Saudi Gazette IT was a fantastic experience to ride the Haramain High Speed Train, which would bring about a permanent solution to the problems in the movement of Haj and Umrah pilgrims between the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, according to Indian Consul General Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh. "The train, expected to be operational during the Haj of 2018, will be much more convenient and comfortable to the pilgrims than any other mode of transportation," he told Saudi Gazette. Sheikh was among the diplomats who had a recent fabulous ride along the Haramain High Speed Train, arranged by the Makkah branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "It was an extremely enjoyable and highly comfortable experience. Fully air-conditioned, high speed, availability of refreshments and facilities for washing, television for entertainment, and what else you want," he said while noting that pilgrims from all over the world will hugely benefit from the train services. At present, Sheikh said, the major issue in the Haj operation is pertaining to the movement of pilgrims, especially between Makkah and Madinah. "Once the movement is controlled and eased, everything else will be streamlined." "We have plans to take advantage of the train service from the Haj of 2018 onwards. The Haj missions from different countries can sort out almost all the recurring problems involving transportation of pilgrims by bus between the two holy cities, as well as within Makkah once the Haramain train and Makkah Metro start operation," he said. "During peak season, bus takes six to eight hours to reach Madinah from Makkah and vice versa but instead the train takes only one and a half hours. Apart from this, there are many recurring complaints involving transportation by bus such as breakdowns, faulty air-conditioning, and ban on night travel." Sheikh also unveiled a meticulous plan for streamlining pilgrims' movement to and fro their home countries and the holy land. "The capacity of the Haramain train is 417, and this is almost the capacity of a jumbo flight, which is 415. The Haj missions can prepare, well in advance, the transportation schedule for the pilgrims on board the designated plane in the designated train." Referring to the ride, Sheikh said: "We were first taken by road to Rabigh station and traveled about 40 minutes toward Madinah and returned at a speed of 160 -200 km per hour. I was told that 70 percent of the railway work has been completed and the remaining works will be competed by the end of 2017." Ambassador Muhammad Ahmed Tayyib, director general of the Makkah branch of the Foreign Ministry, and Ambassador Jamal Balkhour, chief of protocol at the branch, were in command in organizing the Haramain train ride for the diplomats. The consuls general who joined the trip also included Patrick Nicoloso (France), Sidi Zakaria (Niger), Abdelali Jai (Morocco), A.K.M. Shahidul Karim (Bangladesh), C. Shoayb (South Africa), Haji Sulaini Hj Said (Brunei), Saleh Ali Al Saqabi (Kuwait), Khamis Bin Abdullah bin Nasser Al-Farsi (Oman), Ali Bin Mohammed Al-Ayashi (Yemen), Ghanim Alwan Jawad Al-Jumaily (Iraq) and Hamad Ali Al Bannkhalil (Bahrain). The Haramain High Speed Train links the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City of Rabigh. The train will be linked to the Makkah Metro to provide pilgrims with easy and fast transportation to the holy sites. The 450-km railway, with fully electrified double tracks, is estimated to cost SR37.5 billion. The project includes trains traveling at a speed of 320 km per hour and fitted with the highly advanced equipment and devices. There will be 35 trains and a special train for the elderly people. As many as 12 carriages are being used now in the ongoing test runs between Madinah and Rabigh. The state-of-the-art railway has five stations — two terminus stations in Makkah and Madinah, and two central stations in Jeddah and King Abdullah Economic City of Rabigh, in addition to a fifth station at King Abdulaziz International Airport that is being built by the General Authority of Civil Aviation. The Jeddah station will be the main station with the central control room. The construction of the stations, featuring aesthetically iconic buildings with Islamic architectural designs, are nearing completion. They will have shops, restaurants, mosques, parking spaces, a helipad and VIP lounges. The train, which will bring about a dramatic change in the transportation of pilgrims between the two holy cities, is expected to carry three million passengers a year, besides helping to relieve traffic congestion on the expressways. The completion date for the railroad has been put back by a further 14 months from January 2017 to the first quarter of 2018, according to Saudi Railways Organization sources. Opening of the ambitious project had been envisaged for 2014 when a contract was signed in January 2012. However, the project has faced difficulties including delays in the completion of civil works which are being undertaken under separate contracts, windblown sand in the inhospitable climate and such other hurdles and handicaps.
