Most pilgrims choose their transport to Madinah by looking at one number. Usually it is the train’s journey time or the bus fare. One number is rarely enough to make the right choice.
The best way to travel depends on your group, not on the vehicle. A student travelling alone and a family of six with a grandmother need very different things from the same road.
I have driven between Makkah and Madinah for years. I have also sent my relatives by Haramain train and by SAPTCO bus, so I could see each trip for myself. This guide looks at the things that really decide the choice: your group size, your luggage, your timing and who is travelling with you.
Group Size Decides the Price
Start with the number of people, because it changes the price more than anything else. A taxi charges one price for the whole car. The train and the bus charge for every seat. So each person you add makes the taxi cheaper per head, while the other two stay the same.
Here is what each person pays one way, at mid range prices for this year. The train and bus figures include the taxis you need to reach the station and to leave it at the other end.
| 1 person | 2 people | 4 people | 6 people | |
| SAPTCO bus | SAR 145 | SAR 115 each | SAR 100 each | SAR 95 each |
| Haramain train (economy) | SAR 280 | SAR 240 each | SAR 220 each | SAR 215 each |
| Private taxi | SAR 475 (sedan) | SAR 240 each | SAR 165 each (Staria) | SAR 110 each (Staria) |
Read the taxi row from left to right and you can watch the price fall. Alone, you pay far more by car than by train. With two people, the price is level. Once six of you share a Staria, each person pays about half the train fare.
The bus stays cheapest at every size, with the seat itself costing around SAR 70 to 100. The train figures use an economy seat of about SAR 200, plus around SAR 80 in station taxis shared by the group. All of these prices rise in Ramadan and in the weeks around Hajj.
Cheapest on paper is not always cheapest in practice, though. The bags you bring can change the answer.
Luggage and Zamzam Rules on Each Option
Most pilgrims carry Zamzam on this leg, and each option handles it differently.
| Bags allowed | Who handles them | Zamzam | |
| Haramain train | One checked bag and one hand bag | You carry them, with no porters | Rules change by season |
| SAPTCO bus | Two bags in the hold | Loaded with every other passenger’s bags | Sealed boxes usually fine in the hold |
| Private taxi | No set limit, only boot space | Loaded at your hotel door | No limit except space |
The train is the strictest. If you have more than one bag each, it may not work for you at all. Its Zamzam rules also change from time to time, so check the current baggage policy on the official Saudi Arabia Railways website before you travel.
The bus is more relaxed. Sealed Zamzam boxes normally travel in the hold without trouble. With around forty passengers loading at once, it is slow, but it works.
A Staria boot takes six suitcases, Zamzam boxes and a folded wheelchair. Nobody weighs anything.
Departure Times and Booking in Busy Seasons
Your luggage decides what fits. Your timing decides what is even available.
The train and the bus both run on fixed timetables, so you plan your last prayers in the Haram around their schedule. Neither runs after midnight. For a late departure, a taxi is the only choice.
The season matters too. In Ramadan, and most of all in the last ten nights, economy train seats sell out days in advance. Outside those weeks, booking online a few days ahead is usually enough. If you have no booking during the busiest week, plan as if the train does not exist.
The Real Time From Hotel to Hotel
The train’s famous two and a half hours needs a second look. That figure is only the time on board. You also need a taxi to Rusaifah station, time to check in and board, and another taxi from Madinah station to your hotel.
| Before you board | On board | After you arrive | Hotel to hotel | |
| Private taxi | None | 4.5 to 5 hours | None | 4.5 to 5 hours |
| Haramain train | 65 to 100 min | 2 to 2.5 hours | 20 to 30 min | 3.5 to 4.5 hours |
| SAPTCO bus | 50 to 90 min | 6 to 7 hours | 20 to 30 min | 7.5 to 9 hours |
So the train is faster, but by about one hour, not two and a half. Rusaifah station is around 4 to 5 km from Masjid al-Haram, and the drive takes longer just after prayers. If your hotel is in Aziziyah, the trip to the station is longer still, and the saving shrinks.
The bus is the slow option by a wide margin. The coach stops once or twice for prayer and food, and the full trip can take most of a day. For a solo traveller with time to spare, that may be fine. For a family of six, it means four extra hours on the road to save about SAR 15 each compared with a Staria.
Travelling With Elderly Parents or a Wheelchair
For families travelling with elderly parents, comfort can outweigh both price and time.
The train and the bus both mean two changes of vehicle, queues, and walking with bags. There are no porters at the station, and the walk to the platform is hard with a wheelchair or a pram. The bus is safe, licensed and air conditioned, but boarding still means waiting in line with everyone else.
A private car removes all of that. Your parents get in at one hotel door and get out at the next. Many families choose the taxi for this reason, even when the train costs them a little less. A small ticket saving means little next to taking a 70 year old through two stations at midnight.
Best Option for Each Type of Group
When you put price, luggage, timing and comfort together, one option usually stands out.
| Your group | Best fit | Main reason |
| Solo, small budget, a full day free | SAPTCO bus | Lowest price by far |
| One or two people, light bags, leaving in daylight | Haramain train | Fastest hotel to hotel |
| A couple leaving late at night | Private taxi | The train has stopped running |
| 3 or 4 people | Private taxi | Cheaper per head, no bag limits |
| 5 people or more | Staria or Hiace | About half the train fare per person |
| Elderly parents or a wheelchair user | Private taxi | Door to door, no platforms |
Checks to Make Before You Book
If you choose the train, book online a few days ahead and reach Rusaifah station 45 minutes before departure.
If you choose a taxi, agree the vehicle, the number of passengers and the number of bags in writing. “Private taxi” can mean a licensed company with a 2024 Staria, or a stranger with an old Sonata outside the Haram. Then compare the quote for your exact car and luggage against the full train cost, station taxis included.
Hujjaj Umrah Taxi quotes fixed per car prices on WhatsApp for sedans, Starias and Hiace vans. The driver collects you from your hotel door.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a private taxi charge per person or per car?
A private taxi charges per car. You pay one fixed price for the vehicle, and your group shares it. That is why the cost per person falls as your group grows. A Staria works out at about SAR 165 each for four people and about SAR 110 each for six. Always agree the full price in writing before you travel.
How far is Madinah station from Masjid an-Nabawi?
Madinah Haramain station is about 10 km from Masjid an-Nabawi. A taxi from the station to most hotels near the mosque takes 20 to 30 minutes. This ride costs extra on top of your train ticket. Remember to add it when you compare the train with a private taxi that drops you at your hotel.
Is business class on the Haramain train worth the extra cost?
For most families, no. Business class adds SAR 150 to 250 per seat on top of the economy fare. For a couple, that costs well above a private sedan for the same trip. It also does not remove the station taxis, the walk to the platform or the baggage limit. It suits travellers who want a quieter seat more than a saving.
Can a family of six and their luggage fit in one car?
Yes, if you book a Staria. It seats six passengers, and the boot holds six suitcases, Zamzam boxes and a folded wheelchair. For more luggage, a Hiace van is the better choice. Confirm the vehicle, the passenger count and the bag count in writing before you travel, so the right car arrives at your hotel.