Saudi Arabia prepares to welcome more than two million pilgrims from 160 countries
Integrated transport system and advanced services enhance Hajj experience
Dubai: More than two million pilgrims from over 160 countries are expected to perform Hajj this year, Dr. Tawfiq Al Rabiah, Minister of Hajj and Umrah, has announced.
With flight reservations for the annual pilgrimage already exceeding 1.7 million, the preparations are in full swing.
Dr. Al Rabiah highlighted that the holy sites of Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifa are connected by an integrated transport system, bolstered by an eco-friendly Mashair electric train.
The railways comprises 17 trains covering 9 stations and can transport approximately 72,000 passengers per hour. Additionally, a fleet of over 24,000 buses is available to the pilgrims.
He noted special facilities are in place to serve the pilgrims. “Our leadership has deployed an advanced system of health, security, and civil services and equipment, with distinguished Saudi capabilities, especially in Mina, the world’s largest tent city, spread over 192,000 square metres to accommodate the pilgrims,” he said.
The minister mentioned that the number of health practitioners serving the pilgrims exceeds 32,000, reflecting the scale of the resources mobilised for the event.
These arrangements aim to enhance the spiritual experience of the guests of God and facilitate a seamless performance of their rituals.
Dr. Al Rabeeah stressed, “These achievements are not the result of a few days but are the effort of years in which all possibilities were explored to realize the comfort of the pilgrims.”