Mashaaer Metro

The Al Mashaaer Al Muqaddasah Metro Project (MMMP) is an electric, environmentally friendly shuttle system that connects the holy sites of Mina, Muzdalifah, and Arafat via nine stations along an 18-kilometer corridor. Commissioned in 2010, the MMMP is recognized as one of the world’s most intensely used metro systems, operating at a capacity of 72,000 passengers per hour per direction.

SYSTRA Arabia has been involved in the project from the start, first executing the concept and preliminary designs for the client and later performing the feasibility study for the metro’s northern line under the jurisdiction of the Makkah Region Development Authority (MRDA). ​In 2009, SYSTRA Arabia was further appointed to carry out the detailed design of the Mashaaer Metro’s Southern Line, in collaboration with CRCC.

designed with pilgrims in mind

Unique among metro systems, the MMMP operates for just one week each year, operating exclusively during the annual Hajj to transport millions of pilgrims between Islam’s holiest sites in a matter of days. Designed to relieve congestion and enhance safety, the metro system eliminates nearly 50,000 bus trips during the Hajj season, significantly reducing traffic and improving crowd management across the sacred sites. The whole line is elevated, running on precast concrete viaducts, with nine stations and a depot. Given its unique operational demands, the system requires ongoing upgrades and careful maintenance planning.

To that end, in 2019, SYSTRA Arabia and its JV partner were appointed as the PMO/PMC for operations and maintenance of the Mashaaer Metro Southern Line under Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR).

building on the metro’s success

SYSTRA Arabia extended its role on the MMMP in 2025 by signing a 36-month project sole management consultancy contract with SAR. This latest agreement builds on the company’s expertise in managing large-scale transit systems in complex, high-density environments.

As PMC, SYSTRA Arabia is overseeing a broad scope of improvements including signalling and power system upgrades, enhanced fire protection measures, and passenger safety features such as escalator and elevator modernization and platform gap reduction, as well as aesthetic enhancements such as repainting, signage updates, and improved passenger amenities.

A central component of SYSTRA Arabia’s mandate will be the supervision of MMMP operations during the Hajj, a period marked by the movement of nearly two million pilgrims within a constrained geographic area. In such a context, operational excellence, safety, and reliability are critical, and SYSTRA’s technical leadership will be key in ensuring the success of each Hajj season throughout the contract duration.