Driving from Dubai to Riyadh
Riyadh lies 867 km (539 mi) west of Dubai, -1 h on the clock. What the numbers say about getting there.
Driving takes about 13 h 13 min without stops, over roughly 1,058 km (657 mi) of road; add breaks, fuel and any border.
| Dubai | Riyadh | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United Arab Emirates | Saudi Arabia |
| Population | 3.8 million | 4.2 million |
| Elevation | 24 m (79 ft) | 612 m (2,008 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+4 (Asia/Dubai) | UTC+3 (Asia/Riyadh) |
Clocks in Riyadh are 1 h behind Dubai right now, so a 13 h 13 min journey lands only 12 h 13 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 Dubai 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 Dubai?
867 km (539 mi) in a straight line, west of Dubai; by road roughly 1,058 km (657 mi).
How long does it take to get from Dubai to Riyadh by car?
About 13 h 13 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Dubai 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.