Taif · the city and the mountain roads · 24 hours · fixed fares
Taxi Service in Taif, the mountain roads are the point.
Taif sits at 1,800 metres, and the trips are about the mountains: the hairpins of Al Hada, the cable car, Al Shafa, the rose farms and the sacred sites of the Prophet's visit. Ride-hailing is patchy outside the centre. Hujjaj Umrah Taxi is the taxi service in Taif that covers it at fixed fares: Taif Airport pickup, city rides, hourly hire on the scenic routes and one-way transfers to Makkah and Jeddah, with professional drivers who drive these roads weekly.
146 Tripadvisor reviews
Taif at a glance
Getting around the mountain city by taxi
The city centre is compact, but Al Hada is 20 km of mountain road, Al Shafa 25 km, Souq Okaz 35 km and the airport 25 km. Most Taif bookings are half-day hires.
Sedan SAR 80 an hour, Hyundai Staria SAR 100, GMC Yukon SAR 130, for the scenic routes with the driver waiting at every viewpoint, the convenient option for a taxi Taif visitors can keep all day. City rides from SAR 50, airport pickup from SAR 80.
Fixed for a sedan, about 90 km and 1.5 to 2 hours down the Al Hada or Al Sail road, with a miqat stop at Qarn al-Manazil for pilgrims. Taif to Jeddah from SAR 350.
Taif Airport pickups at every hour, dawn departures for the rose farms, night drives down to Makkah for Fajr. The fare does not change with the hour.
Where we take you in and around Taif
The rides visitors book most, and what they cost
Every taxi fare is per car, never per person, fixed upfront and confirmed on WhatsApp before pickup, with no hidden fees for tolls, waiting or luggage. The full-day Makkah to Taif ziyarat tour is a separate service on its own page, linked at the end.
Taif International Airport to your hotel
Meet and greet inside arrivals at Taif Airport, luggage to the car, straight to any hotel in the city centre, Al Hada or Al Shafa. Flight tracked, waiting free, no airport taxi surcharge.
from SAR 80one way · sedanTaif Airport to Makkah, with miqat assistance
Direct transfer from Taif Airport to your Makkah hotel, about 2 hours. Pilgrims stop at the miqat of Qarn al-Manazil (As-Sail al-Kabir) to enter ihram; the driver knows the mosque and waits.
from SAR 300one way · sedanAl Hada mountain road and cable car
The switchbacks, the viewpoints over the Tihama plain, Al Kar tourist village and the Al Hada cable car. Half a day with the driver waiting at every stop.
SAR 80 / hoursedan · 4 hours typicalAl Shafa and the rose farms
The highest villages, fruit stalls, the Al Gadhi rose distillery and farms in bloom from late March to May. Book a dawn pickup in season; the harvest is finished by 9 AM.
SAR 80 / hoursedan · SAR 100 StariaHistorical sites and city attractions
Shubra Palace, Souq Okaz, Masjid Ibn Abbas and Masjid Addas, Al Rudaf Park, King Faisal Hospital and the city centre hotels. Single rides or by the hour.
from SAR 50one way inside the cityTaif to Makkah or Jeddah, one way
Hotel to hotel or hotel to airport, timed to your flight or your prayer, via the scenic Al Hada descent or the faster Al Sail road. Miqat stop free on request.
from SAR 300Makkah · Jeddah Airport from SAR 350Taif taxi fare
Choose the car by group size, fixed price per car
Every vehicle is private, air conditioned, well maintained and driven by a Ministry-vetted professional driver who knows the mountain roads. Inside Taif the taxi fare is per trip or per hour; only the vehicle type changes with your group, from a Toyota Camry for a couple to a Hyundai Staria for families and a Coaster for large groups. The GMC Yukon is the right vehicle for the Al Hada hairpins with luggage.
