Haramain Train or Chauffeur? Jeddah Airport, Makkah and Madinah Compared Door to Door
The Haramain high speed railway is usually the fastest way between Jeddah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, Makkah and Madinah, but the train only runs station to station. Makkah station sits about 3.5 kilometres from Masjid al Haram, so every train journey still needs a car at one or both ends. For one or two travellers with light bags the train is hard to beat. For families, heavy luggage, elderly parents or late arrivals, a pre booked chauffeur from door to door is often simpler, and intercity routes are quoted per route and fixed in writing.
Ask anyone planning Umrah how they will get from Jeddah to Makkah, or from Makkah to Madinah, and the answer is increasingly the Haramain train. It is fast, modern and comfortable, and for many travellers it is the right choice. We would rather say that plainly than pretend a car always wins.
But the train is one part of a journey, not the whole of it. You still have to reach the station, carry your luggage through it, and get from the platform to your hotel at the far end, often in ihram, often late at night, often with family. This guide compares the train and a chauffeur honestly, route by route, and shows when each one makes sense and how to combine them. It sits alongside our Makkah taxi versus chauffeur guide and our Jeddah airport to Makkah transfer guide.
Train or Chauffeur in Brief
| Fastest on the long leg | Usually the train, which runs at up to 300 kilometres an hour |
| Door to door | Only the car; the train runs between five stations |
| Makkah station | Ar Rusayfah district, about 3.5 kilometres from Masjid al Haram |
| Luggage | Train: one large case and one hand bag per passenger under the published rules. Car: sized to your bags |
| Best for the train | One or two travellers, light bags, a confirmed seat at a convenient time |
| Best for a chauffeur | Families, groups, heavy luggage, elderly travellers, late or uncertain arrivals |
| Chauffeur price | Intercity routes quoted per route and fixed in writing; city full days as published |
How the Haramain Railway Works
The Haramain high speed railway runs for about 449 kilometres between Makkah and Madinah, with a short branch into King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. It calls at five stations: Makkah, Jeddah Al Sulaimaniyah, King Abdulaziz International Airport, King Abdullah Economic City and Madinah. Trains reach up to 300 kilometres an hour, which is why the long Makkah to Madinah leg is so much quicker by rail than by road.
Two details matter more than the top speed. First, the Makkah station is in the Ar Rusayfah district, roughly 3.5 kilometres from Masjid al Haram, so you will need a taxi, a shuttle or a car to reach a hotel near the Haram. Second, the published luggage rules allow one large suitcase of up to 25 kilograms and one piece of hand luggage per passenger. Those rules, the timetable and fares are set by Haramain and can change, so check them directly before you travel.
The Real Journey Is Door to Door
The fair comparison is not train time against drive time. It is the whole trip, from the moment you leave one door to the moment you walk through the next. Here is how the three most common journeys look.
Jeddah Airport to a Makkah Hotel
By train: clear immigration and baggage, find the airport station, wait for your departure, ride to Makkah, then queue for a taxi or shuttle for the last 3.5 kilometres to the hotel. By chauffeur: the driver meets you in arrivals, the bags go into the car once, and you are driven about 90 kilometres straight to the hotel entrance, usually in 60 to 90 minutes. Our Jeddah terminals guide explains where the meeting point is at each terminal.
Madinah Hotel to a Makkah Hotel
This is where the train is strongest, because the road journey is long, roughly 430 kilometres. A traveller with a small bag and a hotel near the Madinah station will usually choose the train. A family of six with a week of luggage, Zamzam bottles on the way back and grandparents in tow often finds that two station transfers and two luggage handovers cancel out much of the time saved. Our Makkah to Madinah by road guide covers the drive itself.
Makkah Hotel to Jeddah Airport
Going home, the bags are heavier and the deadline is fixed. By train you need a car to the Makkah station, a seat on a train that arrives with enough margin, and a walk from the airport station to your terminal. By chauffeur you are collected at the hotel and set down at the departures kerb. Our Makkah to Jeddah airport departure guide sets out when to leave.
When the Train Is the Better Choice
- You are travelling alone or as a couple with light bags.
- You have a confirmed seat on a train at a sensible time, with margin either side.
- Your hotel is close to the station at one or both ends.
- You are comfortable managing your own luggage through a station.
- You are making the long Makkah to Madinah journey and speed matters most.
When a Chauffeur Is the Better Choice
Families and Heavy Luggage
Above two or three large cases the train becomes hard work: every bag must be carried on, stowed and carried off, and then loaded again into a taxi. With a car the luggage is counted and loaded once at the door and unloaded once at the destination. Our Umrah group vehicle guide shows how to size the vehicle to the bags.
Elderly or Less Mobile Travellers
Stations involve walking, queues, escalators and platform timings. For elderly parents, wheelchair users or anyone who tires easily, the simplest journey is the one with the fewest changes. Our guide to Umrah with elderly parents covers this in more detail.
Ihram and the Miqat
Pilgrims travelling from Madinah to Makkah for Umrah enter ihram at the miqat of Dhul Hulayfah, known as Abyar Ali, on the edge of Madinah. Train passengers usually change before they board. By car the chauffeur can stop at the miqat on the way out of the city, so you can prepare there at your own pace and then travel without a station in between.
