Hajj metro operated smoothly this year, says transport chief

MINA: The “Hajj metro” train service between the holy sites operated smoothly this year, according to Public Transport Authority (PTA) President Rumaih Al-Rumaih.
The Al-Mashaaer Al-Mugaddassah Metro, as the transport service is known, successfully transported pilgrims between the holy sites to complete their rituals, Al-Rumaih said.
The railway is monitored by the transport authority experts, who control the movement of trains, he added. Al-Rumaih lauded the efforts of security agencies involved.
Mohammed Fahd Al-Shabrami, a PTA official covering railways, said the Hajj metro contributed to the smooth movement of pilgrims between the holy sites. The railway line extends almost 20 kilometers with nine stations, and the trains are almost 300 meters long.
Al-Rumaih said the capacity efficiency of the railway is at the highest level globally. Each of the rail cars is designed in a smart way, with a maximum capacity of nearly 3,000 pilgrims, meaning that the maximum capacity of the railway is 72,000 passengers per hour per direction.