SEDAN
Toyota Camry
- Best for Couples, solo
- Passengers 4
- City trip SAR 50
- Per hour SAR 80
FAMILY VAN
Hyundai Staria
- Best for Small families
- Passengers 7
- City trip SAR 70
- Per hour SAR 100
SUV
GMC Yukon
- Best for Extra comfort
- Passengers 7
- City trip SAR 100
- Per hour SAR 130
GROUP VAN
Toyota Hiace
- Best for Large groups
- Passengers 10
- City trip SAR 90
- Per hour SAR 100
MINIBUS
Toyota Coaster
- Best for Umrah groups
- Passengers 17
- City trip On request
- Per hour On request
Taif to Makkah one way: sedan SAR 300, Staria SAR 350, GMC SAR 400, Hiace SAR 400, Coaster on request. Taif to Jeddah Airport from SAR 350. Transparent pricing, fixed before the ride, no hidden fees.
Why visitors choose us
A reliable taxi in Taif for tourists, pilgrims, families and business travel
Taif is a leisure city with serious roads. Visitors want breathtaking landscapes without worrying about fog on the escarpment, baboons on the barrier or a driver who has never been up Al Hada. Hujjaj Umrah Taxi is a Ministry of Hajj and Umrah licensed transport company in Saudi Arabia, and in Taif we run the same private taxi service we run between the holy cities: fixed fares, professional drivers, hassle free rides.
Experienced drivers who know the Al Hada road in fog, where the viewpoints are, when the rose farms open and how long Al Shafa takes. Arabic and English, Urdu on request.
Brakes and tyres checked for the escarpment, air conditioned, clean. Camry, Staria, GMC Yukon, Hiace and Coaster, so there is a vehicle type for couples, families and large groups.
The fare is agreed before the ride and covers fuel, waiting at viewpoints and luggage. No meter, no surge, no hidden fees. Pay cash or card after the ride.
Meet and greet inside arrivals at Taif International Airport, flight tracked, waiting free. Airport transfers to Makkah with a miqat stop, and drop offs timed to your departure.
The car stays with you on the scenic route, so a half day of Al Hada or Al Shafa is one booking, one driver, one price, with stops wherever the view is good: a hassle free journey for families and group travel alike, and the convenience of luggage staying in the boot.
Summer weekends when the whole Hijaz comes up, rose season at dawn, Hajj when the Taif road is checkpoint-controlled. Support on WhatsApp at every hour; contact us any time.
Taif for pilgrims: the sacred sites and the road to Makkah
Taif is where the Prophet sought refuge, and pilgrims visiting from Makkah come for Masjid Ibn Abbas, Masjid Addas and Al Qim. From Makkah that visit is our full-day ziyarat tour. From Taif itself, the ride that matters is the one-way transfer down to Makkah: about 90 km, 1.5 to 2 hours, fixed at SAR 300 for a sedan, 24/7, with a stop at the miqat of Qarn al-Manazil where the driver waits while you enter ihram. Taif Airport to Makkah is the same fare and the same miqat assistance, which makes Taif a quiet alternative to landing in Jeddah in peak seasons.
Taif for tourists and business travelers
Summer is Taif's season: the Souq Okaz festival, the cable car, the honey and fruit markets, and Saudi families escaping the heat. Tourists on a leisure weekend take a driver for the day and see Al Hada in the morning and Al Shafa in the afternoon. Business travel is quieter: airport to hotel, meetings in the city centre, and back for the evening flight, with receipts and a GMC on request. Whatever your travel needs, the booking works the same way: destination, time and passengers on WhatsApp, and one fixed fare for the whole vehicle.
Coverage
Every district and attraction of Taif, door to door
The city is small; the mountains are not. Give us the hotel or the attraction and we quote for the real road. Watch the car do the loop we drive every week.
Compare your options
Every way to get around Taif, honestly compared
Taxi services in Taif come down to ride hailing services, traditional street taxis, the airport taxi rank and pre-booked private taxis, plus a thin public transport network. Each gives a different travel experience; here is what each one trades away on a mountain road.
