Egypt’s Ministry of Interior explains plan for Pilgrims’ transportation and movement

CAIRO – 8 May 2026: Major General, Assistant Minister of Interior for Administrative Affairs and Head of the Executive Body of the Ministerial Committee for Hajj, revealed the organizational details of the mission’s efforts to secure and facilitate the movement of Egyptian pilgrims within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Assistant Minister emphasized that there are direct and decisive directives from the Minister of Interior to comprehensively improve all services provided to pilgrims selected through the lottery system, most importantly the transportation system, which represents the greatest challenge during the Hajj rituals.

He explained that the mission has successfully modernized its fleet and enhanced its services, both for long journeys between Saudi cities and during the critical and most important phase: the movement to Arafat and Mina.

Regarding the details of the journey, the Head of the Executive Body indicated that the system begins from the moment pilgrims arrive in the Holy Land, with designated buses transporting them from the airports to their accommodations in Medina or Mecca.

However, the vital role of the lottery mission is clearly evident in managing shuttle transportation between cities and equipping buses with the latest amenities to ensure a comfortable journey for elderly pilgrims.

The security official added that the mission had developed a comprehensive “contingency plan” for the Hajj pilgrimage, covering travel from Mecca to Arafat, then Muzdalifah, and finally Mina.

Technical and administrative teams were assigned to accompany each bus to ensure a smooth and efficient journey, preventing overcrowding or delays, until the pilgrims returned to their accommodations in Mecca before departing for Egypt via Saudi airports.

This year’s Hajj season is taking place under close coordination with Saudi authorities. The Egyptian mission is striving to implement the highest international standards of quality in land transportation to manage the massive crowds typically seen at these holy sites. The mission emphasized that the comfort of Egyptian pilgrims remains a “red line” and the Ministry of Interior’s top priority.