Hejaz Railway Museum
متحف سكة حديد الحجاز
Mahattit Sikkat Hadid al-Hijaz
Overview
The Hejaz Railway Museum is housed in the beautifully restored original Ottoman-era railway station of Madinah, built in 1908. The station building itself is an architectural gem with its distinctive Ottoman stone facade, arched windows, and covered platform areas. Inside, visitors can explore original locomotives, railway carriages, historical photographs, and artifacts from the era of the Hejaz Railway.
Historical significance
The Hejaz Railway was an ambitious Ottoman project completed in 1908 to connect Damascus to Madinah, spanning over 1,300 kilometers of track through harsh desert terrain. Its primary purpose was to facilitate the Hajj pilgrimage, reducing the journey from months of dangerous overland travel to just a few days by train. The railway was severely damaged during the Arab Revolt in World War I, partly through raids led by T.E. Lawrence, and never resumed full service. The Madinah station served as the southern terminus of this once-grand railway.
Did you know?
The Hejaz Railway was funded largely through donations from Muslims worldwide, making it one of the earliest crowd-funded infrastructure projects in modern history. Sultan Abdul Hamid II championed the project as a service to the Muslim ummah.
Du'as
General supplication
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbanā ātinā fid-dunyā ḥasanah, wa fil-ākhirati ḥasanah, wa qinā ʿadhāb an-nār
Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the punishment of the Fire.
Nearby sites
مسجد السقيا
Masjid al-Saqiya is located in the western part of Madinah, along the old road leading toward the direction of Badr. It sits near the Anbariyah area, not far from the old Ottoman railway station. The mosque commemorates a key moment of military preparation and spiritual devotion before the first major battle of Islam.
مسجد العنبرية
Built by Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid II as part of the Hejaz Railway project in 1908. Located next to the Hijaz Railway Station on Omar ibn Al-Khattab Road. Beautiful Ottoman architecture showcasing a different era of Islamic construction.
معرض عمارة المسجد النبوي
Located in the southern courtyards of the Prophet's Mosque. Covers 2,200 square meters and documents the historic expansions of Masjid Nabawi with 3D models, artifacts, and photographs.