At 4:00 am on July 6, 2022, Saudi time, China Railway Construction's 2022 Saudi Mecca Light Rail Hajj operation officially started. According to reports, the project is currently the world's largest rail transit project with the largest design capacity, the most complex operation model, and the most arduous operation task. It will transport pilgrimage passengers from all over the world within 7 days.

Saudi Mecca Light Rail

The Saudi Mecca light rail project line is 18.25 kilometers long, with 9 stations, and travels to and from 3 hajj areas. During peak operation, the one-day traffic volume is equivalent to the sum of the three-day traffic volume of Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station during the domestic Spring Festival travel period. The project provides comfortable and convenient transportation services for Muslim pilgrims around the world.

Mecca is located in a narrow valley in the Serrat Mountains in western Saudi Arabia. About 3 million Muslims from all over the world come here every year to perform the Hajj. From Jamala in Mecca to Arafat, pilgrims need to walk for 7 to 8 hours in high temperature of 40 to 50 degrees Celsius. By car, there are serious traffic jams. After the completion of the Mecca light rail, pilgrims can reach their destination in only a few minutes, and all passengers are full of praise for this convenience.

So far, CRCC has successfully completed seven Mecca light rail operations, transporting more than 20 million pilgrims, and has trained a large number of railway technology, management and operation talents for Saudi Arabia. In the special period of overseas epidemics, it has demonstrated China's strength, imparted China's experience, and told China's stories. Editor/He Yuting