Saudi Arabia Railways and Hitachi Rail are joining forces to enhance the 18-kilometre Al Mashaaer Al Muqaddassah Metro
Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) and Hitachi Rail have signed a contract to revamp and enhance the Al Mashaaer Al Muqaddassah Metro Project (MMMP), strengthening the railway infrastructure that transports pilgrims between the Holy Sites during the annual Hajj pilgrimage.
The agreement was signed during InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin and represents a further step in the long-standing cooperation between SAR and Hitachi Rail. The project will focus on improving the metro’s reliability, operational performance and long-term service sustainability.
The Al Mashaaer Al Muqaddassah Metro is an 18-kilometre railway with nine stations, connecting Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat. The system is designed to transport approximately 72,000 passengers per hour in each direction, making it a critical part of the transport infrastructure supporting the movement of pilgrims during Hajj.
Under the new contract, SAR and Hitachi Rail will work together to enhance the metro system, with the aim of providing a more reliable and efficient service during the intense periods of passenger demand associated with the Hajj pilgrimage.
The project forms part of wider efforts to modernise Saudi Arabia’s railway infrastructure and improve the mobility experience for pilgrims. Both organisations said the agreement supports the Kingdom’s broader transport development objectives under Saudi Vision 2030.
A critical transport link for Hajj
The Al Mashaaer Al Muqaddassah Metro plays a unique role in Saudi Arabia’s transport network, operating to move large numbers of pilgrims between the Holy Sites during Hajj.
During the 2026 Hajj season, the railway carried more than 1.9 million passengers across 1,800 trips over seven days, highlighting the scale of the operation and the importance of maintaining reliable railway infrastructure during the pilgrimage.
The metro provides an important alternative to road transport between the Holy Sites, helping to manage the exceptionally high volumes of people travelling between Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina during the pilgrimage.
