The Haramain train takes two and a half hours from Makkah to Madinah. Almost nobody reaches their Madinah hotel in two and a half hours.
That gap is where pilgrims choose the wrong transport.
I have driven this road for years. I have also sent my relatives by train and by SAPTCO bus to see what they get for their money. This guide compares all three on what matters. Door to door time. Cost per person by group size. Luggage rules. Who each one suits. I favour none of them. By the end you will know which fits your family.
The three options side by side
The train is fastest, the bus is cheapest, and the taxi is the only one that goes hotel to hotel. Everything else in this guide follows from that.
| Private taxi | Haramain train | SAPTCO bus | |
| Starts from | Your hotel door | Makkah station in Rusaifah | SAPTCO terminal |
| Ends at | Your hotel door | Madinah station | SAPTCO terminal |
| Time in the vehicle | 4.5 to 5 hours | 2 to 2.5 hours | 6 to 7 hours |
| Departure | Any time, day or night | Fixed timetable | Fixed timetable |
| You pay | Per car | Per seat | Per seat |
| Luggage | Whatever fits in the car | One bag plus a hand bag | Two bags in the hold |
The train and the bus both need a taxi at each end. That taxi costs time and money, so the fair comparison is hotel to hotel, not station to station.
How long each one really takes
Door to door, the train takes 3.5 to 4.5 hours, the taxi 4.5 to 5, and the bus 7.5 to 9. These are normal times outside Ramadan.
| Step | Private taxi | Haramain train | SAPTCO bus |
| Hotel to the departure point | 0 min | 20 to 40 min | 20 to 30 min |
| Waiting and boarding | 0 min | 45 to 60 min | 30 to 60 min |
| Main journey | 4.5 to 5 hours | 2 to 2.5 hours | 6 to 7 hours |
| Arrival point to hotel | 0 min | 20 to 30 min | 20 to 30 min |
| Total, door to door | 4.5 to 5 hours | 3.5 to 4.5 hours | 7.5 to 9 hours |
So the train saves about one hour over a taxi, not two and a half. If your hotel is in Aziziyah, the ride to Rusaifah is longer and the saving shrinks again.
What each option costs per person
For one person the train is cheaper. For a couple the cost is equal. From four people the taxi is cheaper, and at six it is about half the train price. The bus is cheapest at every size.
The table shows cost per person, one way. For the train and the bus it includes the taxis to and from the station or terminal. These are mid range prices this year. They rise in Ramadan and around Hajj.
| Group size | Private taxi | Haramain train (economy) | SAPTCO bus |
| 1 person | SAR 475 (sedan) | SAR 280 | SAR 145 |
| 2 people | SAR 240 each | SAR 240 each | SAR 115 each |
| 4 people | SAR 165 each (Staria) | SAR 220 each | SAR 100 each |
| 6 people | SAR 110 each (Staria) | SAR 215 each | SAR 95 each |
The train column uses about SAR 200 for an economy seat plus around SAR 80 in station taxis shared by the group. Business class adds SAR 150 to 250 per seat.
Luggage, Zamzam and elderly parents
The taxi has no luggage limit. The bus takes two bags per person in the hold. The train allows one checked bag and one hand bag, and you carry them yourself.
On the train the rules for Zamzam change from time to time. Check the current baggage policy on the official Saudi Arabia Railways site before you travel. There are no porters, and the walk to the platform is hard with a wheelchair or a pram.
On the SAPTCO bus, sealed Zamzam boxes normally go in the hold without trouble. Loading with forty other passengers is slow but not difficult.
A Staria boot takes six suitcases, Zamzam boxes and a folded wheelchair. Nobody weighs anything. This is why families with elderly parents pick the taxi even when the train is cheaper for them. The ticket savings are small next to getting a 70-year-old through two stations at midnight.
When the Haramain train is the right choice
Take the train if you are one or two people with one bag each, staying near the Haram, and leaving in daylight.
