AirOrSeaTravel is an independent guide. Bookings on this page are completed on the provider’s own website. How we are funded.

AirOrSeaTravel — find your way there
Riyadh · Saudi Arabia

Car hire and driving in Riyadh

Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.

OverviewFlightsHotelsTrainsBusesCar rentalTours

In Saudi Arabia traffic drives on the right. Picking up at RUH means 30 km (19 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648903 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q3086706.

Drives from Riyadh

Car rental from Riyadh: distances and estimated journey times
RouteCountryDistanceEstimated time
Riyadh to Al KharjSaudi Arabia86 km (53 mi)about 1 h 18 min
Riyadh to Az ZulfīSaudi Arabia262 km (163 mi)about 4 h
Riyadh to Al HufūfSaudi Arabia298 km (185 mi)about 4 h 33 min
Riyadh to Al MubarrazSaudi Arabia300 km (186 mi)about 4 h 34 min
Riyadh to UnaizahSaudi Arabia315 km (196 mi)about 4 h 48 min
Riyadh to BuraydahSaudi Arabia330 km (205 mi)about 5 h 2 min
Riyadh to Al JubaylSaudi Arabia389 km (242 mi)about 5 h 56 min
Riyadh to DammamSaudi Arabia391 km (243 mi)about 5 h 58 min
Riyadh to KhobarSaudi Arabia392 km (244 mi)about 5 h 59 min
Riyadh to Madīnat ḨamadBahrain412 km (256 mi)about 6 h 17 min
Riyadh to Ar Rifā‘Bahrain417 km (259 mi)about 6 h 22 min
Riyadh to Hafar Al-BatinSaudi Arabia423 km (263 mi)about 6 h 27 min
Riyadh to JeddahSaudi Arabia849 km (527 mi)about 12 h 57 min
Riyadh to DubaiUnited Arab Emirates867 km (539 mi)about 13 h 13 min
Riyadh to Abu DhabiUnited Arab Emirates777 km (482 mi)about 11 h 51 min
Riyadh to SharjahUnited Arab Emirates878 km (546 mi)about 13 h 24 min
Riyadh to MakkahSaudi Arabia793 km (493 mi)about 12 h 6 min
Riyadh to MadinahSaudi Arabia719 km (447 mi)about 10 h 58 min
Riyadh to AmmanJordan1,328 km (825 mi)about 20 h 15 min
Riyadh to SulţānahSaudi Arabia722 km (448 mi)about 11 h

Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.

Where to compare car hire

ExpediaCar hire from the major suppliers, and the one to look at if the flight or hotel is already booked there. Part of Expedia Group.Check car hire on Expedia (opens www.expedia.com in a new tab)
DiscoverCarsCompares local and international suppliers. Read the counter reviews before you pick.Check rental cars on DiscoverCars (opens www.discovercars.com in a new tab)
Rentalcars.comBooking.com's car arm, with wide airport coverage worldwide.Compare suppliers on Rentalcars.com (opens www.rentalcars.com in a new tab)
Every link above leaves this site.

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.

Common questions

Which side of the road do they drive on in Riyadh?

The right, as everywhere in Saudi Arabia.

How are the journey times on this page worked out?

From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.

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.