With the Day of Arafah just six days away, Saudi Arabia is now running full-scale operations to receive what could be the largest Hajj gathering since the pandemic — deploying artificial intelligence, a 300 km/h rail network, and more than 52,000 healthcare workers to serve pilgrims from 126 countries.
At a Glance
| Key Figure | Details |
|---|---|
| 1.5M+ | Pilgrims expected this season |
| 860,000+ | Foreign pilgrims already arrived |
| 52,000 | Healthcare workers deployed |
| 2.21M | Haramain railway seats available |
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is now in the final and most intensive phase of Hajj 1447 AH preparations, with pilgrims converging on Makkah from every corner of the globe as the sacred days approach. The pilgrimage officially begins on Monday, 25 May, with the Day of Arafah — the spiritual centrepiece of Hajj — falling on Tuesday, 26 May, followed by Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, 27 May and the conclusion of rites around Saturday, 30 May.
Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al Rabiah confirmed that as of mid-May, more than 860,000 foreign pilgrims had already arrived in the Kingdom — 820,000 by air, 35,000 by land and 4,000 by sea. Of those air arrivals, 240,000 were processed through the Makkah Route Initiative, which completes immigration, biometric and visa procedures in pilgrims’ home countries before departure.
The minister said the Kingdom had launched more than 100 initiatives under Saudi Vision 2030 to improve services and enhance the pilgrim experience.
Key Dates for Hajj 2026
| Date | Ritual |
|---|---|
| Mon 25 May · 8 Dhul-Hijjah | Pilgrims enter Ihram and travel to Mina |
| Tue 26 May · 9 Dhul-Hijjah | Day of Arafah — standing at Arafat |
| Wed 27 May · 10 Dhul-Hijjah | Eid al-Adha — stoning, sacrifice, Tawaf |
| Thu 28–Sat 30 May | Days of Tashreeq — stoning rituals |
All dates remain subject to official confirmation by the Saudi Supreme Court following moon sighting.
Pilgrims by Country — Who Is Coming
The largest national contingent this year comes from Indonesia, which has a quota of 221,000 pilgrims. Pakistan follows with 179,210 pilgrims, while India has a quota of 175,025.
Major contingents are also arriving from Egypt, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Malaysia.
In a politically significant development, 6,600 Palestinian pilgrims have also arrived for Hajj this year, including 700 from Gaza travelling through Egypt.
Based on recent Hajj trends, total attendance — including domestic Saudi pilgrims — is expected to range between 1.7 and 1.9 million pilgrims this season.
Smart City in the Desert — AI, Drones and 5G
Every Hajj season, Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah transform into one of the world’s largest temporary smart cities. This year, authorities have gone further than ever in deploying advanced technology to manage crowds and protect pilgrims amid extreme summer temperatures.
Zain Saudi Arabia has launched an AI-powered Smart Hajj Platform supported by 450 5G towers and more than 1,240 operational personnel. The system provides:
- AI-powered crowd-density analysis
- Predictive movement monitoring
- Real-time operational surveillance
- Digital multilingual guidance systems
- Smart translation tools inside the Grand Mosque
Saudi authorities are also deploying:
- Drone-assisted crowd monitoring
- Facial-recognition enabled checkpoints
- Smart surveillance cameras
- AI-supported traffic management systems
Climate Mitigation and Cooling Infrastructure
With daytime temperatures forecast between 42°C and 47°C, Saudi Arabia has dramatically expanded heat-mitigation infrastructure around the holy sites.
Major Cooling & Sustainability Measures
- Cooling canopies across 392,000 sq metres around Jabal Al-Rahmah
- 400 misting fans installed near the Jamarat complex
- 103,000 sq metres of newly shaded pedestrian walkways
- More than 60,000 trees planted under the Green Holy Sites initiative
- Advanced cooled road surfaces in high-density walking zones
- Expanded drinking-water distribution points across Mina and Arafat
Authorities say the sustainability push is part of broader environmental goals linked to Vision 2030.
