{"id":13098,"date":"2025-10-19T02:07:39","date_gmt":"2025-10-19T00:07:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/?p=13098"},"modified":"2026-03-17T16:54:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T15:54:23","slug":"saudi-arabia-what-to-expect-on-highways","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/asia\/saudi-arabia-what-to-expect-on-highways\/","title":{"rendered":"Driving in Saudi Arabia \u2013 What to Expect on Highways and in Cities"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"13098\" class=\"elementor elementor-13098 elementor-12318\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b2533cf e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b2533cf\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1c9949b elementor-toc--minimized-on-desktop elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"1c9949b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;No headings were found on this page.&quot;,&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;,&quot;h3&quot;,&quot;h4&quot;,&quot;h5&quot;,&quot;h6&quot;],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;numbers&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tTable of contents\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__1c9949b\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-down\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M207.029 381.476L12.686 187.132c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941l22.667-22.667c9.357-9.357 24.522-9.375 33.901-.04L224 284.505l154.745-154.021c9.379-9.335 24.544-9.317 33.901.04l22.667 22.667c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941L240.971 381.476c-9.373 9.372-24.569 9.372-33.942 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--collapse\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__1c9949b\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Close table of contents\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-chevron-up\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M240.971 130.524l194.343 194.343c9.373 9.373 9.373 24.569 0 33.941l-22.667 22.667c-9.357 9.357-24.522 9.375-33.901.04L224 227.495 69.255 381.516c-9.379 9.335-24.544 9.317-33.901-.04l-22.667-22.667c-9.373-9.373-9.373-24.569 0-33.941L207.03 130.525c9.372-9.373 24.568-9.373 33.941-.001z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__1c9949b\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin e-font-icon-svg e-eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\" viewBox=\"0 0 1000 1000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M500 975V858C696 858 858 696 858 500S696 142 500 142 142 304 142 500H25C25 237 238 25 500 25S975 237 975 500 763 975 500 975Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce61ce1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ce61ce1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Hello! \ud83d\udc4b<\/h2><p class=\"p1\">Saudi Arabia from behind the wheel means endless straight highways, shimmering heat above the asphalt, and a horizon that never seems to get closer. You drive fast, you drive far \u2014 and that\u2019s exactly the kind of long-distance travel this story is about. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">It was our second time in Saudi Arabia, but a completely different part of the country \u2014 and a different ride. This time, <a href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/desert-horizons-2025\/\">we entered on a motorcycle as part of our Desert Horizons expedition<\/a>. The season? Let\u2019s just say it was a bit toasty for sightseeing, but that\u2019s when our schedule lined up \u2014 so we hit the road anyway.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Below we\u2019ve gathered everything that\u2019s useful from the very first kilometers: what traffic is like, what to expect on the main roads, how speed cameras work, what to know about maps, fuel, and safety. And if this topic clicks with you, <a href=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/tag\/saudi-arabia\/\">check out our other posts about Saudi Arabia too \ud83d\ude03<\/a>.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Are we going? \ud83d\ude80<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6e12a8a elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6e12a8a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/saudi-arabia-hafar-al-batin-road-motorcycle-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-csco-thumbnail-16x9-2x size-csco-thumbnail-16x9-2x wp-image-15605\" alt=\"Motorbike on Hafar al Batin Road with a rider waving in front of the HAFAR AL BATIN sign, Saudi Arabia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/saudi-arabia-hafar-al-batin-road-motorcycle-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/saudi-arabia-hafar-al-batin-road-motorcycle-512x288.jpeg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d58cc2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7d58cc2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Overview of road conditions<\/h2><p class=\"p1\">The first