First Saudi women drivers to pilot Hajj trains

Shared by Omar A. Mandia
Assistant Hajj Attaché, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Published in GULF NEWS by Ramadan Al Sherbini, January 15, 2023

Cairo: Saudi Arabia’s first batch of female rail drivers will join in piloting high-speed trains during this year’s annual Hajj pilgrimage, a rail official has said, as the kingdom is enhancing women’s empowerment.

Earlier this month, the Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) announced the graduation and accreditation of the first group of female rail drivers numbering 32 qualified to pilot the high-speed Haramain train. SAR said their training started last March.

“This year, they will participate in transporting pilgrims to all stations,” a SAR official told Saudi-owned television Al Arabiya. He added that around 72,000 pilgrims will be transported per hour on the express trains as the service will operate at full pre-pandemic capacity.