| OPTION | BEST FOR | TYPICAL COST | UP AL HADA? | THE CATCH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private taxi, pre-booked | Airport pickup, mountain days, families, the road to Makkah | SAR 50 trip / SAR 80 hour, fixed | Yes, and waits at the top | Costs more than a bus seat. In return the driver knows the road, the car is checked for the climb, the fare is fixed and you get a smooth and comfortable journey. |
| Uber or Careem | Short hops in the city centre | Meter plus surge, SAR 15–40 in town | Rarely, and no return guaranteed | Ride-hailing apps in Taif offer upfront pricing and digital tracking, but coverage is thin outside the centre, drivers decline mountain trips, and getting a car back from Al Shafa can take an hour. |
| Metered street taxi | When you are already at the road | Meter, or a negotiated fare | Negotiate the round trip | Traditional street taxis can be hailed at malls and transport hubs, but meters are not always used, drivers often prefer cash and may not accept cards. Agree the fare before starting. |
| Airport taxi at TIF | Arriving without a booking | SAR 100–150 to the city centre | No | Airport taxis go direct to the city centre at different pricing from local taxis, with no meet and greet and no miqat stop for Makkah-bound pilgrims. |
| Public transport | Budget travel to Makkah or Jeddah | SAPTCO bus from about SAR 30 | No | Cheap intercity buses run on fixed schedules from the bus station; inside Taif there is little public transport, and nothing to the attractions. |
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Good to know
Three things about taxis in Taif nobody tells you
Baboons on the Al Hada road
- They sit on the crash barriers at the viewpoints and approach stopped cars
- Windows up, doors closed, nothing fed through the gap
- Your driver knows the safe pull-offs for photographs
- Keep food out of sight at Al Kar and the cable car car park
Fog, rain and winter closures
- December to February afternoons on Al Hada can be zero visibility
- Do the mountain in the morning and the city in the afternoon
- After heavy rain the escarpment road closes for rockfall; the Al Sail road to Makkah stays open
- Traffic conditions change fast; the driver checks before you leave
Peak seasons and cash
- July and August weekends and the Souq Okaz festival fill every hotel; book the car with the room
- Rose season is late March to May, harvest at dawn
- Street taxi drivers prefer cash in riyals; with us the fare is fixed and cards are fine
- In Hajj the Taif to Makkah road is checkpoint-controlled; licensed pilgrim transport passes
Taif taxi guide
How taxis actually work in Taif
The practical part nobody puts in a booking form, from Hujjaj Umrah Taxi, a Ministry of Hajj and Umrah licensed, Nusuk registered transport company that drives the Taif roads every week.
Arriving at Taif International Airport
Taif Airport (TIF) is 25 km north-east of the city, a small terminal with domestic flights and a growing number of regional routes. There is no train and little public transport, so the choice is the airport taxi rank or a pre-booked pickup. Give us your flight number, the driver meets you inside arrivals with a name board, and you are at a city centre hotel in 30 minutes. For pilgrims flying into Taif for Umrah, the transfer to Makkah leaves straight from the terminal with a miqat stop on the way.
The Al Hada cable car and the mountain road
The Al Hada cable car runs from the top of the escarpment down to Al Kar tourist village, about 4 km of descent over the Tihama plain, and is the single most visited attraction in Taif. Go up by road, ride the cable car down and back, and continue along the hairpins to the viewpoints. Allow three to four hours with a driver waiting at the top station. It closes in high wind and fog, so mornings are safer, and it is busiest on summer Fridays.
Al Shafa, the rose farms and the fruit stalls
Al Shafa is the highest inhabited part of the Hijaz, 25 km south-west, with cooler air than the city and roadside stalls selling pomegranates, figs and honey. The rose farms are spread between Al Hada and Al Shafa; from late March to early May the harvest happens between dawn and 9 AM and the distilleries open to visitors. A dawn pickup, two farms, a distillery and Al Shafa for breakfast is a typical four-hour hire.
Historical sites and the sacred sites
Taif's historical landmarks are close together. Shubra Palace, the Ottoman-era royal residence and museum, is in the city centre and takes an hour. Souq Okaz, the pre-Islamic market site, is 35 km north-east and comes alive during the summer festival. For pilgrims the sacred sites are Masjid Ibn Abbas in Al Qutbiyah, Masjid Addas in Al Mathnah and the site of the Prophet's refuge; a driver who knows them turns a scattered afternoon into a two-hour visit.
