“The unprecedented rush was due to the advent of the holy month since most of the people want to spend the early days of Ramadan in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah,” Abdul Aziz, a leading Umrah operator in the city, told Arab News.
The cost of Umrah packages have increased due to high numbers of pilgrims going to Makkah and Madinah from all parts of the Kingdom during the current month.
Flights from Riyadh to Jeddah and Makkah were full on Tuesday, according to airline sources.Umrah travel operators in the capital have increased their weekend package from SR90 to SR160 per passenger for basic accommodation, plus extra fees for side-trips to Madinah or accommodation upgrades.
A spokesman for a Dawa (Islamic call and guidance) organization in Riyadh said a fleet of luxury coaches for men only would leave Riyadh on the 7th, 15th and 22nd day of the holy month. Other Dawa organizations in the capital are offering similar services, including packages for families and reduced fares if enough people travel in the groups.
There are more than 100 Umrah travel operators spread out in the capital with a concentration of them in Batha district.
“Many people come to the city center for their travel reservation since most of the Umrah operators are located in the area,” said Mohamed Saeed, a travel agent in Batha.
Rates tend not to vary greatly among Umrah tour operators in Riyadh. Buses leave from Batha and Wazarah districts with stops at the Central Bus Terminal so that authorities can tally the number of pilgrims. Traffic police on the Riyadh-Makkah highway will block any buses from Riyadh that have not stopped first at the Central Bus Terminal.
Umrah bus tours usually include stops for meals and for donning ihram. There are ample mosques, food outlets and boutiques along the routes to Makkah.
