Monday, 25 May 2026
Egypt begins returning pilgrims from Hajj overland
Egypt today welcomed the first group of Hajj pilgrims returning home by bus after completing the 1446 AH Hajj rituals in Saudi Arabia. Eight tourist buses carrying 327 pilgrims traveled from Saudi Arabia, passed through Jordan, and arrived at Egypt’s Nuweiba port.
According to Samia Sami, Assistant Minister for Tourism Companies and head of the official Hajj tourism mission, the overland return plan will bring back all 7,500 Egyptian pilgrims who traveled overland. A total of 180 buses will complete the journey, with the last group expected to arrive by June 20.
Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism is closely monitoring every stage of the pilgrims’ return, working in close coordination with authorities in Saudi Arabia and Jordan to ensure smooth procedures and maximum comfort and safety for the travelers, according to a statement by the Ministry.
Notably, streamlined border cooperation has reduced security screening times at border crossings from 6 hours to just 3, speeding up the journey.
Ms. Sami praised the strong organization by Egyptian tourism companies and the high level of coordination with regional authorities, making this year’s Hajj a successful and comfortable experience for all overland pilgrims.
The return of pilgrims by air also began recently from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and will continue in the coming days from both Jeddah and Madinah airports.