Taif to Makkah: the two roads
The Al Hada road is the scenic route, down the escarpment in 90 minutes with the views; the Al Sail road is flatter, faster in traffic and stays open in bad weather. Both pass the miqat of Qarn al-Manazil at As-Sail al-Kabir, where pilgrims stop to enter ihram before continuing to Makkah. The transfer is fixed at SAR 300 for a sedan, runs 24/7, and the driver drops at the nearest open point to the Haram for that hour.
How to give your pickup location
Give the hotel's full name and the district (Al Faisaliah, Shihar, Al Salamah, Al Hada), or a WhatsApp location pin. For Al Hada and Al Shafa hotels, name the resort; several share similar names. For airport pickups we only need the flight number and your name for the board.
Booking a taxi in Taif from your phone
Book in the form at the top of this page, in the Hujjaj Umrah Taxi iPhone or Android app, or on WhatsApp. Fewer cars are based in Taif than in the holy cities, so book the night before for mountain days and airport pickups. You receive the driver's name, photo and number, and pay cash or card at the end of the ride.
Coming from Makkah for the day?
This page covers rides that start in Taif. The full-day trip from Makkah, with the driver staying for Al Hada, Masjid Ibn Abbas and Masjid Addas and returning to your Makkah hotel, is our Taif ziyarat taxi, from SAR 500 per car, and the reverse leg into Makkah on its own is the Makkah ziyarat and route pages linked below.
Questions
Taxi in Taif, answered
How much is a taxi from Taif to Makkah?
With Hujjaj Umrah Taxi the one-way transfer from Taif or Taif Airport to your Makkah hotel is fixed at SAR 300 for a sedan, SAR 350 for the Hyundai Staria and SAR 400 for the GMC Yukon or Hiace, per car, available 24/7, with a miqat stop at Qarn al-Manazil on request. The same fare applies from Makkah to Taif one way. Street and airport taxis quote anywhere from SAR 300 to 900 for the same journey depending on the hour, so agree the fare before you start if you use one.
How long does the journey from Taif to Makkah take?
About 1.5 to 2 hours for roughly 90 km. The Al Hada road is the scenic route with the views; the Al Sail road is faster in traffic and stays open in bad weather. Add 20 minutes for the miqat stop and, at prayer times, a walk from the nearest open point to the Haram.
What is the Al-Hada cable car?
A 4 km cable car that runs from the top of the Al Hada escarpment down to Al Kar tourist village on the Tihama plain, with views across the mountains and the road's hairpins. It is Taif's most visited attraction, best in the morning before wind and fog, and busiest on summer Fridays. A driver waits at the top station while you ride down and back.
Is there Uber in Taif, and is it cheaper than a taxi?
Uber and Careem both operate in Taif and are fine for short hops in the city centre, where they are often cheaper than a taxi. Coverage is thin outside the centre: drivers decline Al Hada and Al Shafa, and getting a car back from the mountain can take an hour. For the scenic routes, the airport and the road to Makkah, a pre-booked fixed fare is both cheaper and more reliable.
Which taxi service is best in Taif and Saudi Arabia?
Judge any taxi company on a licence you can verify, a fixed fare in writing and reviews at their source. Careem and Uber are the standard apps for city rides across Saudi Arabia. For mountain days, airport pickup and pilgrim transport between Taif, Makkah and Jeddah, Hujjaj Umrah Taxi is on the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah register and the Nusuk platform, with 4.9 from 146 Tripadvisor reviews and 5.0 on Google.
How much does a taxi cost from Taif Airport?
Taif International Airport to a hotel in the city centre is from SAR 80 for a sedan with meet and greet inside arrivals, flight tracking and free waiting. Taif Airport to Makkah is from SAR 300 and to Jeddah Airport from SAR 350, all fixed per car and available 24/7.
Do you stop at the miqat for pilgrims travelling from Taif to Makkah?
Yes, free of charge. Taif is outside the miqat boundary, so pilgrims enter ihram at Qarn al-Manazil (As-Sail al-Kabir) on the way down. Tell us when booking so the stop is planned into the route and the driver waits at the mosque.
How much does it cost to hire a driver for a day in Taif?