Healthcare Operations — 52,000 Workers Mobilised
The Saudi Ministry of Health has already delivered more than 121,000 medical services during the pre-Hajj phase, including:
- 27,000 clinic consultations
- 14,610 emergency cases
- 2,150 hospital admissions
- 138 surgeries, including cardiac procedures
For peak Hajj days, the Kingdom has deployed more than 52,000 healthcare workers across hospitals, mobile clinics and emergency-response units.
Mina alone now hosts:
- 4 hospitals
- 26 healthcare centres
- Expanded ICU capacity
- Dedicated emergency beds for heatstroke cases
Multiple countries are also running national medical missions for their pilgrims.
Transport Mega-Operation :Â Â Haramain High-Speed Railway
Haramain High-Speed Railway is operating its largest-ever Hajj schedule this season.
| Rail Operations | Figure |
|---|---|
| Planned seats | 2.21 million |
| Total trips | 5,308 |
| Daily journeys during peak | 140+ |
| Train speed | 300 km/h |
The 453-km electrified railway connects Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah Airport and King Abdullah Economic City.
Saudi Arabia has also expanded:
- Shuttle bus fleets inside Mina and Arafat
- Mashair train operations between holy sites
- Smart traffic management systems
- Dedicated pilgrim mobility corridors
Nusuk Platform — 51 Million Users
Nusuk has become the backbone of Saudi Arabia’s digital pilgrimage ecosystem.
The platform now serves more than 51 million users across 126 countries and offers over 130 digital services, including:
- Hajj permits
- Accommodation booking
- Transport coordination
- Prayer scheduling
- Multilingual guidance
- Health and safety alerts
Entry into the Grand Mosque now requires valid digital permits through the Nusuk system.
Security Deployment and Enforcement
The Saudi Ministry of Interior has intensified its “No Hajj Without a Permit” campaign this year.
Authorities have:
- Conducted more than 50,000 inspection tours
- Expanded multilingual enforcement campaigns
- Increased deployment of police and security personnel
- Introduced AI-supported checkpoint monitoring
Penalties include fines up to SAR 20,000, deportation for violators and entry bans of up to 10 years.
Food, Water and Logistics
Saudi authorities describe Hajj as one of the world’s most complex logistics operations.
Utilities & Catering
- Daily water production exceeds 3.8 million cubic metres
- Water transmission capacity exceeds 2.3 million cubic metres daily
- Storage capacity now surpasses 8.8 million cubic metres
- Thousands of catering workers and inspectors deployed
- Large-scale meal distribution systems operating in Mina camps
- Food safety inspections intensified around pilgrim kitchens
More than 115,000 restroom facilities are now operational across the holy sites.
Women at the Frontline
Female participation has expanded significantly in recent Hajj seasons.
Women are now serving in:
- Healthcare teams
- Pilgrim guidance units
- Security operations
- Crowd-management teams
- Translation and digital-support services
Saudi authorities say women’s workforce participation has become a key pillar of modern Hajj operations under Vision 2030.
Economic Impact of Hajj
Beyond its spiritual significance, Hajj remains one of Saudi Arabia’s largest seasonal economic engines.
The pilgrimage drives:
- Hotel occupancy across Makkah and Madinah
- Airline and airport revenues
- Retail and hospitality spending
- Transport and logistics activity
- Seasonal employment growth
Analysts estimate billions of dollars in direct and indirect economic activity are generated during each Hajj season.
Spiritual and Heritage Dimension
As pilgrims fill the Grand Mosque and the plains of Arafat, Saudi Arabia is also promoting the cultural and historical dimensions of the pilgrimage.
The Hira Cultural District has opened to pilgrims, showcasing:
- Quranic manuscripts
- History of revelation
- Islamic civilisation exhibits
Meanwhile, the annual production of the Kiswa of the Holy Kaaba continues at the King Abdulaziz Complex, where Quranic verses are embroidered using silver threads plated in 24-karat gold.