Guess what, folks? Saudi Arabia’s government is now all about those electric scooters and bikes, and they’re making it official in Mecca and the holy sites! Yep, you heard it right.
The Royal Commission for Mecca City and Holy Sites is the brain behind this move, and they’ve even taken the time to school everyone on how to use these nifty rides safely. They spilled the details on Saturday, December 23, 2023, and here’s what’s up.
You can now roll on electric scooters and bikes on the sidewalks, around town, in parking spots, by Umm Al-Qura University, and even near Mount Arafat. Saudi Press Agency (SPA) spilled the beans on this.
SPA tweeted, “The Royal Commission for Mecca City and Holy Sites activates the initiative to use light transportation facilities” on Saturday, December 23, 2023.
This whole shebang kicked off thanks to teamwork with some cool partners – the Mayor of Mecca, the General Transport Authority, Umm Al-Qura University, and the Kidana Development Company. Teamwork makes the dream work, right?
And here’s the icing on the cake – Umm Al-Qura University is hooking up 30 scooters at four spots across its campus. Plus, they’re dishing out 70 electric scooters to over 1,100 participants in this rad initiative through their crew, Wadi Makkah for Technology Co.
They’re planning some get-togethers to lay down the lowdown on how to kickstart this program.
But wait, there’s a little history here. Electric scooters have been cruising around already on the third floor of Masjidil Haram. The OG scooters looked a bit like motorcycles or those car-like rides with seats for two and comfy backrests.
If you’re curious about the rental deets, it’s around 115 Riyals for two people and 57 Riyals for the lone wolves. There are even special packages for Tawaf and Sa’i, starting at 230 Riyals for two and 115 Riyals for solo travelers.
And as for the cost of hopping on the latest sleek electric scooters – we’re still waiting on the deets. Stay tuned, adventure seekers!