Saudi transport guide · buses · fares checked September 2026
Saudi Arabia Bus Guide 2026: Fares, Routes and Booking Tips
A bus from Riyadh to Jeddah can take up to 16 hours, so one wrong booking can cost you a whole day.
I am Rohail Arshad, founder of Hujjaj Umrah Taxi. My working days revolve around how people get from one Saudi city to the next. Buses are part of that picture, yet the facts online are thin and spread across many different sites.
So I pulled them into one place. This guide covers intercity fares, city networks, booking, baggage and the trips where a bus is the wrong choice.
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Two Bus Systems, Two Kinds of Ticket
Saudi Arabia has intercity coaches that link cities, and city buses that run inside them. Each has its own operator, app and fare system, so a ticket for one rarely works on the other.
SAT runs most intercity coaches and sells domestic tickets at satrans.com.sa, while SAPTCO sells the international routes. Some routes to Madinah, Yanbu, Tabuk and Hail may be run by Northwest Bus or Darb AlWatan instead, so check the operator before you pay.
Intercity Fares and Journey Times
Fares below are per person in SAR, based on estimates reported in September 2026. SAT prices change with demand, so confirm the live fare before you book.
| Route | Economy | VIP | Journey time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh to Jeddah | 135 to 207 | 250 to 280 | 12 to 16 hours |
| Riyadh to Makkah | 184 | 230 to 260 | 11 to 14 hours |
| Riyadh to Madinah | 223 | 260 to 290 | 10 to 14 hours |
| Riyadh to Dammam | 86 to 105 | 170 to 210 | 4 to 6 hours |
| Jeddah to Makkah | 20 | 40 | 1 to 1.5 hours |
| Jeddah to Madinah | 69 | 120 to 150 | 6 hours |
| Jeddah to Taif | 72 to 109 | 120 to 160 | 2.5 to 4 hours |
| Makkah to Madinah | 69 to 95 | 120 to 150 | 5 to 7 hours |
| Makkah to Taif | 39 | 80 to 110 | 2 hours |
| Madinah to Yanbu | 72 | 120 to 150 | 4 hours |
Jeddah to Makkah is the cheapest link in the table at SAR 20, while Riyadh to Madinah is the priciest economy fare at SAR 223. Riyadh to Jeddah ranges from SAR 135 to 207 because the price moves with the date and the time of day. Pages also disagree on which operator runs Makkah to Madinah, so I trust only the live booking screen.
Economy or VIP?
Economy gives you a reclining seat, while VIP gives you a wider one, and VIP usually costs SAR 20 to 100 more than economy.
Riyadh to Jeddah showed the pattern in 2024, at about SAR 196 for economy and SAR 214 for VIP. I would pay the extra on any trip longer than six hours, because you will probably sleep in that seat. Under three hours, economy is enough.
Book Your Seat in Five Steps
Booking takes only a few minutes on the SAT app or website, and both of them work in English and Arabic.
- Choose your route, travel date and number of passengers.
- Pick a departure time, then economy or VIP.
- Pick a fare type, which sets your bag allowance and change rules.
- Enter your ID number and pay.
- Save the e-ticket, which carries a QR code.
You can also buy at self-service kiosks, station counters and authorized agents, and SAT customer care answers questions on 920018221.
Baggage Allowance by Fare Type
Your fare type, not your seat class, sets the checked bag limit, while every fare allows one 7 kg hand bag.
| Fare type | One checked bag |
|---|---|
| Saver | 40 kg |
| Regular | 50 kg |
| Value | 60 kg |
| Flex | 80 kg |
Read the fare type line before you pay, because the cheapest option is also the least flexible one.
City Buses in Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah
Each city runs its own network, and fares are low everywhere, but the payment rules differ from city to city.
| City | Network size | Fare | How to pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | 15 routes at launch in March 2023, with more than 800 buses planned | SAR 4 for 2 hours | Darb app, or a tap of a contactless bank card |
| Makkah | 12 routes and 400 buses, running about 22 hours a day, and 24 in peak seasons | SAR 4 | App, ticket machines and sales points |
| Madinah | 15 routes and 455 stops, with five routes open 24 hours | Not confirmed | Check at the stop |
| Jeddah | 6 routes, with a planned growth to 14 | SAR 3.45 with VAT | Smart card only, no cash |
Riyadh's SAR 4 ticket lets you change buses within the two hours, and the same ticket works on the metro.
Jeddah buses run from 5:30 am to 10:30 pm, and the Jeddah Buses app takes Mada, Visa and SADAD. I could not confirm a current Madinah fare from an official page, so ask at the stop. Jeddah's route count comes from a guide with mixed dates, so confirm it on jedtc.com.sa.
