Planning to travel from Jeddah to Riyadh? There’s a few things you need to know first.
First off, the capital is in full entertainment mode from late October until the end of March with none other than Riyadh Season keeping the city alive and busy – and attracting visitors for all over, too, especially from the Red Sea city.
Filled with an array of dynamic cultural and entertainment festivals and events, including the electrifying MDLBEAST Soundstorm music festival, otherwise known as the loudest weekend in Riyadh, speedy adrenaline-pumping races including Diriyah E-Prix showcasing, food festivals, family-friendly attractions, and much more.
The distance between the two cities is approximately 950 kilometers (590 miles) and those planning to make the trip have several options.
So without further ado, we’ve put together the best ways to make it to Riyadh for each and every budget (and comfort levels). Here are the top ways to travel from Jeddah to Riyadh.
How to travel from Jeddah to Riyadh
Plane
By far the fastest way to travel from Jeddah to Riyadh, flight time between the two cities is about one hour and 40 minutes. You can fly visa three airlines including Saudia’s, Saudi’s national carrier, or opt for low-cost airlines like flynas and flyadeal. Almost 400 flights operate weekly, but weekend and holiday schedules can vary, so it is advisable to book ahead of time.
Price range: SAR375-SAR1,012
Duration: 1h 40m
From SAR375. saudia.com / flynas.com / flyadeal.com.
Bus
Bus travel from Jeddah to Riyadh takes at least 14 hours and 40minutes altogether. It is a cheaper option for those who have time and want to enjoy the scenic route. Completing the entire journey from Jeddah to Riyadh by bus alone is possible. If your starting point is King Abdulaziz International Airport, where you will take a bus, which runs every half hour, to Jeddah.
From Jeddah, take the three-hour bus ride to nearby Taif (the bus runs hourly). From Taif, change buses and continue to Riyadh (or stay back a while and explore what this historic city has to offer first). The duration from Taif to Riyadh is about 10 hours and the bus runs hourly.
Price range: SAR318-SAR490
Duration: 14h 40m
From SAR318. King Abdulaziz International Airport.
Car
Driving from Jeddah to Riyadh takes about nine hours and 40 minutes. It is the cheapest option and a potentially exciting one for those wishing to embark on a road trip.
Price range: SAR187-SAR300
Duration: 9h 40m
From SAR187.
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Train
It is not (yet) possible to travel from Jeddah to Riyadh entirely by train, however, there are discussions and plans to expand the Haramain High-Speed Railway to include additional destinations beyond the current route between Makkah, Jeddah, and Madina.
Exciting travel news in Saudi
New travel routes to AlUla announced
You can now fly to the ancient city from France.
Saudi opens Umrah to all visa holders
You can obtain a permit through the Nusuk app.
New five-year Schengen visas for Saudi citizens announced
It’s valid for five years.