For that traveller, it is faster, cheaper and cleaner than the road. Book seats online a few days ahead and reach Rusaifah 45 minutes before departure.
It is the wrong choice in three cases. You are four or more people, because the taxi is then cheaper per person. You have more luggage than the allowance. Or you want to leave after the last evening train.
In Ramadan and the last ten nights, economy seats sell out days ahead. Without a booking, the train is not an option that week.
When the SAPTCO bus is the right choice
Take the bus if you are alone, on a tight budget, and have a full day to spare.
A seat costs about SAR 70 to 100. Departures are fixed, and the terminal needs a taxi at both ends. The coach stops once or twice for prayer and food. Hotel to hotel takes seven and a half to nine hours.
The bus is safe, licensed and air conditioned. It is not a good choice for families. A family of six saves about SAR 15 per person over a Staria and spends four extra hours on the road.
When a private taxi is the right choice
Take a taxi if you are a family of three or more, have elderly parents or heavy luggage, or want to leave at night.
You are paying to remove every step that is not the journey. No taxi to the station, no queue, no timetable, no carrying bags. You leave when your Umrah is complete and wake up outside your Madinah hotel. From five people it is also the cheapest per person.
One warning. “Private taxi” covers everything from a licensed company with a 2024 Staria to a stranger with an old Sonata outside the Haram. Fix the vehicle, the passenger count and the bag count in writing before you compare any prices.
For a fixed per car price on this route, Hujjaj Umrah Taxi quotes on WhatsApp for sedans, Starias and Hiace vans, with the driver waiting at your hotel door.
Which one should you choose
| Your situation | Best choice | Reason |
| Solo, light bags, daytime | Train | Fastest and cheapest for one person |
| Couple with one bag each | Train, or taxi if leaving at night | Same cost, so timing decides |
| Family of 3 or 4 | Taxi | Cheaper per person, no luggage limits |
| Family of 5 or more | Taxi (Staria or Hiace) | Half the train cost per person |
| Elderly parents or wheelchair | Taxi | No stations, no platforms, no carrying |
| Student or solo on a tight budget | SAPTCO bus | Cheapest by far if you have the time |
| Leaving after midnight | Taxi | The only option running |
Get a quote for your exact car and luggage before you decide. That is the only fair comparison against a train fare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Haramain train faster than a taxi from Makkah to Madinah?
Yes, but only by about one hour, not two and a half. The train ride itself is 2 to 2.5 hours. Then add the taxi to Rusaifah station, 45 minutes for check in and boarding, and the taxi from Madinah station to your hotel. Door to door it takes 3.5 to 4.5 hours, against 4.5 to 5 in a private car.
Which is the cheapest way from Makkah to Madinah?
The SAPTCO bus is the cheapest at every group size. It costs about SAR 95 to 145 per person including the terminal taxis. Between the train and a taxi it depends on your numbers. One or two people pay less on the train. From four people upward a private Staria costs less per person, and at six people it is about half the train cost.
Can I take Zamzam water on the Haramain train?
The train rules for Zamzam change from season to season. Check the current baggage policy on the official Saudi Arabia Railways site before you travel. On a SAPTCO bus, sealed Zamzam boxes normally go in the hold with no problem. In a private taxi there is no limit except the space in the boot.
How far is Makkah Haramain station from the Haram?
Rusaifah station is about 4 to 5 km from Masjid al-Haram. A taxi takes 15 to 30 minutes depending on traffic, and longer just after prayers. Madinah station is about 10 km from Masjid an-Nabawi, so allow 20 to 30 minutes at that end. Both taxi rides are extra on top of the train fare.
Is the SAPTCO bus suitable for elderly pilgrims?
It is safe and air conditioned, but it is not the easiest option for elderly travellers. You need a taxi at each end, boarding involves queues, and the journey takes seven and a half to nine hours with only one or two stops. Most families with elderly parents choose a private car for this reason.