and take 30 minutes. Private drivers are also common, especially around the airport. However, be sure to agree a fare in advance – the safest option is to use official white taxis to avoid misunderstandings. Find out the name of your destination
in Arabic before you head off and take a map and the phone number of someone at your destination to call for directions. Aside from the official white taxi,
another type of transport service available in the capital is the London taxi. Operated by the London Cab Club, London taxi is a tailormade chauffeur service ideal for business travellers on the go.
Trains: Riyadh’s train station is in the middle of the city, with four trains daily to Dammam on the east coast via Al-Hofuf and Al-Hasa. Arrive 30 minutes early, as you’ll need to pass through security before boarding.
Coach travel: The Central Bus Terminal is in the Aziziyah district, 17 kilometres south of the city centre. Expect to pay at least SAR30 (US$8) for a taxi to get there. Buses from Dammam take around 4.5 hours, while it is a 10- to 12-hour journey to Jeddah or Makkah in the west, with several stops on the way.
Buses: Riyadh has a fleet of flat-fare minibuses costing SAR3 (US$0.80) a trip. There are no posted stops and routes are usually written only in Arabic.
Car: Riyadh is also a car-orientated city, although car rental costs less than in most European countries. It costs around SAR150 (US$40) a day for a medium-sized car and petrol is cheap (around US$0.50 a gallon) and all stations sell at the same price by law. Roads are mainly good, but as there are
speed traps foreign drivers are advised to exer- cise caution. Visitors should carry an interna- tional driving licence and passport at all times.
JEDDAH Taxis: A taxi to the city centre from King Abdulaziz International Airport will cost around SAR60 (US$16) so agree a fare in advance. In the city, many of the hotel chains have a ‘water taxi’ or a small mini-van that will take you to the mall and main shopping areas. A 10-minute taxi journey will cost
no more than SAR20 (US$6). There are two types of taxis: yellow with a ‘taxi’ sign and white limousines that operate across the city costing SAR3.75 to SAR11.25 (US$1 to US$3) more. Beware of illegal taxis that look like
ordinary cars.
Car: International car rental agents like Avis or Budget charge between SAR112 and SAR187 (US$30 and US$50) a day. Streets are wide and signs are written in both Arabic and English. Maps are readily available to buy.
DAMMAM Taxi: King Fahd International Airport is about 50 kilometres from the city centre and comfortable shuttle buses run hourly costing SAR12 (US$3). Taxis take 30 minutes and cost around SAR50 (US$13). The city’s taxi service is improving fast.
Taxis charge between SAR10 and SAR20 (US$2.67 and US$5.34) for trips within the city proper.
Train: Dammam railway station is about eight kilometres from the city centre, connecting to Abqaiq (40 min), Hofuf (1hr 10min) and Riyadh (3hrs 30min).
Coaches: The SAPTCO bus station is on 11th
Street, 700 metres north of Dammam
centre, which offers five buses a day direct to Bahrain for those with the correct visas.
MAKKAH Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport, 60 kilometres north of Makkah, is how most visitors arrive. During the Hajj, the airport has its own dedicated terminal and bus services run to the holy city.
Car: There is an excellent modern multi- lane highway from Jeddah, which is jammed with buses during the Hajj season. Throughout the rest of the year, traffic is extremely light for the size of the road.
1 Riyadh 2 Jeddah Corniche
2
Bus and coach: SAPTCO runs services to Makkah and destinations across the country. There are two bus terminals. The main terminal outside city limits is open to all, but the city-centre terminal at the Holy Mosque, used mainly by buses to Jeddah, is restricted to Muslims only. Local buses, taxis and micro-buses are widely available in Makkah and are inexpensive. The 18-kilometre Al Mashaaer-Al Mugaddassah Metro, which opened in 2010, is the first of five metro lines planned to open in the next five years serving religious sites around the city.
MADINAH Many pilgrims arrive at the kingdom’s second holy city by bus via Makkah, but Madinah’s Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport has seen an increasing number of direct flights from around the Middle East. The airport is accessible to non-Muslims.
COACH AND FERRY TRAVEL
Tere are many bus routes to and from neighbouring countries that drop and collect Jeddah passengers, but before booking a seat to Saudi, ensure your visa is not a ‘by air only’ entry visa. Travellers coming from Egypt and Sudan have the option to take a ferry.
Coaches, buses and taxis: SAPTCO runs luxurious buses several times a day from most parts of the country at reasonable rates. There are also privately run buses. The SAPTCO terminal is off-limits to non-Muslims. In the city there are no public transport
options other than taxis, which are considered reliable and cheap. Negotiate a cost before taking the vehicle, but few journeys cost more than SAR15 (US$4).
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