Moving Pilgrims Year-round: How Makkah Metro Construction Project Contracts 2026 Are Taking Shape

On September 23, Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) and Hitachi Rail signed a contract for modernisation of the line, with the agreement signed at InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin. The stated focus is on improving reliability, operational performance, and long-term service sustainability. Hitachi Rail described the revamp as a milestone in its partnership with SAR and tied the work to supporting Saudi Arabia’s transportation ambitions and improving the experience of millions of pilgrims each year. For planners, the logic is clear: a system that concentrates service into a short operating season needs stronger readiness than a typical metro, because any disruption is amplified when passenger loads surge.

What 2026 Operations Reveal About Capacity and Network Planning

Operational reporting around Hajj 2026 also highlights how rail is being positioned alongside other modes. Arab News reported that Saudi Arabia is strengthening mobility operations to handle the movement of more than 1.6 million pilgrims expected to gather in and around Makkah. In that same coverage, the Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro, operated by SAR, was preparing to transport more than two million passengers during the pilgrimage season. The report added that the metro can travel at speeds of up to 80 kph, with trips between Arafat and Mina taking about 20 minutes. It also described the system as fully electric, linking Mina, Muzdalifah, and Arafat to reduce congestion and travel times during peak periods.

Longer-distance access into the region is also part of the layered approach. Travel And Tour World said Saudi authorities increased capacity on the Haramain High-Speed Railway, which now offers more than 2.21 million seats for the season on routes connecting Makkah, Madinah, and Jeddah, supported by more than 5,300 scheduled journeys. In parallel, road operations remain critical. Arab News cited the Roads General Authority saying more than 75,000 vehicles entered Makkah through major highway networks on the fifth day of Dhu Al-Hijjah, with Prince Mohammed bin Salman Road recording more than 22,000 vehicles. The point is not to replace roads overnight, but to shift the highest-pressure pilgrim movements onto rail where possible.

Beyond seasonal rail operations, a separate strand of planning is aimed at strengthening everyday urban mobility while still absorbing pilgrimage surges. Gulf Construction reported progress on a long-planned metro network for Makkah and said the city’s current public transport depends heavily on buses. It stated that the bus network serves around 185 million passengers through approximately 400 vehicles operating across 12 routes covering 580 kilometres. The same report said a proposed metro is expected to reduce pressure on roads during pilgrimage seasons, when congestion becomes one of the city’s biggest logistical challenges. Taken together, the 2026 modernisation agreement and the wider planning signals show how contracts and capability upgrades are being aligned with peak-demand realities.