On June 9 local time, the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia came to an end. The Mecca Metro trains that CRRC Changchun customized for Saudi Arabia operated continuously for 7 days, completing 2,154 trips, and transporting 1.87 million passengers with "zero error". Challenged by high temperatures and extremely high passenger volumes, CRRC’s operation and maintenance team again delivered a pleasant passenger experience for pilgrims through professional service and unwavering dedication. This was highly praised by the Saudi client.
The trains engineered specifically for Mecca offer high capacity and exceptional resilience to cope with high traffic during pilgrimage. Each train features a 12-car ultra-long formation and is able to transport over 5,000 passengers per trip, enabling an hourly throughput of 72,000 passengers in one way and 150,000 in both directions. As for extreme heat and sandstorms, the trains maintain full operational performance even at the temperature of 50℃ and under wind force reaching level 8.
To ensure continuous operation throughout the seven-day period, the CRRC team was divided into four specialized groups: onboard support, platform coordination, maintenance, and remote command. Through real-time monitoring and close collaboration, they provided all-round operational support.
For the first time, all the local Saudi drivers were on duty during the Hajj. The CRRC team translated the operating procedures into Arabic/English manuals, provided on-board guidance for new drivers to familiarize themselves with complex operations, and established an efficient communication mechanism to secure error-free operations.
The successful completion of the 2025 Hajj metro operations was a testament to the reliability of China's rail transit equipment and showcased the strength of the "CRRC solution" in addressing complex transportation around the globe.
