Saudi Arabia Signs SAR 5.6 Billion Agreements to Develop Makkah Transport
Key Facts
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and the Holy Sites, through its executive arm, the General Transport Center, signed agreements for the Wasel Al Haram project worth SAR 5.6 billion to develop stations and routes leading to the Grand Mosque. The Saudi Press Agency said the agreements were signed on November 8, 2026, while Argaam reported that the project would span three investment packages. The project is funded entirely by the private sector, according to Argaam, placing financing for the network’s development and operation within the scope of these agreements. The project aims to improve transport to and from the Grand Mosque through multiple stations, parking facilities and routes. The agreements were signed during the opening ceremony of the sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The packages were divided between two consortia: the first and third packages were awarded to a consortium comprising Saudi company Alqaid, Moventis and Waskita, while the second package went to the Mawqif consortium, according to Argaam. These allocations identify the entities responsible for different parts of the project, while the agreements provide the framework for developing and operating the transport network. The work covers 7 transport corridors, as well as 19 stations and parking facilities, across a total area of 3.1 million square meters. These components connect the stations with routes leading to the Grand Mosque, according to the project description. The work also includes rehabilitating the stations and equipping them with modern commercial facilities and integrated digital systems.
The operating system includes 3,200 buses, while the three packages are expected to serve 205 million passengers annually, according to Argaam. This forecast places the targeted annual service volume alongside the project’s physical infrastructure, which includes the stations, parking facilities and seven corridors. The operating scope also includes shuttle buses, according to project details. The work extends beyond transport to include the creation of a specialized center to train national talent. These operating and training components provide a framework that combines passenger service with preparing staff to run the project.
To measure service quality and operational efficiency, the project will use a system comprising 46 performance indicators, according to Argaam. The indicators cover bus operations, real estate operations and smart systems, the report said. The breadth of the measurement system means performance monitoring will cover more than bus movements alone, extending to the facilities and systems supporting the service. The system is among the project’s components, alongside station rehabilitation and the addition of commercial facilities and digital systems. The report did not specify achieved operational results; the indicators are part of the project’s announced measurement system.
In terms of expected economic impact, the project is likely to add between SAR 11 billion and SAR 12 billion to gross domestic product and create between 2,800 and 3,000 jobs in the local labor market, according to Argaam. These estimates are tied to an investment period of between 7 and 10 years and do not represent results already achieved. The stated investment period relates to the project’s horizon, while available sources do not describe it as an operating concession. The estimates place expected activity in the economy and labor market within a defined time frame, alongside the project’s full private-sector funding. Realizing these figures will depend on the project’s implementation and operation.
The project comes against the backdrop of an existing bus network in Makkah. In January 2026, the Makkah Buses network comprised 12 routes, 400 buses and 431 stations, covered 580 kilometers, according to the Pilgrim Experience Program. The program said the network had served more than 188 million passengers across more than 4 million trips by that date. During the Hajj season of 1447 AH in June 2026, more than 1.44 million pilgrims were transported from entry points on more than 45,000 trips, according to the Saudi Press Agency. These figures relate to earlier periods and provide context on the scale of transport activity in Makkah before the Wasel Al Haram agreements. The new project, meanwhile, targets an expected annual service volume of 205 million passengers through its operating packages.
The agreements were announced at the opening of the sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition, which the Saudi Press Agency said runs for 4 days and brings together more than 520 government, private-sector and nonprofit entities, with participants and attendees from more than 150 countries. The conference places the project among the initiatives whose agreements were signed in Makkah, without changing its defined scope of stations, corridors and buses. The expected investment period of 7 to 10 years is the time frame underpinning the GDP and jobs forecasts. The projected annual passenger count and performance indicators are among the project’s announced targets and measures. Available information does not include a timeline for implementation stages or a start date for operations.