thing worth saying is that Saudi Arabia is built for moving \u2014 by car, bus, or motorcycle. A dense network of highways and expressways connects cities and regions, and in recent years the country has seriously upgraded both the quality and connectivity of its roads (they proudly tout top rankings and ongoing modernization projects). In practice, the main arteries are smooth, wide, and fast \u2014 and on some long-distance corridors, the speed limit now goes up to 140 km\/h (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/node\/1249296\/%7B%7B\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">though not everywhere \u2014 it applies only to selected major routes<\/a>). <\/p><p class=\"p1\">There\u2019s also the flip side, which we felt firsthand: constant roadworks and upgrades. When lanes narrow or detours kick in, the temporary surfaces can get bumpy and the signage less clear. And if you miss an exit or a flyover turn, the next U-turn might be several kilometers away. Cities \u2014 especially the outskirts of Riyadh \u2014 are extremely car-oriented, with limited pedestrian infrastructure. In short, it\u2019s not a \u201cwalkable city\u201d kind of place.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Weather and environmental conditions deserve their own chapter<a href=\"https:\/\/www.arabnews.com\/node\/2596690\/saudi-arabia\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">: sandstorms can suddenly drop visibility to zero<\/a>, and authorities regularly urge drivers to slow down or pull over when that happens. Outside cities, camels on the road are a real hazard \u2014 there are entire zones marked with warning signs \u2014 and the danger increases dramatically after dark. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0ff8942 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0ff8942\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Driving style and traffic culture<\/h3><p class=\"p1\">In the cities, the pace is fast and often assertive: quick lane changes, tailgating, and short following distances are all part of the rhythm. Studies from Riyadh have for years pointed to speeding, impatience toward slower drivers, and distraction as the most common risky behaviors \u2014 things have improved recently, but it\u2019s still far from ideal. <\/p><p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2071-1050\/17\/8\/3304\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">At the same time, Saudi Arabia has significantly tightened traffic enforcement. <\/a>The key player here is the SAHER camera network \u2014 fixed, average-speed, red-light, seat-belt, and phone-use cameras \u2014 operating 24\/7 and effectively curbing reckless driving. And the data backs it up: according to WHO and partner reports, road fatalities and serious injuries have been steadily declining over the past few years.  <span class=\"s1\">approx. 35\u201340% decrease in mortality <\/span> on the roads between 2016 and 2021.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40b8ae0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"40b8ae0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Road categories<\/h2><p class=\"p1\">To make sense of Saudi Arabia\u2019s vast road network, <a href=\"https:\/\/istitlaa.ncc.gov.sa\/ar\/transportation\/mot\/saudihighwaycode\/Documents\/SHC%20201%20final.pdf\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">it helps to understand two overlapping systems:<\/a> the functional classification (what role a road serves) and the numbering scheme (how it\u2019s labeled on maps and signs).<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Functional classes (according to Saudi Highway Code \/ RGA):<b><\/b><\/p><ul><li class=\"p1\"><b>Highways \/ Freeways (urban &amp; rural): <\/b>fully grade-separated, access-controlled roads where speed limits for cars can reach up to <b>140 km\/h <\/b>on selected segments (lower for trucks and buses). They form the backbone connecting major cities and ring roads. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span><\/li><li class=\"p1\"><b>Arterial Roads (principal \/ minor, including expressways):<\/b> high-capacity routes designed for fast movement but with more exits, U-turns, and occasional intersections. Speed limits typically range from <b>120\u2013100 km\/h<\/b> outside cities and lower within urban areas. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span><\/li><li class=\"p1\"><b>Collectors<\/b> \u2013 collect traffic from local streets and \u201cfeed\u201d it onto arterial roads; moderate speeds.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span><\/li><li class=\"p1\"><b>Local<\/b> \u2013 commuting to properties, commercial areas, and residential areas.