General Travel News
Metro in Makkah ready for Haj pilgrims
July 5 - Tickets for the Makkah Metro (also known as Mashair Metro) will be distributed during October, more than a month before Haj, said the Chairman of the Haj and Umrah Committee Sa’ad Jameel Al Qurashi at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“The tickets will be evenly distributed among Mutawifeen [Hajj service providers] and during the next pilgrimage, the Metro is expected to transport about 130,000 pilgrims representing about 35 per cent of its total capacity,” Al Qurashi said.
He added that only pilgrims from within Saudi Arabia and the Arab Gulf countries will be able to use the Metro initially, explaining that 12 out of the train’s 20 cars would be operated initially. The 12 cars would together carry 3,000 passengers on each trip, he said adding that, when in full swing, the Metro would carry about 72,000 passengers per trip.
“The actual price of tickets has not been decided yet but it is expected to be around 90 Saudi riyals,” he said.
More General Travel News
Latest Travel News
Featured Sights To See
The Barbar Temples
Bahrain, Bahrain
These Temples date back to the 2 nd and 3 rd millennia BC. They surround a holy well dedicated to Enki, the god of spring water. Digging has revealed that the temple remains today were built on two older temples and there is evidence of Sumerian influence. The buildings were made of stone and though now they are little more than a few rocks, they depict a gripping, if grisly, image of the temples ...
Ca' Pesaro
Venice, Italy
Located on the Grand Canal and housed in a late Renaissance palace, these two museums have an impressive collection of art. The first collection is the Museo d'Arte Moderna or the Museum of Modern Art. Here numerous works of art are displayed, most of which have been bought during Venice's own Biennale over the years. The artists displayed include Chagall, Kandinsky, Klimt, Miró, Henry Moore, Umbe...
Al Omari Mosque
Beirut, Lebanon
The Omari Mosque is one of the oldest buildings in Beirut. The city’s original mosque was built on the site in the seventh century, after the Muslim conquest. Before that, archaeological evidence shows the presence of a Roman temple. In the twelfth century, it was converted into a church dedicated to John the Baptist by crusaders. After the Crusaders were finally expelled in 1291, the building...
Kenyan Railway Museum
Nairobi, Kenya
A bit hard to find, this is a must see for any tour of Nairobi. Kenyan modern history is linked to its railways, and this museum has relics and photographs of old trains. There are some old carriages kept which one can climb into and explore. These speak of amazing incidents and have pictures to bring them alive. Near the train station on Station Road Uhuru Highway +254 (2) 221-211 ext. 2449...