The holy city of Makkah is set to receive its first dedicated international airport and a purpose-built metro network, as the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites confirms that foundational planning for both projects has been completed.<\/p>\n
Saleh Al-Rasheed, the Commission\u2019s chief executive, disclosed the development in an interview with Harvard Business Review, stating that the strategic and economic framework for building Makkah Airport to international standards had received formal approval. Al-Rasheed said the Royal Commission would work alongside private sector partners to design investment models appropriate for the project, ensuring they do not undercut the commercial viability of airports in surrounding cities. Separately, he confirmed that feasibility studies and initial designs for the Makkah Metro have also been finalised.<\/p>\n
Beyond transport infrastructure, Al-Rasheed outlined a broader digital transformation initiative branded \u201cSmart Makkah.\u201d The programme will deploy artificial intelligence to monitor and manage crowd movement in and around the Grand Mosque, incorporating aerial imaging linked to the Balady application and predictive crowd-flow systems at the Jamarat Bridge and central pilgrimage zones. The aim is to create a measurably safer and more seamless experience for the millions who arrive each year from across the globe.<\/p>\n
Existing ground transport services are also being modernised. Bus, taxi, and guided transport systems are undergoing upgrades, and a new fleet-based service called \u201cMakkah Taxi\u201d is set to launch with modern vehicles equipped with GPS tracking, electronic payment facilities, and electric and hybrid options.<\/p>\n
Makkah\u2019s road network has seen significant progress, with major sections of the first, second, and third ring roads now complete and connected to the principal routes serving the Grand Mosque and holy sites, including King Abdulaziz Road and Ibrahim Al-Khalil Road. City entrances have been upgraded as part of the same transport overhaul.<\/p>\n
Development at the holy sites themselves is also advancing. Eight locations in Arafat covering around 190,000 square metres are being upgraded, including the construction of two-storey tent structures over 33,000 square metres. Ten new residential towers with capacity for 27,000 pilgrims are being built, alongside a 200-bed emergency hospital in Mina to bolster medical support during the season.<\/p>\n
The announcements arrive as the Kingdom activates Makkah\u2019s entry restrictions for 2026, now in effect for all visitors not holding a Hajj visa. With millions expected in the coming weeks, the scale of the investments underway reflects a clear commitment to ensuring that the world\u2019s most visited holy city is ready to receive them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The holy city of Makkah is set to receive its first dedicated international airport and a purpose-built metro network, as the Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites confirms that foundational planning for both projects has been completed. Saleh Al-Rasheed, the Commission\u2019s chief executive, disclosed the development in an interview with Harvard Business Review, stating that the strategic and economic framework for building Makkah Airport to international standards had received formal approval. Al-Rasheed said the Royal Commission would work alongside private sector partners to design investment models appropriate for the project, ensuring they do not undercut the commercial<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54750,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"Makkah Set for Its First International","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Saudi Arabia plans a new international airport and metro network for Makkah, as the Royal Commission confirms feasibility studies are","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[224],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kingdom"],"yoast_head":"\n