Makkah to Madinah by the Haramain train: a practical guide

The Haramain high-speed railway joins the two holy cities in about two hours, across 450 km of desert at up to 300 km/h. It is quicker than the coach and never sits in traffic, so for most pilgrims it is the easiest way between the two cities.

The line and its stations

Five stations, in this order:

1. Makkah, in Al-Rusaifah, west of the Haram
2. Jeddah, in Al-Sulaymaniyah
3. King Abdulaziz International Airport, linked directly to Terminal 1
4. King Abdullah Economic City
5. Madinah

Makkah to Madinah takes two hours to two and a half, depending on the stops. From the airport, Makkah is about 35 to 50 minutes away, and Madinah about two hours.

Tickets

• Book on the official Haramain train website or app (hhr.sa). There are two classes, Economy and Business, and fares change with the date and demand.
• Trains fill up in Ramadan, around Eid and at weekends, so book as soon as your dates are set.
• Check the luggage allowance on your ticket before you pack the Zamzam and the gifts.

From the station to your hotel

Neither city's station is next to the Haram. Allow 20 to 40 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing app to the central area, longer at prayer times and on Fridays, when the roads near the mosque close to cars.

Travelling in ihram

Madinah's miqat, Dhul Hulayfah (Abyar Ali), is on the edge of the city, and the train to Makkah passes it soon after leaving. If you're travelling for Umrah, put on your ihram at your hotel or at the miqat mosque before you travel, and make your intention before the train passes the miqat.

Flying into Jeddah for Umrah, you pass your miqat in the air, so be in ihram before the plane reaches it. The crew usually announces it.

Tips for the journey

• Be at the station half an hour before your train: bags are screened on the way in.
• If you travel in Ramadan or at Eid, book the train and the hotel together: the dates that fill the trains fill the hotels too.

If you arrive in Makkah in ihram, choose a hotel close to the Haram: after a long journey, performing your Umrah straight away is far easier when the mosque is minutes from your door. See the closest hotels to the Haram in Makkah.