Al-Haramain trains to ease road traffic

The Al-Haramain Train Project, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014, is expected to reduce traffic jams on highways leading to Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Rabigh by up to 80 percent.
In an interview with Arab News, Muhammad Madani, director-general of the Makkah Transport and Road Department, said he expects 100 percent commuter usage of the train service once it is operational.
“There will be full occupancy of these trains, especially by pilgrims performing Haj or Umrah. The service will cut down distances between the four major cities by 80 percent, especially during the Haj and Umrah seasons,” he said.
“Traveling between Jeddah and Makkah would take a maximum of 25 minutes, 50 minutes to Madinah and 25 minutes to Rabigh. Construction work is well under way, with shifts around the clock. So far, we have completed about 40 percent of total construction work. The project is estimated to be worth SR62 billion and will be implemented in three phases. The line has four tracks. There will be 88 stations, 22 of which will be underground,” he added.
“There will be mosques, a helipad and a number of bays for trains at both arrival and departure terminals. There will also be short-stay and long-stay parking lots, a VIP lounge and many stores, restaurants and cafes, for the convenience of passengers.”
The Makkah–Madinah stations were awarded to the Bin Laden Group, while the Rabigh and Jeddah stations were awarded to Saudi Oger. There is a fifth station being constructed at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.
Abd Al-Rahman Niazi, a Makkah resident, said he witnessed the implementation of the project in various stages. “It’s a huge project and I am sure it will bear economic fruit. My work requires me to travel continuously between Makkah, Madinah and Rabigh. I do not like to travel by plane since it’s difficult to get a booking. I use my car a lot, so I know what it means to get caught in a nasty travel jam, not to mention the many traffic tickets I get because of speeding. The Al-Haramain train will solve all these problems in a single stroke,” he said.