So, you’ve just landed in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Now you’re wondering how to travel from King Abdulaziz International Airport to the city?
If it’s your first time in Saudi Arabia, there’s every chance you’re going to be overwhelmed. I know I was. For a start, after a long haul flight from London to Jeddah, which included a 6-hour layover in Abu Dhabi, I was absolutely knackered.
Bleary-eyed, groggy and definitely not quite with it, I stumbled off the plane and tentatively made my way to immigration, where I almost fell at the first hurdle. When the immigration agent asked me, very simply, what my name was, I completely blanked. A few umms, ahhs, biometric checks and suspicious looks later, however, I was through. Then, after collecting my bag, I went to find my pre-booked transfer to the city.
Here’s the thing though: I didn’t need to book a transfer in advance. Yes, it’s convenient, but I was also overthinking things. Because Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry is in its infancy, there isn’t a huge amount of accurate information out there aimed at first-time travellers to the country. I wasn’t sure how reliable ride-hailing apps were in Jeddah or if the public bus on Google Maps actually existed.
Now I know from experience that travelling from King Abdulaziz International Airport to Jeddah city is incredibly straightforward. Ride-hailing apps, including Uber, Careem and Bolt, work well. Public city buses are an option for adventurous travellers on a budget, while the Haramain High-Speed Railway is convenient for onward journeys to Mecca and Madinah.
The following information was sourced during my trip to Saudi Arabia in September 2026. It’s intended to help you travel without the hassle from Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport to the city, including Al Balad and the Corniche.
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How to travel from Jeddah Airport to the city: Quick Guide
If you’re travelling from King Abdulaziz International Airport to Jeddah, transport options include Uber, Careem, Bolt, Jeeny, ‘turquoise’ taxis, public buses, private transfers and car hire. I will point out here that Jeddah is a huge city, but there’s no metro, and only a limited public bus network. There are several areas you might stay, but tourists will find Al Balad (the Old Town) and the Corniche are the best neighbourhoods.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the most reliable options, their rough costs and my thoughts on each.
| MODE OF TRANSPORT | APPROX. COST (in Saudi Riyals) | AUTHOR’S NOTES |
| Ride-Hailing Apps (Uber, Careem, Bolt & Jeeny) | 60-90 SAR to Al Balad or the Corniche | Work extremely well in Jeddah, but you’ll need internet when you arrive. |
| Pre-booked Private Transfer | 95 SAR to Al Balad | More expensive than ride-hailing, but convenient when you first arrive. I booked a transfer through Booking.com. |
| ‘Turquoise’ Taxis | 2.1 SAR (per kilometre) | The least preferred option. Metred taxis charge per kilometre, plus waiting time in traffic. |
| Public Bus (L14 from Jeddah International Airport to Al Balad) | 3.45 SAR per journey | The cheapest option, but it’s impossible to use the public bus app in Jeddah without a local Saudi Arabian phone number. Long journey times. L14 connects the airport to Al Balad. Download the app HERE. |
| Haramain High-speed Railway | From 115 SAR to Madinah/From 46 SAR to Mecca | An excellent way to travel to Madinah or Mecca from Jeddah International Airport. Book tickets via the official website HERE. |
| Car Hire | Prices vary. I found car hire available from approximately £15 per day for a small automatic. | Several car hire companies are available in Terminal 1, including Budget and Yello. I wouldn’t recommend driving in Jeddah if it’s your first time in Saudi Arabia. |
Travel Tramp’s Top Tip
For ease and peace of mind, a pre-booked transfer is a winner if it’s your first time in Jeddah. I booked my transfer through Booking.com when I also booked my hotel. I paid £19.16 (approx. 95 SAR) to Al Balad, which is Jeddah’s old town.
However, when I next visit Jeddah (or fly into any other airport in Saudi Arabia), I’ll definitely use a ride-hailing app. Uber treated me very well during my three-week stay in Saudi Arabia. In my opinion, it offers maximum flexibility and the best value. When I returned to the airport at the end of my trip, I paid 66.99 SAR for the half-hour ride.
Holafly eSIM
Of course, you need a reliable internet connection when you land in Saudi Arabia to actually order an Uber or connect with your driver! I tried out Holafly for the first time during my trip. I loved how easy the setup was, and I was pleasantly surprised at the range of coverage across Saudi Arabia. I had impressive coverage even when I was staying in remote mountain lodges and when I was taking buses across empty deserts.