Late Arrivals and Uncertain Flights
If your flight lands late at night, is delayed, or arrives close to the last convenient train, a car removes the risk of missing a departure and waiting at the station. The chauffeur tracks the flight and adjusts to the actual landing time.
Train, Chauffeur and Taxi Compared
| Factor | Haramain train | Chauffeur | Taxi or ride hailing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Door to door | No, station to station | Yes | Yes, within one city |
| Speed on the long leg | Fastest | Slower | Not suited to intercity |
| Luggage | Per published allowance | Sized to your bags | Depends on the car that arrives |
| Changes and handovers | Two or more | None | None |
| Price certainty | Ticket price | Fixed in writing before travel | Varies with demand |
| Prayer and rest stops | On the train schedule | Whenever you ask | Limited |
Combining the Two
Many of our clients do both. A typical plan is a chauffeur from Jeddah airport to the Makkah hotel on arrival, the train to Madinah midway through the trip when bags are lighter, and a chauffeur for the final departure. Another is the train for the long leg with a car waiting at the far station for the last kilometres and the luggage. In Makkah or Madinah a full day chauffeur works well for Ziyarat; our Ziyarat planning guide lists the main sites.
Which Vehicle
Choose by bags as well as people. Our fleet page has full specifications, and group transport covers coaches.
| Party | Suggested vehicle |
|---|---|
| One to three travellers | Lexus ES, BMW 7 Series or Mercedes S Class |
| Family of four to six with full luggage | GMC Yukon or Mercedes V Class |
| Seven to eleven people | Hyundai Staria, Hyundai H1, Toyota Hiace or Mercedes Sprinter |
| Groups up to 21 | Toyota Coaster |
| Larger groups | 34 or 47 seat coach |
What It Costs
Train fares are set by Haramain and vary by class and date, so check them at the time of booking. Our intercity routes, including Jeddah airport to Makkah, Makkah to Madinah and Makkah to Jeddah airport, are quoted per route and fixed in writing before you travel. If you plan a day in Jeddah, the published Jeddah full day rates below apply. All figures are in SAR from our pricing page.
| Vehicle | Seats | Jeddah 12 hour day | Extra hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Fortuner | 6 | 1,380 | 115 |
| Ford Taurus sedan | 3 | 1,725 | 140 |
| Lexus ES | 3 | 2,070 | 175 |
| Hyundai H1 | 11 | 2,070 | 175 |
| GMC Yukon | 6 | 2,070 | 185 |
| Toyota Hiace | 11 | 2,070 | 175 |
| Hyundai Staria | 11 | 2,300 | 210 |
| Toyota Coaster | 21 | 2,300 | 210 |
| Mercedes V Class | 5 | 4,025 | 370 |
| Mercedes Sprinter | 7 | 4,370 | 405 |
| BMW 7 Series | 3 | 4,600 | 440 |
| Mercedes S Class | 3 | 4,830 | 460 |
Intercity transfers between Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah: quoted per route for every vehicle. Corporate accounts are quoted separately.
How Booking Works
Send the flight number or hotel, the passenger count and the number of bags. We confirm the vehicle, the collection time and the fixed price in writing. The evening before, you receive the chauffeur's name and number. We operate in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah every day, and our airport transfers page explains the meeting points.
Planning Tips
- Decide train or car leg by leg, not for the whole trip at once.
- If you take the train, book seats early and leave margin for luggage and station transfers.
- Count the bags before you decide; above two large cases per person the car usually wins.
- Check flight status on the morning of travel, as schedules can change.
- Book the departure leg when you book the arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Haramain train faster than a car between Makkah and Madinah?
Usually yes on the long leg, because trains run at up to 300 kilometres an hour. The door to door difference is smaller once you add the station transfers at both ends and the time spent with luggage.
How far is the Makkah train station from the Haram?
About 3.5 kilometres. The station is in the Ar Rusayfah district, so you need a taxi, shuttle or car for the last part of the journey to a hotel near Masjid al Haram.
How much luggage can I take on the Haramain train?
Under the published rules, one large suitcase of up to 25 kilograms and one piece of hand luggage per passenger. Check the current rules with Haramain before you travel, as they can change.
Can a chauffeur stop at the miqat on the way from Madinah to Makkah?
Yes. The chauffeur can stop at Dhul Hulayfah, known as Abyar Ali, on the way out of Madinah so you can enter ihram there before the journey to Makkah.
How much is a chauffeur from Jeddah airport to Makkah?
Intercity routes are quoted per route and fixed in writing before you travel. Send your flight, passengers and bags to +966 56 644 0190 for an exact figure. A Jeddah full day of twelve hours starts from SAR 1,380.
Can I take the train one way and a chauffeur the other?
Yes, and many travellers do. A common plan is a chauffeur on arrival and departure with the train for the middle leg, or the train for the long leg with a car waiting at the far station.
Planning your Umrah journey? Email info@roarkchauffeur.com or call +966 56 644 0190. Our published rates are the starting point for every quote.
