3 Easy Ways to Travel from Makkah to Madinah by Train, Taxi or bus

Are you in Madinah or Makkah for Hajj or Umrah and planing to travel in between both cities, here is a ultimate guide to help you with your planing for travel between two cities Makkah and Madina

The visit to the holy lands of Makkah and Madinah can be a dream-come-true thing for the Muslims all around the world. People come here to perform Hajj and Umrah and seek the blessings of Allah by showing gratitude. As traveling to Makkah and Madina is something important to learn about in terms of opting for the easiest and budget-friendly ways, so here we have a guide for you in which you will be knowing about the 3 easy ways to travel from Makkah to Madina while being there for Hajj or Umrah.

1. Makkah to Madina via Taxi

While being in Makkah for Hajj or Umrah, you should know that a taxi is always easily available anywhere and at any time for commute service to Madinah. All you need to do is point out your hand or call out the taxi, the driver will stop by you. Ask him for going to Madina and negotiate on some suitable fare. The taxi fare can be estimated at around 26 SAR for this journey. The drivers are friendly and are mostly from South East Asia and Saudis. Moreover, if you would like to catch a shared taxi from Makkah to Madinah, you should come to the taxi stand just 50 meters from Haram’s Bab-ul-Fahad. Many taxis are waiting that can be shared, but the taxi will only leave when it gets filled.

2. Makkah to Madina via SAPTCO Bus

SAPTCO stands for the Saudi Public Transport Company. It was established in 1399H (1979CE) and provides transportation services within the country. Importantly, SAPTCO provides bus service between the cities of Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, the three main cities visited by pilgrims.

SAPTCO Normal Bus Service

The cost of travel between Makkah and Madinah (and vice versa) one-way is around 65 SAR (12.50 GBP / 18 USD). The regular bus service has limited legroom and no food or drink served. You can easily purchase the tickets for the bus from bus stations.

SAPTCO VIP Bus Service

SAPTCO provide a VIP bus service in addition to their normal bus service between many destinations throughout the Kingdom. In particular, they provide a VIP bus service between Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah.

VIP buses offer considerably better legroom, are direct journeys and include some complimentary food and drink. Ticket prices vary depending on which day & time of year you’re traveling but will be around 110 SAR-120 SAR however, a discount is offered for buying a return ticket. This VIP bus also arrives much closer to the Haram.

3. Makkah to Madina via Train

The new high-speed Haramain train is on the track now. The train is now the best option to travel from Makkah to Madina and vice versa as it is a much safer and faster way of reaching the Holly cities.

When to Book Haramain Train from Makkah to Madina?               

Although the train has recently started the service so you need to get your seat booked at least 2 days before departure. Hopefully, the process will be streamlined enough to book the seat even the same day as soon as the service will be in the flow.

Currently, the train doesn’t operate in full capacity or speed. The achievable speed is about 300km/h but at the moment it is around 200km/h. The train takes around 3 hours from Makkah to Madina. The classes and seats are comfortable and it’s new and clean.

 Price of the Ticket               

The price of the ticket is not cheap by Saudi standards but by European standards, it is a good value considering the benefits of comfort, speed, and safety you have.

A one-way ticket in the economy costs 160 SAR per person and children pay half price.

A one-way ticket in business costs 263 SAR per person and children pay half price.

For a family of 5 this can add up and it can make you see the benefit of taking a taxi overspending nearly double the price of a train ticket.

Where are the Stations Located in Makkah and Madina?               

The Makkah Haramain High speed train station is located about a 10-minute taxi drive from the Haram. The Madina Haramain train station is located about 10 minutes from Masjid Al Nabawi as well. These are centrally located stations so it doesn’t cost a lot in a taxi to reach your destination.

The Train is a service from Makkah to Madina but it is not yet a direct link, it makes 1 or 2 stops depending on your train to Jeddah Central train station and King Abdullah Economic city before arriving in Makkah or Madina. In total even with the stops, it takes 3 hours to reach the cities.           

What about the Baggage on the Train?               

It looks like you can only have one bag per person plus one hand luggage as with most airlines. However, it also seems according to their T&Cs that even in business it is only 1 baggage per person.

*Any passenger provided with a ticket may carry with him, under his custody and responsibility, in the places designated for that purpose, one piece of hand baggage and one-piece limited to 25 Kg not exceeding 65 x 55 x 35 cm. (length-height-width).

So these are the 3 ways you can opt to travel from Makkah to Madina and vice versa while conveniently dealing with your budget.