What? No HAJJ DOOM this year?
High Speed Train to Mecca Open For First Hajj
For centuries, the yearly Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca has been a massive logistical undertaking. Pilgrims have long piled into buses for overland journeys from India, onto ships for crossings of the Red Sea from Egypt, and into specially chartered planes arriving at temporary outdoor terminals. This year, though, a new option is available. On the way to circle around the Kabaa, pilgrims can take the Haramain High Speed Rail line.
Muslims the world over consider a trip to Mecca during these five days each year to be a life-long aspiration, and with international travel in the Jet Age allowing more and more pilgrims to visit Mecca, crowding has become a major safety concern. According to PBS, over 3 million pilgrims arrive each year, visiting a number of sites held sacred by Muslims the world over. Source