Mecca Train Ticket Prices & Services Announced for its First Hajj

[HIBBA2009]

:salam2:

It was announced yesterday that Muslims wishing to use Mecca's first metro when they converge on the holy city next month for their annual pilgrimage will have to pay SR250 for a ticket that will serve them for seven days.

Three different types of tickets will cover all holy sites in Mecca and will allow the pilgrims to take the train into the city to perform their rites before returning to their residence inside or outside the city, Ajel online newspaper said, quoting Habib Zain Alabidin, Undersecretary at the Saudi Ministry of Municipal affairs.

"The ticket's price is set at SR250 (US$ 67) that will cover a full trip into and out of Mecca for seven days…another ticket is priced at SR100 (US$ 27) for four days," he said.

Officials said last week the train has a capacity to transport 170,000 passengers in its first stage and two million when the third and final phase is completed.

Saudi Arabia has allocated nearly SR6.7 billion (US$ 1.8 billion) for the metro, which begins continuous service next month for the first time in Mecca's history. Officials expect the project to largely contribute to easing road congestions caused by the accumulation of thousands of cars near Makkah.

Habib Zain Alabidin says the railway would operate throughout the year.

The project is part of a costly programme by Saudi Arabia to tackle massive traffic congestions in and around the city and facilitate access to all sacred sites in Mecca.

The train project, initiated three years ago, followed a series of incidents that have killed thousands of pilgrims in stampedes, building collapses and other accidents during the few days of the Haj season.

More than two million Muslims from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Co-operation Council countries and other nations descend on Mecca every year to perform the pilgrimage.

China Railway Construction Corp, part of a Saudi-French-Chinese consortium which won the contract, is carrying out the project, involving nearly 5,000 workers. The train is the Gulf’s second metro system after the Dubai Metro.

Sources: http://en.islamtoday.net/artshow-234-3843.htm

ENGLISH TAFSIR - TAFSIR IBN ABBAS


(Allah promiseth to the believers, men and women, Gardens beneath which) beneath its tress and habitations (rivers) rivers of wine, water, honey and milk (flow, wherein they will abide) in Paradise (blessed dwellings) seemly dwellings which Allah has made fragrant with musk and sweet basil; it is also said that (blessed dwellings) means: beautiful dwellings; and it is said that this means: dwellings filled with people (in Gardens of Eden) a high degree. (And greater (far)! acceptance from Allah) the good pleasure of Allah is greater than that which they are in. (That) which I have mentioned (is the Supreme Triumph) abounding safety.

 

[queenislam]

Alhamdulillah!

:salam2:


:ma:
Alhamdulillah!

Thank you
To the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for this super Awesome train
for Allah swt guests .
~May Allah swt reward them tremendously for their
sssuper effort~Amin!

and

Thank you
to you too sister
for this wonderful news and images
~May Allah swt reward you ~Amin!

Take Care!
~Wassalam.

 

[Ahsen]

I heard asians will not be allowed on this train.Only arabs and so-called "high class" people.

 

[fatima1994]

wowwwwwwwww thats great! ^ comment... really? well then thats jus STUPID!

 

[BrotherInIslam7]

I heard asians will not be allowed on this train.Only arabs and so-called "high class" people.

:salam2:

Please don't pass on 'hearsay'. It is better for us to keep such information (that is unconfirmed) to ourselves.

Wasalaamalaykum waa rahmatullahi

 

[abu'muhammad]

looks brilliant ! I would like to sit in those trains .

May It serve for a better travel to the people on hajj. aameen

 

[Ahsen]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ho1U0yNIU-n2_ZHneXVlauy8CrKw?docId=CNG.585d74f4e935994236bc850ac8d75da9.411

It will be open only to Saudi and Gulf pilgrims, forecast at some 130,000 Saudis, 10,000 Kuwaitis and 10,000 Bahrainis, said Saeed al-Qurashi, head of the Hajj and Umra Committee at the Mecca Chamber of Commerce.


