MAKKAH — The Mashaer train will transport as many as 370,000 pilgrims between Makkah and the holy sites this Haj season, the department of central projects of the Ministry of Rural and Municipal Affairs has announced. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said in a report on Sunday that domestic pilgrims and those from GCC countries, South Asia, Turkey and Europe will be using the train according to a list of passengers to be provided by the Ministry of Haj. The train will be transporting pilgrims from Makkah to Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah and back during the entire days of Haj. Six types of tickets in different colors, to be worn around the wrest, have been issued and will be distributed among the pilgrims by their Tawafa establishments and their local Haj campaigns. A schedule has been thoroughly prepared for the grouping of the train passengers so as to avoid congestion in and around train stations especially during the peak hours. Train ticket for pilgrims for the entire Haj entire period is SR250 while it is SR50 for officials in plainclothes involved in the Haj services. In addition to the train, there are 17,700 well-equipped buses to transport pilgrims between Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and the holy sites. — SG