Download your eSIM before you travel with their easy 2-minute setup. When you land in Jeddah, turn your phone on and connect. My Holafly eSIM ensured that as soon as the plane touched down, I could connect with my driver who was already waiting in the arrivals area.
Holafly provides unlimited data in over 200+ destinations around the world, including Saudi Arabia.
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Where is King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED)?
King Abdulaziz International Airport is the gateway to Jeddah, the Red Sea, and Mecca. The airport code is JED, and I’ll often refer to it as simply Jeddah Airport, or Jeddah International Airport throughout this article.
The airport is on the northern side of the city, not far from Obhur Creek, which marks Jeddah’s northern boundary. I’ll explain in more detail where you’re best to stay in Jeddah (for a first-time visitor) further down. Needless to say, the airport is approximately 20-30 kilometres from the best neighbourhoods (either Al Balad or the Corniche). Given Jeddah’s traffic, this distance can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour in a car.
King Abdulaziz International Airport is the busiest airport in Saudi Arabia, with a record-breaking 53.4 million passengers passing through in 2025, according to Arab News. The vast majority of passengers arrive and depart to/from Terminal 1, which is a fairly modern, fairly new terminal accommodating international airlines and many domestic carriers.
Despite the large passenger numbers, I had a smooth experience (my own jet lag aside!) coming through arrivals in Terminal 1. You’ll need to clear immigration (apply for your e-visa online through the official KSA website before travelling to save time and money), collect your bags, clear customs and then head out into arrivals.
In a sign of how quickly things move in Saudi Arabia, a few days after my flight back to the UK, the airport’s new Terminal 4 opened for business at the end of September 2026. This is intended as a low-cost carrier terminal, accommodating Wizz Air and other budget airlines, so double-check your flight details when travelling. There are also older terminals accommodating Hajj/Umrah specific flights for religious pilgrims.
The Arrivals area in Terminal 1 has everything you could need when you land, including ATMs, coffee shops (there’s a Starbucks, Barns, etc.) and car hire desks. Intuitive signage boards direct you to bus stops, the train station and taxi ranks. Don’t make the same mistake I did, though, and start walking towards the Umrah pilgrimage buses which set off for Mecca (as a non-Muslim, I am most definitely not allowed into Mecca!).
If you’ve pre-booked a transfer, your driver will be waiting for you in the Arrivals area, which is a floor below the Departures area. Alternatively, start following signs to the train station, bus stops or taxi/ride hailing stands.
I’ll break these options down in more detail below.
1. Pre-booking an airport transfer from Jeddah International Airport
Okay, so this is the easy way to arrive in Jeddah and transfer directly to your hotel. If everything goes to plan, your driver will be waiting for you in Arrivals when you land. I pre-booked a transfer through Booking.com as an add-on option after I’d booked my hotel. I’d never tried this before, but it worked smoothly. After booking, I received a WhatsApp confirmation from the local partner company, and my driver contacted me directly when I landed (again, it helps to have an eSIM so you can receive/send WhatsApp messages as soon as you’re on the ground).
If the system works, your driver tracks your flight number in case of delays and knows exactly where they’re taking you in Jeddah. I paid £19.16 for the service from the airport to Al Balad. I will say that it was a little more expensive than Uber (not by much), and once I was through, the driver rushed me off to the car – so there’s not much chance to relax. In future, I’ll probably opt for an Uber now that I know they are reliable, as you do save a few pounds and can refresh with a coffee before you head off into Jeddah.
Other companies you can also book through include Welcome Pickups (I’ve used these guys in other countries before) and Holiday Extras. Again, you can also book a transfer for the return journey back to the airport. If I’m departing very early in the morning, I might do this for peace of mind.
I was staying in Al Balad. The journey took about 45 minutes at sunset, when it was busy out there on the roads.
2. Ride-hailing apps
Ride-hailing apps are probably the best way to get from Jeddah Airport to the city. You’ll need data (so don’t forget that eSIM), but they are typically cheaper than pre-booked transfers and metred taxis. Saudi Arabia has several rival ride-hailing apps, so you can always check a few options to compare prices and waiting times before booking. I used Uber throughout my stay in Jeddah, and found it incredibly reliable and cost-effective.
