Driving from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi lies 777 km (482 mi) east of Riyadh, +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.
| Riyadh | Abu Dhabi | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Saudi Arabia | United Arab Emirates |
| Population | 4.2 million | 1.8 million |
| Elevation | 612 m (2,008 ft) | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+3 (Asia/Riyadh) | UTC+4 (Asia/Dubai) |
Clocks in Abu Dhabi are 1 h ahead of Riyadh right now, so a 11 h 51 min journey lands 12 h 51 min later by the destination clock.
What changes when you arrive in Abu Dhabi
Crossing from Saudi Arabia into United Arab Emirates: money changes from the Rial to the Dirham (AED); sockets are AC power s and sockets: British and related types, BS 1363, Euro; the dialling code becomes +971; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648827.
Where to book car hire from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi
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 Abu Dhabi
Our booking partner lists 460 places to stay in Abu Dhabi. Of the 116 with a star rating, the largest group is 4-star (48), and 30 are five-star. Across 84 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.4 out of 10. Guests have left 168,123 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Abu Dhabi
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 Abu Dhabi from Riyadh?
777 km (482 mi) in a straight line, east of Riyadh; by road roughly 947 km (589 mi).
How long does it take to get from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi 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 Riyadh and Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi is 1 h ahead at the moment (Asia/Dubai against Asia/Riyadh).
What currency do I need in Abu Dhabi?
The Dirham (AED).
Where can I stay in Abu Dhabi?
Our booking partner lists 460 places to stay in Abu Dhabi, 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.