Saudi Arabia Announced Makkah Metro Extension Plan

Saudi Arabia’s Makkah municipality development organisation AlBalad AlAmeen (BAC) has unveiled plans for the development of four metro lines in the city.

The first phase of the Makkah Mass Rail Transit (MMRT) project will cost SAR8bn ($2.1bn) and is expected to be completed in two and half years.

The rail line will pass near Haram Mosque, initially linking the Mashair Railway with the Haramain Railway and the northern and eastern parts of the Central Haram Area with a 12km rail track.

There will be four railway stations inside the holy city in addition to the stations of the Mashair Railways.
Line B section will be 10km long, with six new stations and will mainly be underground. The Line C section will be 29km long with 14 new stations, and will be constructed in a combination of tunnels and viaducts.

The MMRT Stage 1 expansion programme will complement the 18km Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah line that was opened in November 2010 and will ease traffic in the city.

Construction of Phase 1 is expected to begin in 2013 and complete by 2017.