Indian Hajis take high-speed train from Jeddah airport to Makkah for the first time
On May 26, the inaugural journey of this new service was marked by the presence of key officials.
In akeyinitiative, Indian Hajis arriving at Jeddah Airport will now have the opportunity to travel to Makkah via the Haramain High-Speed Train, smoothening the overall pilgrimage. Traditionally, all pilgrims travelling from Jeddah to Makkah have used buses provided by Saudi authorities. However, this year, special arrangements have been made by the Consulate General of India in Jeddah, in association with Saudi authorities, to transport around 32,000 Indian Hajis using the high-speed rail service.
This new initiative promises a comfortable journey for the pilgrims and significantly reduces the travel time between Jeddah and Makkah. The Haramain High-Speed Trainiscapable of reachingspeeds of up to 300 km/h, cutting the travel time by half compared to the bus service.This development marks a significant improvement in the logistical arrangements for the pilgrimage, enhancing the overall experience for the Hajis.
On May 26,the inaugural journey of this new servicewas markedby the presence of key officials.Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, DrSuhel Ajaz Khan, and Consul General Mohd Shahid Alam escorted the firstgroup ofIndian pilgrims on the train from Jeddah Airport to Makkah.
"This is not only a first for Indian pilgrims but also an inaugural experience for Saudi authorities in transporting Hajis by train directly from Jeddah Airport to Makkah," Ambassador Dr.Suhel Ajaz Khan said. The introduction of the high-speed train service is seen as a significant step towards improving the logistics of the Haj pilgrimageand also showsthe collaborative efforts between Indian and Saudi authorities.
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They were accompanied by Eng.Al Harbi, Vice President of Saudi Arabian Railways, and other officials from the Ministry of Haj andthe Ministry ofTransport.Thegroup of pilgrims hadarrived in Jeddah on a Saudia Air flight from Mumbai.
The Indian consulate in Jeddah has been working closely with Saudi authorities to ensure the smooth implementation of this new facility. This year, a total of 175,000 Hajis from India will perform the Hajj pilgrimage, with 140,000 of them facilitated by the Haj Committee of India. The remaining pilgrims will travel through private tour operators.