Crowds of travelers flooded into Jeddah’s central bus station at the end of the Eid Al-Fitr holiday.

There was chaos at the Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) station in the downtown area on Friday evening and Saturday morning as huge numbers of out-bound travelers queued up to inquire about departing buses.

Most of these travelers had come to perform Eid prayers in Makkah and to visit friends and families in Jeddah, while others had paid a visit to the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

All 10 ticket counters, including one for women, witnessed long lines and the departure hall was packed.

Most travelers were headed for Riyadh, followed by Dammam, while several passengers could be seen sleeping and sitting on the floors of the bus station.

Additional buses were deployed from Friday afternoon to cater to the influx of travelers eager to get back to work on time, a SAPTCO official told Arab News.

“The crowds this year have been much larger than the ones witnessed last Ramadan,” he said. “We run additional services based on demand. SAPTCO staff constantly monitor passenger influx for services to Riyadh, Dammam and other major cities.”

The official, however, declined to provide precise figures, advising media sources to contact the company’s regional manager at the Marwah district.

Many passengers have complained that buses mainly run on the Riyadh route, ignoring other cities.

“I want to travel to Dammam, but nobody is able to tell me when a bus service to the city will depart,” Abdul Haleem, an Egyptian traveler who had arrived from Al-Ahsa, told Arab News.

“I have been in a ticket queue for ages, but the next bus won’t leave for another two hours,” said Mohammed Asif, an Indian traveler headed for Riyadh.

The road in front of the SAPTCO station was a scene of major congestion and police eventually reported to the scene to control the flow of traffic.

Private tour operators with 40-seater buses could be seen luring passengers headed for Riyadh and Dammam in front of the bus station, but many travelers could be seen declining their offers.