Simply type in your destination and select your pick-up point (Terminal 1 Arrivals, for example). Head out of Arrivals, and you’ll find the waiting area easily enough. I didn’t take an Uber from the airport, but I did take one to the airport on my return journey. From the Corniche area of Jeddah, I paid 66.99 SAR. This can vary, of course, depending on demand.
Ride-hailing apps in Jeddah:
- Uber
- Careem
- Bolt
- Jeeny
3. ‘Turquoise’ Taxis
Outside the Arrivals area, you’ll see a huge line of what I like to call the ‘Turquoise’ taxis. They’re super easy to find. Just line up and hop in the next available one.
Officially, they’re supposed to use the metre. So make sure they do. These taxis charge a fee of 2.1 SAR per kilometre, which sounds good, but it doesn’t factor in waiting time and traffic. I tried these a few times in Jeddah, but always found the drivers tried to charge more anyway.
Often, they’d have no idea where exactly I needed to go, so I’d end up plugging the address into Google Maps, and they’d use my phone as a Sat Nav! Which defeats the object, really. Just use Uber unless you’re really at a loose end.
Read more: The Hejaz Railway: A Plan to Unite the Middle East by Train
4. Public buses (L-14 Airport to Al Balad)
Despite being Saudi Arabia’s second largest city (population: 3.75 million!), Jeddah has no metro system. The only workable public transport is the local bus network, but it’s slow and not particularly intuitive for first-time visitors.
There are local bus stands below the Arrivals concourse. Find them by following the appropriate signs. The buses are run by SAPTCO, and in theory, you can download the Jeddah Bus App to check times, routes, and pay for tickets. A single journey costs 3.45 SAR, which is incredibly good value.
To pay for a journey, you can load money onto the app, then simply tap on with your phone when you’re on the bus. In reality, no matter how many times I tried to use the app, it wouldn’t allow me to because I didn’t have a Saudi Arabian phone number. The system needs to send a text message to a Saudi Arabian number to verify you. So, unfortunately, the app was useless for me as a tourist.
You can also purchase physical bus cards that work in the same way. The card costs 10 SAR, and then you top it up. These can be purchased from vending machines, but not all bus stops have a vending machine. Some stops often have a SAPTCO worker selling physical tickets for single journeys too, but don’t rely on this.
Now, the bus routes seem to change. My research led me to believe there was no direct bus from the airport to Al Balad, where I was staying. This isn’t true, and the bus company’s online routes are themselves outdated. L-14 runs from the airport to Al Balad, where it terminates/starts outside the Golden Palm Mall (you’ll find this on Google Maps). This is the most useful bus you’ll need from/to the airport, and if you’ve got plenty of time to kill, it’s worth a go. Total journey time will be at least 1 hour, probably more. Buses operate between 5 am and 23.30 pm, daily.
5. Haramain High-speed Railway
Saudi Arabia’s Haramain High-speed Railway is a work of beauty. The train reaches top speeds of 300km/h and is a fantastic way to reach Madinah or Mecca from Jeddah. There’s a dedicated high-speed railway station in Terminal 1. It’s incredibly convenient if you’re travelling onwards from the airport.
There are regular services to Madinah (approx. 1 hour 45 minutes) and Mecca (approx. 45 minutes). Some trains also stop at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) to the north. Prices fluctuate, depending on availability. The further in advance you book, the cheaper the fares will be. If you’re arriving on a plane, however, you’ll want flexibility, so I’d recommend booking a changeable ticket or waiting until you land. Economy tickets rarely sell out, and a full-price fare on the day won’t cost more than 218 SAR (approx £44) from Jeddah to Madinah.
You can purchase tickets at the airport station, or book via the website or app. I found the Haramain High Speed Railway app to be the most efficient way to book tickets in advance. You’re assigned seats, there’s a buffet carriage, and it’s a very efficient journey!
** NOTE: Jeddah has 2 high-speed train stations. The first is King Abdulaziz International Airport Station, and the second is Jeddah Train Station (also called Al Sulaymaniyah Station). So make sure to select the correct station when booking! **
6. Inter-city buses
If you’re travelling further afield, there are plenty of long-distance buses departing from King Abdulaziz International Airport too. The major bus company you’ll need in this part of Saudi Arabia is Northwest Bus. They have a dedicated platform at the airport, next to the local buses.