The experiences of the Hajj are very different depending on which part of the world you originate from. If you hail from Saudi Arabia or the Gulf states, you will perform the hajj in relative luxury and privilege, which is denied to Muslims from the sub-continent, Africa or the rest of the world. Those from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states have a different Hajj based on luxurious accommodations, and preferential treatment in performing the rituals. The latest egregious practice is the high-speed rail service, which transports the pilgrims from Mecca to the sacred sites where the rituals of the Hajj are performed. The train is reserved only for Saudis and citizens from the Gulf countries. Citizens from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries can be transported to the holy sites within a few minutes. For others, they will have to take the bus or walk which could take many hours each day. I cannot think of any other place in the world today that practices such crass racism. Imagine a train in the United States that states no Arabs -- just people from the west -- can ride in. The real tragedy is the lack of outrage from Muslims.

 

[al-fajr]

^ If this is true then really what can be done? Just say alhamdulillaah you're not going to be answerable for dividing people on race basis in such a way. If they want to limit the use of the trains they should have reserved it for the elderly or physically disabled people.

If I was performing Hajj Id relish each moment, let them have thier luxury ride, I wouldn't care. The more toil or hardship a person goes through in trying to complete a Hajj the more memorable it becomes and personally speaking, the more I would love that.

The most important thing is to have the Hajj accepted. The kings of the world make seven circuits around the Ka'bah like the rest of humanity, the men must wear unstitched white sheets regardless of how high class they perceive themselves to be, (Allaah does not care!), they walk between the Safaa and Marwa seven times like the rest of us too, Allaah wouldn't accept anything less than that from them. If they get a bonus train ride ..so what? Lol.

Wa-salaam.

 

[abu'muhammad]

Assalaamu alaykum,

Brother Ahsen, your Link also mentions the use of train by people other than gulf but in the second phase.

"The number is modest in comparison with the total number of pilgrims, but other nationalities will be able to use the train in the second phase."

I think the initial phase of travel might be on a trial basis. But still lets see how the things are going! inshaAllaah.

 

[BrotherInIslam7]

Assalaamu alaykum,

Brother Ahsen, your Link also mentions the use of train by people other than gulf but in the second phase.

"The number is modest in comparison with the total number of pilgrims, but other nationalities will be able to use the train in the second phase."

I think the initial phase of travel might be on a trial basis. But still lets see how the things are going! inshaAllaah.

JazakAllahu Khayr.. Just because a service is running on a trial basis for people of Arab nationalities, doesn't mean they are racist or whatever you want to term it. In my own country, trials services are opened to a select few before being open to all.

It is sad that fellow muslims latch on to such things and try to exaggerate the problems in muslims countries, just so that it reflects poorly on their part. At the end of the day, they are our brothers and sisters in faith. We need to remember that..

The govt of KSA has invested a large amount of money to improve the infrastructure and facilities around the Haramein, to make pilgrimage easy for fellow pilgrims for muslims of all races, ethnicity. Anyone who has been there can attest to it and InshaAllah in the future we should pray and hope that the govt addresses more issues that serves the pilgrims coming from outside the KSA.

 

[abu'muhammad]

^
Wa iyaaka.. see some confusion here though ! can I make that a bit clearer ? ok.
The train travel is divided into phases. I said the first phase might be a trial basis for it will be a first loaded passenger run for a totally new train facility. The authorities might want to check-out the working and the outcomes of a new project over the concentrated 1,50,000 number of hajis from the Saudi, emirates, Qatar and oman as the google link describe it. It is just like as you said ‘select few before being open to all.’The wisdom applied behind such an arrangement might be to ensure the experience of how the new type of travel works out ? and whether that leads to stampedes ? or to other similar problems ? all of that which happens due to the mass gathering.

The service is certainly not on a racial categorization or either on the first come first serve order. Hence later in the second phase the people from other countries will also be traveling through it as the link describe it. The same I did quoted as a clarification so that the viewers on thread do clearly understand that its not a partiality, a racial discrimination or something similar to that towards the other nationals. The usage is for all, inshaAllaah. The only matter will be some might travel early while others later depending upon the passengers accommodation or as how their travel is scheduled.
Hope that completes.BarakAllahu feek.

 

[Calvin]

This practice is racial whether its being done in phases or not. The trial run could have been done in different ways rather than dividing the people on ethinic bases.

But I guess that is the way Saudi government likes to do things for example Women are not allowed to drive - which in my opinion is one of the most debatable rule. Allah knows best!!!!!