SAR 80 per hour for a sedan, SAR 100 for the Hyundai Staria and SAR 130 for the GMC Yukon, with the driver waiting at every stop. A half day of Al Hada is typically four hours; Al Hada plus Al Shafa plus Shubra Palace is a full day, quoted as one rate on WhatsApp.
When is the best time to visit Al Hada and Al Shafa?
Mornings, all year. Winter afternoons bring fog to the escarpment, summer afternoons bring the crowds, and the cable car closes in high wind. Rose season is late March to May with the harvest at dawn; the Souq Okaz festival and the peak of Saudi summer tourism are July and August.
What payment methods do you accept?
Cash or credit and debit card to the driver at the end of the ride. Nothing is charged online and no advance deposit is required; cancellation is free up to 12 hours before pickup. Traditional street taxi drivers in Taif often prefer cash in riyals and may not accept cards.
Going on to the holy cities?
Airport transfers and intercity routes
Fixed price per car, meet and greet in arrivals, and a driver who waits for a late flight. Drifting past; hover to pause, use the arrows or swipe.
Jeddah Airport to Makkah Taxi
Where most pilgrims start, with an ihram stop at the miqat on request.
SAR 250from · sedan · per car
Makkah Hotel to Madinah Hotel Taxi
The usual next leg after Umrah, hotel lobby to hotel lobby.
SAR 500from · sedan · per carMadinah to Makkah Taxi
The reverse leg, with the miqat stop at Dhul Hulayfah built in.
SAR 500from · sedan · per carMakkah to Jeddah Airport Taxi
The return run, picked up at your hotel door in central Makkah.
SAR 250from · sedan · per car
Jeddah Airport to Madinah Hotel Taxi
For pilgrims starting in Madinah, with no overnight in Jeddah.
SAR 500from · sedan · per carMadinah to Jeddah Airport Taxi
The trip home, timed against your departure, not a schedule.
SAR 500from · sedan · per carMadinah Airport to Hotel Taxi
Meet and greet in arrivals, straight to your Madinah hotel.
SAR 200from · sedan · per carJeddah Airport to KAEC Taxi
Direct to King Abdullah Economic City and the Haramain station.
SAR 300GMC offer · per carJeddah Airport to Makkah Taxi
Where most pilgrims start, with an ihram stop at the miqat on request.
SAR 250from · sedan · per carMakkah Hotel to Madinah Hotel Taxi
The usual next leg after Umrah, hotel lobby to hotel lobby.
SAR 500from · sedan · per carMadinah to Makkah Taxi
The reverse leg, with the miqat stop at Dhul Hulayfah built in.
SAR 500from · sedan · per carMakkah to Jeddah Airport Taxi
The return run, picked up at your hotel door in central Makkah.
SAR 250from · sedan · per carJeddah Airport to Madinah Hotel Taxi
For pilgrims starting in Madinah, with no overnight in Jeddah.
SAR 500from · sedan · per carMadinah to Jeddah Airport Taxi
The trip home, timed against your departure, not a schedule.
SAR 500from · sedan · per carMadinah Airport to Hotel Taxi
Meet and greet in arrivals, straight to your Madinah hotel.
SAR 200from · sedan · per carJeddah Airport to KAEC Taxi
Direct to King Abdullah Economic City and the Haramain station.
SAR 300GMC offer · per carZiyarat
Private ziyarat tours, driver waiting at every site
Makkah Ziyarat Taxi
Jabal al-Nour, Arafat, Mina and Taneem with the driver waiting.
SAR 200from · per car
Madinah Ziyarat Taxi
Quba, Qiblatain, Uhud and the Seven Mosques, unhurried.
SAR 150from · per car
Badar Ziyarat Taxi
The battlefield, the martyrs' cemetery and Jabal Malaika.
SAR 400from · per car
Taif Ziyarat Taxi
Ibn Abbas, Masjid Addas and the Al Hada mountain road.
SAR 500from · per carBook a taxi in Taif for your dates
Tell us your hotel or flight number, the attractions you want and the day. One fixed price back on WhatsApp in minutes, pay the driver at the end, free cancellation up to 12 hours before. A stress free journey, smooth from the first hairpin, is the whole point.