King Fahd Causeway traffic jam: Fingerprint requirement increases crossing time
The King Fahd Causeway is experiencing exceptionally heavy traffic and significant delays today, Friday, particularly in the border crossing area. This congestion coincides with the weekend, which typically sees a large influx of travelers between the two neighboring countries.
Reasons for the new traffic congestion
Field sources and eyewitnesses revealed that the main reason behind this congestion is the implementation of new security procedures requiring fingerprinting of every traveler passing through passport control, not just those with identification cards as was the case in some previous instances. This rigorous procedure, aimed at enhancing security and biometric verification, has increased the time required to process each vehicle, resulting in long queues.
In addition, the implementation of this procedure coincided with the conversion of the “student lane” to serve the incoming reverse traffic to Saudi Arabia in order to facilitate the entry of arrivals, which forced departing passengers to use only the regular cabin lanes, which doubled the operational pressure on them.
King Fahd Causeway: A vital artery and a rich history
To understand the magnitude of the impact, one must consider the strategic importance of this crossing. The King Fahd Causeway, officially opened in 1986, is one of the region's most significant infrastructure achievements, stretching 25 kilometers across the Arabian Gulf. More than just a crossing point, the bridge symbolizes the strong fraternal ties between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and serves as a vital economic and tourist artery, bringing millions of visitors annually and making it one of the busiest land bridges in the world.
Economic and social impact
The smooth flow of traffic across the bridge is of paramount importance given the economic integration between the two countries, as the tourism and trade sectors rely heavily on daily and weekly travel. Any change in crossing times directly impacts logistical plans and visitor traffic, particularly during weekends, which represent peak tourist activity for Gulf families.
Transit time indicators and digital solutions
According to current real-time monitoring indicators, the average processing time has jumped to between 32 and 40 minutes, a duration that can increase depending on the number of passengers in each vehicle and the responsiveness of the systems. Passport and customs personnel are working at full capacity to handle this influx and ensure the accuracy of security procedures.
The relevant authorities advise travelers to take advantage of modern technologies, specifically the “Jisr” application, which provides real-time data on traffic conditions and expected crossing times, helping travelers to plan their trips and choose less crowded times to avoid long waiting periods.
