From the airport to the city centre Saudi Arabia

If you are traveling to Saudi Arabia from France, you will land either in Riyadh, the capital, or in Jeddah, the arrival point for Mecca. There are also winter connections between Paris and AlUla. The first thing to do is to buy a local SIM card in order to use the services of Uber or Careem. There are also green cabs waiting at the exit gates of the airports and you can pay by credit card.

The distances in the country are great and the airports are often quite far from the cities. Although public transportation is sometimes available, it is not the most practical way to reach your hotel. For example, in Jeddah, a train connects the airport to Mecca through the city.

Arrival by train Saudi Arabia

There are two train lines from Riyadh. The first serves Al Hofuf, Abqaiq and Dammam. The second runs north to the Jordanian border and serves Majmaah, Qassim/Buraydah, Hail, Jauf and Qurayyat. All information and ticket reservations are available at www.sar.com.sa.

There is a line in the west of the country that connects the holy cities of Medina and Mecca, via Jeddah (city and airport), the Haramain High Speed Railway. This is a high speed line with trains moving at 300 km/h. All information and ticket reservations can be found at www.sar.hhr.sa.

Arrival by boat Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is not connected to other countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait or Qatar by any maritime link.

Public transport Saudi Arabia

SAPTCO is the national bus company, which operates both intercity routes and networks in the cities of Riyadh, Jeddah and Makkah. Buses run daily between 5:30 am and 11:30 pm. The heavy traffic in these cities makes bus travel long and tedious. Saudis do not use public transport much, as it is mainly used by migrant workers.

Bike, scooters & co Saudi Arabia

Bicycle lanes have been appearing on the sidewalks in downtown Riyadh very recently. Due to the high heat in the city, and in the rest of the country, you will see very few people riding bicycles.

With a driver Saudi Arabia

Uber and Careem are the leading VTC companies in Saudi Arabia. Both companies are equal and offer equivalent services at similar rates. The services are available in all Saudi cities and work well and quickly. Waiting time rarely exceeds 10 minutes to locate a driver. However, in some cities, due to heavy traffic, arrival time can be long. AlUla is the only tourist destination where the service is inefficient due to a lack of drivers.

Public cabs in Saudi Arabia are green and can be seen from a distance. They are all equipped with a meter and it is possible to pay by credit card. With the emergence of VTC companies, and since women are allowed to drive, there are fewer and fewer of them.

By car Saudi Arabia

Saudi driving is sporty to say the least and can be quite stressful in the cities. Drivers do not hesitate to zigzag between the lanes without putting on the blinker, stick to your bumper or ride on two lanes. Once out of the cities, there is little traffic and you won't pass many people in the desert.

In general, speeds are limited to 50 km/h in the city, 70 km/h on the outskirts of the cities, 80 km/h on the secondary roads and 120 km/h on the highways. All paved roads are free and in very good condition.

As Saudis are not very respectful of driving rules and the number of deaths on the roads is high, controls are more and more frequent and fines are expensive. Fines can be accompanied by immediate jail time for certain offenses.

Because of the particular weather conditions, always make sure to fill up your tank if you are planning a long trip and keep a large water container in your trunk. Never use the trails if you have a city car, and don't hit the sand dunes without a suitable car, adequate sand removal equipment if needed, or if you are not already an experienced driver.

Accessibility Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has developed around the "all-car" concept. You will hardly ever see people walking in the cities, except around the traditional souks. The cities are nevertheless equipped with wide sidewalks, sometimes quite high, which can be disabling with a stroller or a wheelchair.

In big cities like Riyadh, Jeddah or Dammam, streets are very wide and there are few traffic lights to ensure fluidity. It is therefore sometimes a bit complicated to cross and you have to make long detours on foot.

Tourist traps Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is a very safe country and tourism development is only very recent. Therefore, there is no need to be particularly vigilant against possible frauds or scams.