Abdulaziz International Airport
  • Madinah: Near Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport, about 10 km from Masjid an-Nabawi

Ground Transport

Beyond air and rail, Saudi authorities have prepared over 25,000 buses for moving pilgrims between cities and the sacred sites. The Al-Mashaer Al-Muqaddassah Metro - a dedicated 18 km rail line operating exclusively during Hajj - will transport pilgrims between Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah with a capacity of approximately 72,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

An estimated 200,000 personnel from various sectors will be deployed to manage the transport operations throughout the season.

What Pilgrims Should Know

Book Haramain Railway tickets well in advance through the SAR app or website - services fill quickly during Hajj weeks. If your tour operator has arranged transport between Makkah and Madinah, confirm whether this is by rail or bus, as journey times differ significantly (2 hours by rail versus 4-5 hours by road).

For the movement between sacred sites during the days of Hajj itself, transport is typically organised by your Hajj group. Independent pilgrims should familiarise themselves with the Mashaer Metro stations and bus departure points in advance.