More than 100,000 travellers crossed the King Fahad Causeway linking Bahrain and Saudi Arabia yesterday (July 7) – the highest since it opened in 1986, a report said.

Officials worked hard to process documents as the number of those crossing the causeway reached 100,215, an official at the Nationality, Passports and Resident Affairs was quoted as saying by the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Despite that motorists had to wait for more than two hours amid severe congestion, witnesses said.

The unprecedented surge, for the second consequent week, comes as Saudi Arabia switched its weekend to Friday and Saturday to align itself with the rest of the region – on top of summer holidays and the advent of Ramadan.

The GDN earlier reported that more than 300,000 travellers crossed into Bahrain from Saudi Arabia over the last weekend – the highest number in more than 20 years.

A total of 314,604 also crossed the border between June 26 and June 29 – the highest number since the King Fahad Causeway opened.

The rush of visitors will again be a boost for businessmen in Bahrain, with shopping malls and hotels expected to be packed with Saudis. – TradeArabia News Service