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/li><\/ul><p class=\"p1\">The network is complemented by ring roads around major metros \u2014 Riyadh has the Eastern, Northern, Southern, and Western Rings \u2014 which handle most through traffic. Cities are currently upgrading these corridors under large-scale projects like the <b>Riyadh Main &amp; Ring Road Axes Development Program<\/b>. <\/p><p><b>Signage and language:<\/b> official guidelines call for bilingual road signs (Arabic\/English) with exit numbers, but in practice many locations \u2014 even in Riyadh, the Saudi capital \u2014 still feature signage only in Arabic, which can make quick navigation tricky for foreign drivers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ee062f8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ee062f8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/saudi-arabia-alula-maraya-motorcycle-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-csco-thumbnail-16x9-2x size-csco-thumbnail-16x9-2x wp-image-15608\" alt=\"Saudi Arabia, Al Ula Maraya on Motorcycle\u2014rider\u2019s view of an empty road through desert cliffs\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/saudi-arabia-alula-maraya-motorcycle-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/saudi-arabia-alula-maraya-motorcycle-512x288.jpeg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1ace302 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1ace302\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Fines<\/h2><p class=\"p1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yallamotor.com\/news\/new-speed-violations-and-fines-in-saudi-arabia-46950Saudi Arabia doesn\u2019t do half measures \u2014 fines are steep and enforcement runs 24\/7. Here are the key penalties that can realistically affect a visiting driver:\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Saudi Arabia doesn\u2019t do half measures<\/a> \u2014 fines are steep and enforcement runs 24\/7. Here are the key penalties that can realistically affect a visiting driver:<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Speed (example \u2013 sections with a speed limit of 120 km\/h):<\/p><ul><li class=\"p1\"><strong>+10\u201320 km\/h:<\/strong> 150\u2013300 SAR; <strong>+20\u201330:<\/strong> 300\u2013500 SAR; <strong>+30\u201340:<\/strong> 800\u20131 000 SAR; <strong>+40\u201350:<\/strong> 1 200\u20131 500 SAR; <strong>above +50:<\/strong> 1 500\u20132 000 SAR.<\/li><li class=\"p1\"><strong>Red light: <\/strong>3,000\u20136,000 SAR (intersection camera = automatic ticket).<\/li><li class=\"p1\"><strong>Phone in hand:<\/strong> 500\u2013900 SAR.<\/li><li class=\"p1\"><strong>Seat belts: <\/strong>150\u2013300 SAR.<\/li><li class=\"p1\"><strong>Driving the wrong way:<\/strong> SAR 3,000\u20136,000 + penalty points; additional measures possible for repeat offenders.<\/li><\/ul><p class=\"p1\">How to check if any fines are \u201changing\u201d on your vehicle or your name? For foreigners, there\u2019s an official e-service called \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.absher.sa\/wps\/portal\/individuals\/Home\/myservices\/einquiries\/traffic\/qtvfvisitor\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Query Traffic Violations for Visitors<\/a>\u201d on the Absher platform \u2014 you can verify your record using your passport number or border number.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98a7c58 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"98a7c58\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Speed cameras and speed control<\/h3><p class=\"p1\">Saudi traffic enforcement relies on a dense SAHER camera network: intersections (red lights), straight sections (speed), lane discipline, and mobile phone use. The system combines fixed roadside units, grey boxes, and mobile setups \u2014 all operating in front\/rear mode, meaning they capture plates from both directions (yes, motorcycles too). Everything is connected to the National Information Center and runs automatically.  <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c4725e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c4725e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2><b>Maps and navigation in Saudi Arabia<\/b><\/h2><p class=\"p1\">Simply put \u2014 navigation works. Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze guide you smoothly throughout the country. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">What really makes a difference is coverage outside the cities. Saudi Arabia is vast, and between towns the signal can drop to 2G\/EDGE or disappear completely \u2014 we had that on the way to Al-Ula. With Zain KSA, we sometimes got only 2G; after switching to Mobily eSIM, we had more consistent 4G\/5G \u2014 though that 5G wasn\u2019t always as fast as it looked on paper. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">For long, remote stretches, take a satellite device with SOS (e.g., <b>Garmin inReach<\/b>) \u2014 SOS works globally with an active subscription.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-060276b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"060276b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Security checks<\/h2><p class=\"p1\">From our experience, checkpoints in Saudi Arabia are quite rare. We mostly encountered road patrols or temporary controls \u2014 often related to pilgrimage routes \u2014 rather than fixed \u201cgates\u201d inside cities. On longer stretches, you\u2019ll see the Roads Security Special Forces, a Ministry of Interior unit responsible for highway patrols and checkpoints at city entrances.   <\/p><p class=\"p1\"><b>What do they usually check?<\/b> In practice, the most common request is for the <b>vehicle registration card <\/b>(istimara), your driver\u2019s license, and \u2014 if needed \u2014 an ID document. For rental cars, the rental agreement plus the car\u2019s papers are usually enough. In our case, officers often asked for the istimara first, and never even wanted to see our passports. (<i>\u201cIstimara\u201d is the official vehicle registration card managed through the Absher system.<\/i>)    <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c704ae0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c704ae0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Fuel \u2013 availability and quality<\/h2><p class=\"p1\">From a driver\u2019s or rider\u2019s perspective, things are simple: Saudi stations offer 91 and 95 petrol, plus <b>diesel<\/b>. Outside major cities, you\u2019ll more often find <b>91<\/b>, while 95 is less common but still easily available along main corridors and at larger stations. If your car or bike requires 95 \u2014 stick to the manufacturer\u2019s recommendation.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Prices (approximate, as of summer 2025, Aramco):<b><\/b><\/p><ul><li class=\"p2\">91 \u2014 <span class=\"s1\"><b>2.18 SAR\/l<\/b><\/span>,<\/li><li class=\"p2\">95 \u2014 <span class=\"s1\"><b>2.33 SAR\/l<\/b><\/span>,<\/li><li class=\"p2\">diesel \u2014 <span class=\"s1\"><b>1.66 SAR\/l<\/b><\/span>.<\/li><\/ul><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aramco.com\/en\/what-we-do\/energy-products\/retail-fuels\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">The KSA publishes prices every month<\/a>, and these values have been stable for a long time.<\/p><p class=\"p1\"><b>Quality-wise<\/b>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spa.gov.sa\/en\/N2055538\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">since February 2024<\/a> all fuels in Saudi Arabia comply with <b>Euro-5 standards <\/b>\u2014 including diesel with sulfur content up to <b>10 ppm<\/b>. In practice, that means cleaner emissions and reliable fuel with no surprises for modern engines.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\"><b>Availability on the road:<\/b> Stations are frequent along highways and junctions, and large service centers like SASCO include restaurants, shops, ATMs, and even small repair facilities. On some newer sites, the truck area is physically separated \u2014 diesel only \u2014 while cars have their own entrance with petrol pumps only, so it\u2019s easy to take the wrong turn if you\u2019re entering quickly. <\/p><p class=\"p1\"><b>Payment: <\/b>Digital payments are the norm in Saudi Arabia. The local mada network is the default, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/saudigazette.com.sa\/article\/621315?\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ministry of Commerce has explicitly stated<\/a> that stations cannot require mada only or refuse Visa\/Mastercard. In practice, terminals in rural areas can be hit-or-miss, so it\u2019s still smart to keep some cash just in case. <\/p><p class=\"p1\"><b>Service: <\/b>Most gas stations in Saudi Arabia are <b>full-service<\/b>, with attendants handling the refueling for you. There are a few self-service pilot stations, but they\u2019re still rare \u2014 just pull up to the pump, and the staff will usually take care of the rest.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eabd8a5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"eabd8a5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Tolls, vignettes, toll gates<\/h2><p>Good news: Saudi Arabia has no tolls or vignettes for cars and motorcycles \u2014 the entire highway network is toll-free. The only exception is the <b>King Fahd Causeway<\/b> connecting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where you\u2019ll pay around <b>SAR 25 \/ BHD 2.5<\/b> per car. In 2022, the Ministry of Transport officially denied rumors about introducing tolls on existing roads.   <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0814784 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0814784\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Border fees and temporary entry of vehicles (TIP\/CPD)<\/h3><ul><li class=\"p1\"><b>Land border crossings:<\/b> there\u2019s <b>no standard road fee<\/b> for crossing the border with a private car or motorcycle. Customs (ZATCA) may direct vehicles through an <b>X-ray scanner<\/b>, but that\u2019s part of the inspection process \u2014 not a paid toll or traveler\u2019s fee. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span><\/li><li class=\"p1\"><b>Carnet de Passages (CPD): <\/b><b>not required for tourist entry<\/b>. Most overlanders enter Saudi Arabia on an e-visa, presenting only the vehicle registration and valid insurance at the border.