The General Authority for Roads has released a comprehensive guide aimed at facilitating the journey of pilgrims for the Hajj season of 1446 AH. This guide outlines the main routes leading to Mecca, complemented by essential guidelines to ensure safe and smooth travel.
The Authority highlighted the international roadways connecting Mecca with several neighboring countries. These routes include one from the Sultanate of Oman via the Empty Quarter, specifically from Um Zurmul to Batha, Salwa, Al-Ahsa, and then to Mecca, spanning approximately 2,150 kilometers. From Iraq, travelers can access Mecca by taking the route from Jadidah Ar’ar to Ar’ar, then to Skaka, Medina, and ultimately Mecca, covering about 1,579 kilometers. The route from the United Arab Emirates includes passage through Batha, Salwa, Al-Ahsa, Riyadh, and finally Mecca, totaling around 1,514 kilometers. From Qatar, the distance is approximately 1,385 kilometers, following the route from Salwa, Al-Ahsa, Riyadh, to Mecca. Meanwhile, from Yemen, pilgrims will cover a distance of 1,372 kilometers, utilizing the route from Wadi’a to Najran, Abha, and then to Mecca. Additionally, travelers from Bahrain can access Mecca over the King Fahd Bridge through Al-Khobar, Riyadh, with a total distance of 1,266 kilometers.
The guide also features two routes from Kuwait. The first is through Al-Khafji to Al-Nairiyah, Riyadh, and Mecca, measuring 1,473 kilometers, while the second route extends from Al-Raqi to Hafr Al-Batin, Al-Majma’ah, and then to Mecca, totaling 1,277 kilometers. For travelers from Jordan, two paths lead to Mecca: one via Haala Ammar to Tabuk, Medina, and Mecca at a distance of 1,219 kilometers, and another through Al-Hudhayda to Al-Qurayyat, Skaka, Medina, and Mecca, amounting to 1,545 kilometers.
The guide further emphasizes significant internal routes leading to Mecca. Notable routes include the historical Hijra Road connecting Medina to Mecca, covering 420 kilometers, and the Al-Lith Road from southern Saudi Arabia to Mecca, about 90 kilometers long. The Great Valley Road between Riyadh, Taif, and Mecca spans 80 kilometers, while the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Road from Jeddah to Mecca is 70 kilometers long. Additionally, the Al-Hada Road connects Taif to Mecca over a distance of 23 kilometers.
Among the initiatives highlighted in the guide are mobile services designed to aid pilgrims, such as fuel stations on the Hijra Road and mobile sites offering air-conditioned vehicles and cold beverages to alleviate travel discomfort. The guide also provides safety travel guidelines, as well as contact numbers for authorities on major highways.
The guide can be accessed through the following link: Roads Guide for Pilgrims.
It is worth noting that the road sector plays a crucial role in enabling Hajj and Umrah services, under the supervision of the General Authority for Roads. The Authority is responsible for developing necessary policies and regulations, aiming to achieve strategic objectives that focus on safety, quality, and traffic density. Through these measures, the Authority ensures that the infrastructure supporting the pilgrimage effectively meets the needs of the millions of pilgrims who travel to Mecca each year.
