How to Book Electric Carts in the Grand Mosque Step by Step: Platforms, Prices, and Pickup Locations

Electric carts in the Grand Mosque of Makkah are booked directly via the 'Tanaqqol' platform belonging to the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, or through the 'Nusuk' app before heading to the Grand Mosque. Advance booking guarantees a seat for elderly pilgrims and persons with disabilities without the need to stand in the courtyards' queues, especially during peak seasons such as Ramadan and Fridays.

Cart Options Available Inside the Grand Mosque of Makkah and the Differences Between Them

Means of transport inside the Grand Mosque of Makkah vary according to the pilgrim's physical ability and whether or not they wish to self-drive. Not all carts are suitable for every health condition, so the Grand Mosque administration has provided three main routes that prevent crowding and separate pedestrians from light vehicles.

Electric Golf Carts Designated for Tawaf and Sa'i

Golf carts are large vehicles driven by a trained driver licensed by the Authority. A single cart seats six to eight passengers and operates on fully designated routes within the roof floor and the mezzanine floor to clear the ground-level Mataf courtyard for pedestrians.

Golf carts are considered the most suitable option for families that include elderly members who cannot control a steering wheel, or those who suffer from eyesight problems or slow reaction times. The passenger sits calmly while the driver takes care of counting the circuits precisely and completing the route on wide and relatively air-conditioned routes on the upper floors.

Individual Electric Scooter Carts and Manual Carts

The electric scooter relies on fully self-driven operation. The Authority provides two types of scooter: a single seat designated for one person, and a double seat that accommodates two people (a companion with the main pilgrim, with the two seated one behind the other).

Controlling the scooter is simple; a hand throttle to increase speed and hand brakes for immediate stopping, but it requires constant concentration to avoid colliding with the other pilgrims on the route. Alongside the scooter, traditional manual carts are widespread, offering two options: either receiving a free cart and pushing it yourself after depositing an ID card or proof of identity, or renting a cart with an official pusher who carries an approved badge and a fixed tariff to prevent financial exploitation by unlicensed pushers.

Steps to Book Electric Carts in the Grand Mosque via the Official Platforms

Unifying the booking process digitally prevents the black market and reduces crowding inside the departure points. You can complete the entire process via your phone before arriving in Makkah Al-Mukarramah.

Direct Booking via the Unified Tanaqqol Transport Platform

The 'Tanaqqol' platform operates as a digital gateway dedicated to cart services and requires a few straightforward steps:

1. Open the 'Tanaqqol' app or the platform's approved website and log in with the national ID number for citizens, the residence permit (Iqama) number for residents, or the passport number for visitors to the Kingdom.
2. Specify the required service type precisely: do you need Tawaf only (7 circuits), Sa'i only between Safa and Marwah, or a full Umrah service that includes both Tawaf and Sa'i together.
3. Choose the vehicle type: a group golf cart with a driver, an individual electric scooter, or a double electric scooter.
4. Enter the actual beneficiary's details (name and mobile number) if you are booking on behalf of your parents or an accompanying person.
5. Select the date and time slot; it is preferable to choose an appointment that coincides with the Umrah permit time issued to you by the Nusuk app or follows it by at least half an hour so you can pass through the external screening points.
6. Pay the amount via the available digital payment methods (Mada cards, Visa, Mastercard, or Apple Pay). Immediately after payment, a quick response code (QR Code) appears; keep a copy of it on your device to present it at the delivery point.

Booking a Golf Cart through the Nusuk App

If you use the 'Nusuk' app to issue Umrah and Rawdah Sharif permits, you can access the cart service without installing other platforms:

1. Open the 'Nusuk' app and log in via the National Single Sign-On or your previously registered account details.
2. Go to the 'Grand Mosque Services' screen, then select 'Transport Services' or 'Cart Booking'.
3. The system will take you to the booking interface for golf carts and scooters, which is centrally linked to the Two Holy Mosques system.
4. Choose the operator and the time slot that suits your schedule.
5. Confirm the payment process with your bank card, and you will receive a text message with the reference number and the details of the booked cart.

Fees and Booking Prices for Golf Carts and Electric Carts in the Grand Mosque of Makkah

The prices approved by the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque are regulated and fixed prices, and they include value-added tax (15%). The following table shows the official costs according to the type of service and vehicle:

Always make sure that pushers carrying non-approved colored cards outside the courtyards are not official entities. Dealing with them exposes you to price gouging and regulatory problems inside the closed corridors.

Locations and Pickup Points for Electric Carts Inside the Grand Mosque of Makkah

Reaching the pickup station by the correct route saves you from covering hundreds of meters on foot while accompanying an elderly person. The main electric cart stations are concentrated at points close to the bridges and the vital entrances:

• Ajyad bridge station: Located on the southern courtyard side of the Grand Mosque of Makkah, it provides direct access to the first floor and the Tawaf mezzanine via the bridge without the need to climb the narrow escalators. This station is ideal for those arriving from the King Abdulaziz Waqf hotels (Abraj Al Bait) and the Ajyad area.
• King Abdulaziz Gate entrance station (Gate No. 1): It serves those arriving from the western and southwestern courtyards, and it includes huge electric elevators designated for transporting persons with disabilities to the mezzanine floor level designated for scooter and golf carts.
• Shubeikah bridge station: Located on the western side towards the Second Saudi Expansion entrance, it is an excellent point for those arriving via Ibrahim Al-Khalil Road and Umm Al-Qura Street, as it leads directly to the mezzanine floor to avoid mixing with the pedestrians heading towards the courtyard.
• Mas'a mezzanine station (first floor and roof): Designated for pilgrims who completed Tawaf in the ground-level courtyard on foot and wish to rent a cart for the Sa'i stage only between Safa and Marwah; you ascend via the elevators adjacent to the Mas'a to find the immediate payment and pickup counters.

Arrival tip: Do not take the entrances leading to the Mataf courtyard if you intend to ride a cart. Head immediately to the green sign boards hanging in the outer courtyards bearing the 'Transport Carts' badge, as they guide you to the elevator routes leading to the upper floors.

Cancellation and Refund Controls Before Completing the Booking

Electronic payment operations via the 'Tanaqqol' and 'Nusuk' platforms are subject to strict cancellation conditions. If the booking is made and you are more than 30 minutes late for your appointment during periods of severe crowding, the system automatically cancels the booking without an immediate refund of the amount, given that the seat is reserved at a specific hour and date, both of which lapse with the end of the slot's time.

The platform allows refunds only if you cancel the booking manually from within the app at least two hours before the specified appointment begins. The refund process is made to the same bank card used for payment, and it takes between 3 and 14 business days depending on the policy of the card-issuing bank inside Saudi Arabia.

In cases of technical faults that may occur in the barcode scanners at the pickup counter, do not purchase a new ticket immediately. Ask the Authority's point supervisor to manually register the booking number in the operational emergency log so that the cart is handed to you directly without additional costs.

Open the 'Nusuk' app or the 'Tanaqqol' platform now, and arrange the cart booking time to be half an hour after your Umrah permit appointment. Take a screenshot of the ticket's quick response code (QR Code) and keep it in your phone's photo album, because the wireless internet network and data sometimes weaken inside the mezzanine corridors surrounded by concrete and marble.