Saudi Arabia announces new Umrah guidelines for last 10 days of Ramadan

Umrah Pilgrims

Easy directions and transportation options provided for pilgrims visiting Grand Mosque

The Saudi Ministry of Interior has issued a new guide for pilgrims and worshippers to ensure their security and safety during the last 10 days of Ramadan.

The updated guide includes instructions to ease the ritual performance for pilgrims and provides clear directions on how to reach the Grand Mosque.

The guide clarifies that pilgrims can use public transportation buses from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah or from parking lots to public transportation stations in the central area around the mosque.

Taxis, walking, and private cars driven by non-Umrah pilgrims are also options. Non-Umrah pilgrims are only allowed to stop in car parkings located in Mecca entrances, and vehicles parked in locations affecting pedestrian movement will be towed.

The Ministry said that the roads in the central area will be designated only for passers-by, where all kinds of vehicles, including motorbikes and bicycles, will be prohibited at all times.

In the Grand Mosque and its squares, pilgrims must follow the directions determined by security personnel and adhere to directions through the doors of the Grand Mosque according to what is determined by signboards.

Luminous panels placed on the main doors of the Grand Mosque in Makkah show the availability of places for prayer, with a green light indicating that pilgrims can enter and a red light indicating that entry is prohibited due to space in all the sites being full.

Pilgrims can reach the circumambulation (Tawaf) through the corridors leading to King Abdulaziz Gate, King Fahd Gate, Umrah Gate, and Peace Gate, with the grand floor designated for pilgrims with disabilities who can use electric vehicles.

The guide prohibits pilgrims from transporting personal belongings to the Grand Mosque and its courtyards, hanging them on the windows of the mosque from the inside and outside, or leaving them in the courtyards. Collecting donations, smoking, begging, and engaging in commerce are also forbidden in the Grand Mosque.

Additionally, pilgrims are prohibited from using electrical sockets allocated for maintenance work for personal purposes to avoid electrical short circuits. The guide includes a barcode for all parking lots, with maps showing how to reach the Grand Mosque while coming for Umrah or praying during Ramadan.