Saudi Arabia · High-speed
The Haramain High Speed Railway runs 450 kilometres between the two holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, calling at Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport and King Abdullah Economic City. The operator gives the line an operating speed of 300 km/h, and the trains are Talgo 350 sets built for desert conditions. It opened in October 2018 and carries both pilgrims and ordinary intercity travellers along the Red Sea side of the country.
Makkah → Madinah
2h 30m
Photo: Saudi Press Agency · CC BY-SA 4.0
Published primary route
Published end-to-end time
Published corridor distance
Check the selected service before travel
Route & corridor
Engineering-led corridor. The map, ordered calls and any engineering detail shown below come from the published route record.
The published route runs from Makkah to Madinah via Jeddah Sulaymaniyah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, King Abdullah Economic City.
450 km · Makkah to Madinah
Key stops
Makkah Al-SulimaniyahJeddah SulaymaniyahKing Abdulaziz International AirportKing Abdullah Economic CityMadinah
Makkah Al-Sulimaniyah
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Sulaymaniyah
Saudi Arabia
King Abdulaziz International Airport
Saudi Arabia
King Abdullah Economic City
Saudi Arabia
Madinah
Saudi Arabia
Why this connection
For most of the twentieth century this journey meant a long road trip across open desert; now it is a train ride of a couple of hours through the Hejaz, with the airport station putting arriving passengers on rails almost directly. The line is built for enormous pilgrim volumes, so the stations are on a scale you rarely see on a railway, and the run between Jeddah and Madinah crosses genuinely empty country. Non-Muslim travellers cannot enter Makkah, so the usable section for many visitors is Jeddah northwards; worth knowing before you book.
Our current editorial assessment, for comparing journeys, a considered judgement, not a measurement.
More subjective
Not rated yet: value for money, food & drink, seat quality, onboard service, slow travel quality, romance, remoteness.
Step-free access and assistance are set out with the practical detail further down rather than reduced to a score.
The train in service
Only confirmed onboard details and photographs tied to this service appear here. Unrecorded facilities remain unknown.
Evidence on demand
Route, onboard, season, fit and booking detail remain available without interrupting the journey above. Unknowns stay visible.
2h 30m
The published route runs from Makkah to Madinah via Jeddah Sulaymaniyah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, King Abdullah Economic City.
450 km · Makkah to Madinah
Key stops
Makkah Al-SulimaniyahJeddah SulaymaniyahKing Abdulaziz International AirportKing Abdullah Economic CityMadinah
Makkah Al-Sulimaniyah
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Sulaymaniyah
Saudi Arabia
King Abdulaziz International Airport
Saudi Arabia
King Abdullah Economic City
Saudi Arabia
Madinah
Saudi Arabia
Jan: Scheduled year-round; services are intensified around Hajj and Ramadan.
These months show when the train runs, which is a service fact. How good each month is for the experience has not been rated yet, so no month is presented as better than another.
Rail enthusiasts
Especially good
The train and the line itself are a large part of the reason to travel.
First-time rail travellers
Good fit
Frequent, easy to book and a straightforward first rail journey in the country.
You cannot just turn up
A reservation is required for this journey.
Prices quoted Fares vary by class and date on the operator's booking portal; check there for the price on your travel date.
Not yet verified: rail pass validity. We leave these blank rather than guess.
This is the operator's own reservation entry point. Fares and availability are confirmed there, not here. Journey length: 2h 30m. Checked 12 Sep 2026 · Saudi Arabia Railways · Haramain.
The detailed source record remains at the end of this guide. Review the evidence.
Your next step
Tickets are sold through the operator's Haramain portal and app, with assigned seats in business and economy.
Check availability with Saudi Arabia Railways (opens in a new tab)This is the operator's own reservation entry point. Fares and availability are confirmed there, not here.
Far by Rail is a discovery guide, not a live timetable or booking service. Confirm times, fares and availability with the operator.
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Journey information is reviewed against published material and maintained as sources change.
Last reviewed 12 Sep 2026.
Official sources
Checked 12 Sep 2026
Checked 12 Sep 2026