Riyadh Passes for Longer Stays
Riyadh sells time-based tickets in the Darb app, and each one covers both buses and the metro. No one-day pass is listed, so the 3 day ticket is the shortest step up from the 2 hour fare.
| Ticket | Price (SAR) |
|---|---|
| 2 hours | 4 |
| 3 days | 20 |
| 1 week | 40 |
| 30 days | 140 |
These prices were listed when the metro opened in late 2024, so check the app for today's price before you buy.
The 5 Best Bus Services in Saudi Arabia
I ranked these by reach, size and how easy each one is for a visitor to use.
1. SAT (SAPTCO)
Founded in 1979, SAPTCO now carries over 60 million passengers a year across its services. It runs intercity, city and international routes.
2. Northwest Bus
Two companies, Al Qaid Saudi and Moventis, merged to form this operator, which has carried over 2.5 million passengers. It is based in Jeddah. You can book online at booking.nwbus.sa or at its stations, and its call center is open 24 hours.
3. Darb AlWatan
Every booking comes with a fixed fare guarantee and a guaranteed seat. The newer buses have extra legroom, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, charging points and an on-board toilet. The call center is on 8003040155, and the mobile app is listed as coming soon.
4. Makkah Bus
The General Transport Center runs this network. Its first phase has 7 local and 5 express routes and 438 stops, and the fleet splits into 240 standard and 160 articulated buses. Trial runs began in February 2022, and the paid service started in October 2023.
5. Madinah Bus
Riders can travel between the Prophet's Mosque, Quba Mosque, the airport and the Haramain station. The app issues a prepaid card, which stays valid for one year from its last use. SAPTCO says the buses are equipped for passengers with special needs.
When a Taxi Beats the Bus
Your group size and the amount of luggage you carry decide this choice more than the route does.
| Your trip | Better choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| One traveler, light bag, Jeddah to Makkah | Bus | A coach seat costs about SAR 20 |
| Overnight Riyadh to Jeddah | VIP bus | The wider seat helps you sleep |
| A week in Riyadh | Darb 1 week ticket | SAR 40 covers buses and the metro |
| Three or four people with large bags | Private car | The fare is split and the car comes to your hotel |
| Hotel far from the bus station | Private car | A bus adds a station ride and a second wait |
I run Hujjaj Umrah Taxi, part of Al Harbi Transport, for exactly those trips. Fares are fixed per vehicle, with fuel, tolls and waiting included. You reserve online with no advance deposit and cancel free up to 12 hours before pickup.
| Route | Camry (4 seats) |
|---|---|
| Jeddah airport to Makkah hotel | SAR 250 |
| Makkah hotel to Madinah hotel | SAR 450 |
| Madinah airport to Madinah hotel | SAR 150 |
Larger groups can pick a Staria, Hiace or GMC, or a Coaster that seats up to 17 people.
Skip the bus station and book a door-to-door transfer
Hujjaj Umrah Taxi meets you in the arrivals hall or at your hotel and drives door to door, with no station ride and no second wait. Fixed fare agreed on WhatsApp before pickup, driver name and plate sent the night before, no deposit, free cancellation up to 12 hours before.
Send your route, date and group size on WhatsApp and we reply with one fixed price.
Get a quote on WhatsAppFrequently Asked Questions
- Can a tourist book a Saudi bus ticket?
- Yes. Visitors book with a passport number, while citizens use a National ID and residents use an Iqama. Carry the same document you used to book, because staff may check it at boarding and at road checkpoints. A mismatch can stop your trip.
- Can I get a refund on a SAT ticket?
- It depends on the fare type. Saver tickets allow no changes or refunds, and Value tickets allow free changes but no refunds. Regular and Flex tickets can be cancelled, with a 30 percent fee if you cancel more than 2 hours before departure. Refunds take up to 15 business days.
- Is the bus or a taxi cheaper from Makkah to Madinah?
- For one traveler, the bus is cheaper at about SAR 69 to 95. A Camry costs SAR 450 for the whole car, which is SAR 112.50 each when four people share. The gap narrows further once you add the station transfers at both ends.
- Can I take a bus from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain or the UAE?
- Yes. SAPTCO runs economy routes at about SAR 95 from Dammam to Bahrain and SAR 150 from Riyadh. Dammam to Dubai or Abu Dhabi is about SAR 220, and Riyadh to the same cities is about SAR 250. Check visa rules for your passport before you book.