The Mashair Train contributes to the development and organization of the movement of the Guests of Allah between the holy sites, enriching their experience and making the performance of their rituals smoother and more comfortable. The train consists of nine stations distributed across the holy sites, connected by a double railway line that is 18 kilometers long. The train has a capacity of 72,000 passengers per hour in one direction, facilitating over 2,000 trips to ease the movement of pilgrims to and from their locations.
The train travels at a speed of 80 kilometers per hour and can cover the distance between Mina and Arafat in approximately twenty minutes. The fleet of the Mashair Train comprises 17 trains, each with a capacity of 3,000 passengers, while the seating capacity is 20% of the total passengers, resulting in a total capacity of 72,000 passengers per hour. This service helps transport more than 350,000 pilgrims between various holy sites.
**Accommodating the Number of Pilgrims**
The design of the stations takes into account several factors to facilitate the movement of pilgrims while they enter and exit the stations and board and leave the train, aimed at accommodating the large number of pilgrims using the Mashair Train. The waiting area is separated from the boarding area, and the boarding platform is also separate from the departure platform. The Mashair Train stations include dedicated pedestrian bridges to transport passengers to the ground level of the station from the opposite side, as well as ramps for moving passengers from the platform, in addition to elevators aimed at facilitating access for the elderly and people with disabilities.
The number of train doors—60 doors on each side—has been considered in the station design, contributing to smooth entry and exit for pilgrims during their journey aboard the train. The Mashair Train plays a significant role in transporting hundreds of thousands of pilgrims in each of its various movements between the holy sites. In addition to enabling this large number of pilgrims to perform their rituals easily and conveniently in a short time compared to other means of transport, the train significantly reduces the presence of around 50,000 passenger buses on the roads during the Hajj season, thereby decreasing traffic congestion and contributing to lower carbon emissions.
**Environmentally Friendly Trains**
The Mashair Train is considered an environmentally friendly means of transport as it operates on electricity, resulting in zero carbon emissions, contributing to environmental preservation in the holy sites and safeguarding the public health of the pilgrims. Additionally, the Mashair Train has a unique operational method not found in any other train in the world, operating on a periodic (metro) system. This system organizes train movements according to daily requirements during the Hajj season, based on the rituals designated for each day. Through the operation and control center at the main office of the train management, the train’s passage and stopping locations are determined according to five different movements starting from the 7th of Dhul-Hijjah until the end of the days of Tashreeq.
