Guide to the Grand Mosque of Makkah Carts for Elderly Pilgrims: Types, Locations, and Booking Steps

The General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque of Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque provides Grand Mosque of Makkah carts for elderly pilgrims via dedicated routes and multiple options that include free manual wheelchairs, shuttle golf carts, and self-controlled electric carts, with immediate on-site booking or advance booking via the "Nusuk" and "Tanaqqol" apps. This arrangement guarantees performing the Tawaf and Sa'i rituals with dignity and complete ease, without physical strain for the elderly person or their companions.

Grand Mosque of Makkah Cart Options for Elderly Pilgrims: Between Free and Electric

Means of transport inside the Mosque's corridors divide into three main routes that vary according to the pilgrim's physical ability and the presence or absence of a companion. An unsuitable choice may disrupt your on-site plan entirely, especially during peak seasons such as the month of Ramadan and the periods following the obligatory prayers.

Free Manual Carts and the Paid Service with a Certified Pusher

The Authority grants manual wheelchairs free of any charge to the pilgrim who is accompanied by someone to take charge of pushing it throughout the ritual period. You receive this cart upon presenting national ID proof for Saudis and residents, or a passport for visitors, from the external outlets, and you return it to the same point as soon as you finish Sa'i.

However, if the elderly person is alone, or their companion is unable to exert the effort of Tawaf and Sa'i for a distance of approximately 8 kilometers, you can use the services of the officially licensed cart operators. They wear a uniform vest bearing the Authority's logo and an official license with a clear serial number. Beware of dealing with the random pushers outside the official gates; their prices are subject to bargaining, and their presence exposes the pilgrim to disruption or to departing from the security-equipped routes.

Golf Carts and Single and Double Electric Carts

The self-driving green electric carts represent the optimal choice for those who wish for complete independence. These carts are concentrated on the mezzanine floor of the first level, dedicated exclusively to Tawaf and Sa'i, and they come in two types:

• Single-seat cart: The elderly person controls it themselves via a simple speed control, with automatic brakes upon lifting the hand.
• Double-seat cart: Accommodates the elderly person together with a companion sitting beside them to take over the steering and driving on their behalf.

The Authority has also introduced the shuttle golf cart service to transport elderly pilgrims across the rooftop level and designated floors of the Mas'a. A golf cart accommodates between 6 and 12 passengers at once and is driven by an official employee of the Grand Mosque of Makkah, and it operates on a single-seat ticket system, which completely lifts the burden of steering and driving from the elderly person's shoulders.

Prices and Fees for Booking Mosque Carts for Tawaf and Sa'i

Cart prices are subject to a unified fare that includes value-added tax, and on-site haggling is never accepted. The following table shows the approved official fees for all the available options:

Steps to Book a Grand Mosque of Makkah Cart Online

Advance digital booking is the first line of defense against long waiting in the courtyards. Booking guarantees that the cart is prepared at the designated point as soon as you arrive, especially during the peak times extending between the Maghrib and Isha prayers and throughout Friday nights.

How to Book via the Nusuk App

1. Open the "Nusuk" app and sign in using Absher platform data or the visa number for visitors from abroad.
2. Choose "Grand Mosque Services" from the main menu, then tap "Transport Services".
3. Specify the beneficiary of the service, whether you or one of the dependents registered in the app.
4. Choose the required ritual: Tawaf only, Sa'i only, or a full Umrah.
5. Specify the cart type (single or double electric) and the departure point closest to your entry gate.
6. Set the date and time precisely so that they match the window of the Umrah permit issued to you.
7. Pay the fees via the available payment options (mada, Visa, Mastercard) and keep the quick response code (QR Code) on your phone.

Booking Through the Unified Tanaqqol Transport Platform and the Tanaqqol App

The unified Tanaqqol transport platform and the approved "Tanaqqol" app specialize in managing the movement of crowds inside the Holy House with high technical precision. You can complete your direct booking by following the executive path below:

1. Access the Tanaqqol transport platform (carts.alharamain.gov.sa) or open the "Tanaqqol" app.
2. Choose "New Booking" and specify the Holy Grand Mosque of Makkah.
3. Specify the desired cart type and confirm the number of seats and the level of control.
4. Enter an active Saudi or international mobile number to receive the field notifications.
5. Complete the immediate payment via the Apple Pay service or mada bank cards.
6. You will receive a short text message containing a direct link to the cart data, the gate number, and the exact delivery location.

Cart Locations and Pickup Points at the Grand Mosque of Makkah

Knowing the access gates saves you and the elderly person from covering hundreds of meters on foot in the open external courtyards. The Authority distributed the distribution points according to an engineering plan connected directly to the elevators and bridges:

• Shubeikah bridge: The strategic entrance for those arriving from the direction of the Jabal Omar hotels and Ibrahim Al Khalil Road; it allows wheelchair pickup and immediate entry to the mezzanine route without climbing strenuous stairs.
• Ajyad courtyard and Ajyad bridge: The main point for guests of the Clock Towers and the King Abdulaziz Waqf; the Ajyad elevators lead directly to the first Tawaf mezzanine.
• King Abdulaziz Gate entrance (Western courtyard): A point dedicated to picking up the free manual wheelchairs and meeting the approved licensed cart operators.
• First-floor mezzanine: The largest operational center for single and double electric carts, where the electronic booking code is scanned to activate the cart immediately.
• Rooftop level: The station designated for the large golf carts, reached via the elevators distributed at Umrah Gate, King Fahd Gate, and Al-Fath Gate.

Booking Cancellation and Refund Policy and Field Guidance

The "Tanaqqol" platform allows cancelling the booking and refunding the fees to your bank account automatically, provided that the cancellation request is submitted from within the app at least sixty minutes before the service start time. If you are more than two hours late for your appointment without notice, your right to a refund lapses and the seat becomes available to the on-site waiting lists automatically. For direct support, you can contact the beneficiary service center via the unified number 1966.

Take into account that the movement of carts on the Tawaf and Sa'i routes stops temporarily by order of the Mosque's security during the holding of the obligatory prayers, for a period ranging between 20 and 30 minutes, to enable the worshippers to perform the prayer; so do not begin the first circuit if less than a quarter of an hour remains before the call to prayer, in order to avoid standing for a long time in the route. The air conditioning on the Tawaf and Sa'i mezzanine operates with high and continuous cooling capacity; prepare a shawl or a light covering for the elderly person before boarding the cart to protect them from the gusts of cold air during fast movement.

If you intend to perform Umrah today, open the Nusuk app now and make sure of your permit time, then book your cart at least two hours before heading to the Mosque; the available quantities in the evening periods run out quickly at the mezzanine counters.