More than 1.4 million pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia from abroad through air, land and sea ports, to perform Hajj rituals, the Directorate General of Passports announced Friday.

The number of pilgrims arriving by air stood at 1.3 million, by land 82,978 pilgrims and by the sea 16,847 pilgrims, an increase of 121,045 pilgrims or (nine percent) from the same period last year, it said.

On Friday, more than a million Muslims prayed at The Great Mosque of Makkah and The Prophet Mosque in Madinah.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, represented by the General Secretariat of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Program prepared a fleet of buses which began operating on Friday after being technically equipped to provide safe and easy transportation for pilgrims.

The ministry works to modernize the buses and to provide well-trained and well-qualified staff to provide comfort to the program guests.

The total number of guests hosted by the program since its launch is 53,747 pilgrims.