Taxis, apps and the metro in Saudi Arabia

Riyadh's metro opened in November 2024 and all six lines have been running since January 2025: 85 stations, 176 kilometres, and the longest fully automated driverless network in the world. A two-hour economy ticket is about SAR 4, first class around SAR 10, and a seven day pass roughly SAR 40. You use the Darb app.

The airport connection is the part that matters most to a visitor. The Yellow Line reaches King Khalid International with covered walkways from the terminals, against SAR 50 to 130 or more for the same trip by taxi. That is the widest gap between transit and taxi anywhere in this cluster, and the carriages are built with luggage space.

Uber and Careem both work normally with your existing account and card. Careem, though owned by Uber since 2019, operates separately and is the dominant platform in Saudi Arabia, with local features worth having. Jeeny is a third, Saudi-focused option. Downloading both majors before you fly is the sensible move.

The market is large and regulated: ride-hailing across the Kingdom passed 32 million trips in a single quarter of 2025, and the Transport General Authority licenses all operators. In-city rides run roughly SAR 25 to 60 depending on distance and surge, with peaks at rush hour and during Ramadan and Hajj.

At Riyadh's King Khalid International the official taxi concession runs metered cars from ranks outside arrivals, with a price list displayed at the stand. Current estimates for the ride into central districts like Olaya vary considerably across sources, from roughly SAR 50 up to SAR 180 depending on destination, traffic and which source you believe, which is a wide enough spread that we will not quote a single figure. Confirm the meter is running before you set off.

Ride-hailing typically comes in lower, often around SAR 60 to 120 into the centre, and both Uber and Careem operate 24 hours from all terminals with signposted pickup zones. Between the metro at about four riyals and an app at sixty, the taxi rank is the convenience option rather than the default.

For longer hops, the Haramain High Speed Railway connects Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah with economy fares commonly in the SAR 50 to 150 range, and SAPTCO intercity coaches are cheaper again. Intercity ride-hailing exists but is dramatically more expensive: Riyadh to Dammam by app runs into the hundreds of riyals.

Renting is genuinely viable here because fuel is cheap, around SAR 2.20 a litre for 91 octane in 2026, which is a fraction of US prices. Rental itself commonly runs SAR 150 to 350 a day. Distances are long and the driving is fast, so this is a considered choice rather than a casual one.

Common questions

Quick answers.

More on Saudi Arabia

The little money things nobody warns you about.

• Do US citizens need a visa for Saudi Arabia?Yes, and it is the most expensive entry in the Gulf, but it is also the most generous: a year of validity, multiple entries, and medical insurance folded into the price.
• Cash or card in Saudi Arabia?Saudi Arabia went card-first fast. Cards and phone payments cover almost everything in the cities, the riyal does not move, and the 15% VAT is the one number worth planning around.
• Do you tip in Saudi Arabia?Not obligatory, and not the US convention. Service is often charged for already, and where it is not, a small amount in cash is welcome rather than expected.
• The Saudi VAT refund, and the step everyone missesShort answer: Saudi Arabia charges the highest VAT in the Gulf and, unusually for the region, gives it back on shopping. The scheme works, but it starts at the till rather than at the airport, and that is where most claims are lost before they begin.