Hajj: High speed trains to replace buses next year-Saudi official

Haramain high-speed railway will replace most buses transporting pilgrims between Makkah and Madinah by December 2016.

An official of Haramain, the Saudi firm expected to run the train services has told a local newspaper in Makkah that there would be 35 trains operational next year to serve more than two million pilgrims.
He said each train would have 15 carriages and three first class carriages.
He added that work had now been completed on the train stations in Madinah and Rabigh’s King Abdullah Economic City.
He also said the stations in Makkah and Jeddah were almost complete.
“The Haramain trains will travel at a speed of more than 300 km/h. A trip between Jeddah and Makkah will take only half an hour, while one between Jeddah and Madinah will take about 2 hours,” the official said.
He said testing had begun on the lines between Madinah and Rabigh.
The work on signals, electricity infrastructure and other systems are also well advanced.