Driving from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh
Riyadh lies 777 km (482 mi) west of Abu Dhabi, -1 h on the clock. What the numbers say about getting there.
Driving takes about 11 h 51 min without stops, over roughly 947 km (589 mi) of road; add breaks, fuel and any border.
| Abu Dhabi | Riyadh | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United Arab Emirates | Saudi Arabia |
| Population | 1.8 million | 4.2 million |
| Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) | 612 m (2,008 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+4 (Asia/Dubai) | UTC+3 (Asia/Riyadh) |
Clocks in Riyadh are 1 h behind Abu Dhabi right now, so a 11 h 51 min journey lands only 10 h 51 min later by the destination clock.
What changes when you arrive in Riyadh
Crossing from United Arab Emirates into Saudi Arabia: money changes from the Dirham to the Rial (SAR); sockets are BS 1363; the dialling code becomes +966; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648903.
Where to book car hire from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Staying in Riyadh
Our booking partner lists 2,250+ places to stay in Riyadh (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 383 with a star rating, the largest group is 4-star (206), and 29 are five-star. Across 325 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8 out of 10. Guests have left 369,870 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Riyadh
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Riyadh from Abu Dhabi?
777 km (482 mi) in a straight line, west of Abu Dhabi; by road roughly 947 km (589 mi).
How long does it take to get from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh by car?
About 11 h 51 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh?
Riyadh is 1 h behind at the moment (Asia/Riyadh against Asia/Dubai).
What currency do I need in Riyadh?
The Rial (SAR).
Where can I stay in Riyadh?
Our booking partner lists 2,250+ places to stay in Riyadh, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.