I regularly travelled with Northwest Bus, and found it very easy to book tickets via their app or website. You can pay with international credit/debit cards, and tickets are changeable right up until departure. From the airport, there are buses to Yanbu (approx. 3.5 hours), Madinah (approx. 5 hours), Mecca, Taif, Khamis Mushait, Tabuk, Riyadh, and more.
The second major bus company is SAT. They have a stand next to the local buses too, but their route isn’t as extensive as Northwest.
** NOTE: Both bus companies also operate from Jeddah Train Station (Al Sulaymaniyah), so as with the trains, make sure you book the correct departure point! **
Where should I stay in Jeddah?
Jeddah is a sprawling city, and the many neighbourhoods and districts are difficult to navigate when it’s your first time (not least because of the limited public transport!). There’s no single ‘city centre’, as such, which makes things trickier.
I was updating the Bradt Guide to Saudi Arabia during my stay in the city, so it’s safe to say I visited every single part of Jeddah. I started in Al Balad, the historic Old Town, which I’d highly recommend. The Old Town is walkable (once you’re there, anyway) and packed with heritage. I also enjoyed staying along the Corniche, where you’ll find upmarket hotels and international resorts along the Red Sea.
Here are a few recommendations to help you plan your first trip to Jeddah:
Al Balad Hotels
Al Balad is Jeddah’s heritage-laden Old Town. After sunset, the ancient souks come alive, as the call to prayer drifts through historic streets lined by coral-stone houses. There are no big international hotel chains here, but rather, you’ll be staying in more basic (but excellent value) accommodation. Al Balad is accessible on the L-14 Airport Bus, or it’s a 45-minute drive from the airport.
- Lahdat Hotel Al Balad: This excellent hotel is where I spent my first 4 nights in Jeddah. It’s located on the southern edge of Al Balad, a short walk from where the L-14 airport bus terminates. Rooms are basic, but it’s great value for Jeddah. The Arabic breakfast is delivered to your room every morning, which is a fantastic bonus!
- Karam Al Balad Hotel: I wish I’d found this hotel sooner! I discovered Karam Al Balad Hotel on my return to Jeddah, and although it’s a 20-minute walk north of the Old Town, the swimming pool, gym and buffet breakfast are an absolute winner given the very affordable prices.
Read more: How Many Countries Are in the Middle East? Everything You Need to Know.
Jeddah Corniche Hotels
Jeddah Corniche is the perfect place to enjoy the city’s long Red Sea promenade. Seafront hotels are, as you’d expect, expensive, but every international chain imaginable has a presence here. Stay a few streets back, however, and you’ll find plenty of bargains. Expect a 30-45 minute car journey from the airport to the Corniche.
- Jeddah Hilton: Luxury, sea views and a prime location on the Corniche. If you can afford the price tag, it’s a winner.
- Sheraton Jeddah: A longstanding luxury favourite along the Corniche, you’ll be staying in a high-rise luxury hotel overlooking the Red Sea. Again, this one’s a beauty if you’re looking for a five-star resort when you’re in Jeddah.
- Darak Park Hotel: This low-key hotel is located 5-minutes walk from the Corniche. You won’t have sea views or luxury amenities to shout home about, but rooms are excellent value given the location. I stayed here at the end of my trip to Saudi Arabia. I had a pleasant stay, and I caught an Uber from this hotel to the airport (around 30 minutes travel time).
Airport Hotels
If you need an airport hotel for those early morning departures or late-night arrivals, there are several great options just a five-minute Uber ride from Terminal 1.
- Casablanca Grand Hotel: Right next to Mall of Arabia, this five-star hotel is perfect for a luxury overnight stay on the airport’s doorstep. There’s a rooftop swimming pool, spa, and a grand ballroom restaurant.
- Donatello Jeddah Hotel: This four-star hotel offers impressive gym facilities, an indoor pool and a hammam for a relaxing stay before your flight home.
- Clarion Hotel Jeddah Airport: Perfectly located on the road into Jeddah International Airport, this four-star hotel features a rooftop swimming pool and a complimentary airport shuttle bus service.
Richard Collett
That’s how to travel from Jeddah Airport to the city. Let me know in the comments below if you’ve made the journey, or if you have any information to update fellow travellers!