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span><\/li><li class=\"p1\"><b>Vehicle authorization (if you\u2019re not the owner):<\/b> sometimes requested, though not always. The safest option is to carry a power of attorney in <b>Arabic with an apostille<\/b> \u2014 Saudi Arabia has been part of the Hague Apostille Convention since December 7, 2022. If you\u2019re arriving overland from Iraq or Kuwait with a leased or financed vehicle, this document is effectively mandatory.  <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cb4e665 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cb4e665\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Vehicle insurance<\/h3><p><b>Mandatory third-party insurance <\/b>for foreign-plated vehicles can be purchased online via the <b>Manafith<\/b> platform (app or web) or at the <b>border counter<\/b>. Online options include short-term coverage, for example one week for about <b>60 SAR<\/b>.  <span class=\"s1\"><b>2 weeks 90 SAR <\/b><\/span>), which is usually cheaper than a month for 130 SAR &#8211; in the case of a motorcycle.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">  <\/span><\/p><p class=\"p1\">Buying vehicle insurance in Saudi Arabia sounds simple \u2014 at least on paper. For non-GCC vehicles, there are two theoretical options: buy a one-month policy at the border counter, or use the official <b>Manafith<\/b> app to get short-term coverage (like one or two weeks). On paper it all looks smooth \u2014 but in practice\u2026 well, let\u2019s just say it didn\u2019t go that smoothly.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">First, there was the registration battle on the iPhone \u2014 the app looked sleek, but the confirmation email never arrived. Then came round two on Android \u2014 and that\u2019s where the real gem appeared: the system misread Poland\u2019s country code. The field was preset to \u201c+0048,\u201d which the server interpreted as \u201c++48,\u201d so the verification SMS simply never came through.  <\/p><p class=\"p1\">In the end, we gave up on the digital route and just kept going without insurance. No one stopped us, no one asked \u2014 not even at the border on our way out. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3010be8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3010be8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/saudi-arabia-border-insurance-najm-manafith-1024x576.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-csco-thumbnail-16x9-2x size-csco-thumbnail-16x9-2x wp-image-15611\" alt=\"Saudi Arabia, Border Insurance Manafith building with Najm sign and traffic lights in a parking area\" srcset=\"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/saudi-arabia-border-insurance-najm-manafith-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/saudi-arabia-border-insurance-najm-manafith-512x288.jpeg 512w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7e10fd7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7e10fd7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>Road safety<\/h2><p class=\"p1\">In Saudi Arabia, city driving can get pretty intense: big cars and trucks often claim the right of way, so in practice, \u201cthe bigger one wins\u201d. On the left lane, following distances are tight, lane changes can be sudden, and turn signals don\u2019t always mean what you think \u2014 so it\u2019s best to drive predictably, keep extra space up front, and avoid power struggles on the road. <\/p><p class=\"p1\">Road safety stats are moving in the right direction thanks to cameras and tougher penalties \u2014 but it\u2019s still far from European standards, so driving cautiously really does pay off.<\/p><p class=\"p1\">Near the borders, things can look a bit different from the country\u2019s central regions. Close to Yemen (Jazan, Najran, Asir), you\u2019ll encounter more frequent police checks and temporary checkpoints, and areas marked \u201cborder zone\u201d are taken literally \u2014 movement there is limited. In the Empty Quarter (Rub\u2019 al-Khali), distances between fuel stations are vast, cell coverage is unreliable, and entry to some protected zones requires a permit. It\u2019s the kind of terrain that calls for a well-prepared route, extra fuel, and solid offline maps.  <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Traveling in Saudi Arabia means highways and wide city roads. Learn what driving there is really like \u2014 from road conditions to driver behavior.","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12759,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[104],"tags":[182,166,134,173],"class_list":{"0":"post-13098","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-asia","8":"tag-car-travel","9":"tag-motorcycle-travels","10":"tag-saudi-arabia","11":"tag-travel-safety","12":"cs-entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13098"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13098\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/warsawtravelers.pl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}