First Cluster of Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims Arrive in Madinah

Madinah, MINA – The first three Indonesian hajj clusters arrived in Madinah on Wednesday, with services running in an orderly and smooth manner.

Cluster 1 from Yogyakarta Embarkation (YIA) with 360 pilgrims arrived at 06:20 Saudi Arabia time (WAS), followed by Cluster 1 from Jakarta–Pondok Gede Embarkation (JKG) with 391 pilgrims at 06:50 WAS under the Makkah Route (fast track) scheme. Subsequently, Cluster 1 from Medan Embarkation (KNO) arrived at 10:00 WAS.

According to the Indonesian Ministry of Hajj website, the arrival at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport (AMAA) in Madinah was directly welcomed by Indonesian Ambassador Abdul Aziz Ahmad, Indonesian Consul General in Jeddah Yusron B. Ambary, Deputy Chair II of PPIH Saudi Arabia Budi Agung Nugroho, Head of the Madinah Regional Work Office Khalilurrahman, and other officials. The welcoming ceremony was warm as a form of respect for the guests of Allah.

Ambassador Abdul Aziz Ahmad expressed his appreciation to the Saudi Arabian government for its support in implementing the Makkah Route service, which accelerates the immigration process for pilgrims.

“Alhamdulillah, we thank the Saudi Arabian government for enabling the immigration process to proceed quickly through the fast track. In the future, we hope all pilgrims can experience this service,” he said.

The Makkah Route is a strategic cooperation service between Indonesian and Saudi immigration authorities that allows all immigration processes, such as passport checks, visas, and customs for hajj pilgrims, to be conducted directly at the departure airport in Indonesia.

Under this scheme, upon arrival in Saudi Arabia, pilgrims do not need to queue for immigration checks and can go directly to buses to be transported to their hotels.

The Ambassador also added that the distribution of Nusuk cards while still in the homeland helps facilitate pilgrims in performing their worship. Additionally, appreciation was conveyed to all officers in Madinah for their readiness and responsiveness in welcoming pilgrims.

“We appreciate the hard work of all officers so that the arrival process ran very smoothly,” he continued.

Regarding accommodation, pilgrims are placed under a one-cluster, one-hotel scheme to enhance comfort. In these initial clusters, pilgrims are staying in hotels in strategic areas around the Prophet’s Mosque courtyard, such as the Taibah Front and Makarem Suite areas, which fall within Sector 1, making it easier for worship access. During approximately nine days in Madinah, pilgrims will receive full services before continuing their journey to Makkah.

Meanwhile, Head of the Madinah Regional Work Office Khalilurrahman ensured that all arrival processes ran safely and without obstacles.

“Alhamdulillah, all initial clusters arrived smoothly, orderly, and without significant issues. This is a good start for this year’s hajj organization,” he said.

The faces of pilgrims descending from the buses appeared full of happiness. Smiles and gratitude were evident, reflecting their joy at arriving in the Prophet’s City. They also experienced increasingly better services from embarkation to arrival in Madinah.

The service company (majmuah) also gave a special welcome to the pilgrims as a form of respect for the guests of Allah. The warm atmosphere, characteristic of the welcome in Madinah, added a deep impression for the pilgrims at the start of their worship journey.

Overall, the organization of hajj air transportation for 2026 involves two airlines: Garuda Indonesia, which serves 277 clusters (approximately 102,502 pilgrims) from 10 embarkations, and Saudia Airlines, which handles 248 clusters. This collaboration is part of the effort to ensure the smooth mobilization of Indonesian hajj pilgrims to the Holy Land.

With comprehensive service readiness, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah hopes that all pilgrims can perform their worship comfortably, devoutly, and achieve a maximum spiritual experience while in Madinah. []

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)