Makkah: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Makkah is a city of 1.6 million people in Saudi Arabia (Mecca Region), 333 m (1,093 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Taif International Airport (TIF), 75 km (47 mi) from the centre. It has 1 railway station on record, including Makkah Railway Station. Our booking partner lists 596 places to stay.
Key facts
Daylight in Makkah runs from about 10 h 52 min a day in late December to 13 h 29 min in late June (computed for 21.43° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Makkah is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Taif International Airport (TIF), 75 km (47 mi) from the centre, whose 12,254-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED, 75 km).
Flights to Makkah: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Makkah Railway Station. Trains to Makkah
Buses to Makkah · Driving and car hire
Where to stay
Our booking partner lists 596 places to stay in Makkah. Of the 215 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (58), and 27 are five-star. Across 130 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.1 out of 10. Guests have left 615,185 reviews in total.
Hotels in Makkah: the full picture, and book
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Jeddah, 67 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Madinah, 339 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental
- Sulţānah, 342 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental
- Ta’if, 64 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Port Sudan, 338 km (Sudan) — flights
- Yanbu, 347 km — flights · buses · car rental
- Bīshah, 330 km — flights · buses · car rental
Twin towns and sister cities: Medina.
Common questions
Which airport serves Makkah?
Taif International Airport (TIF), 75 km (47 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Makkah?
About 1.6 million people live in Makkah, across 760 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Makkah in?
Asia/Riyadh, currently UTC+3.
What currency is used in Makkah?
The Rial (SAR). Traffic drives on the right.
How many hotels are there in Makkah?
Our booking partner lists 596 places to stay in Makkah, bookable on this site.
Which cities are near Makkah?
Jeddah (67 km), Madinah (339 km), Sulţānah (342 km), Ta’if (64 km), Port Sudan (338 km).
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 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel 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.