Mecca, Saudi Arabia

Getting around Mecca

How to travel around Mecca — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Mecca Metro (Al Mashaaer)

A rail line built solely to move pilgrims between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah during Hajj.

Best time: Operates during Hajj only

2. Haramain High Speed Rail

Mecca to Medina in about two hours, and to Jeddah in half an hour.

Cost: SAR 40–150

3. Pilgrim coaches

Group transport between the holy sites, arranged through your operator.

Watch outUnlicensed operators selling seats on services that are overbooked or do not run.

4. Careem and Uber

Both operate and avoid the surge pricing demanded on the street during peak periods.

Watch outStreet drivers demanding many times the normal fare during pilgrimage peaks.

5. Walking

Much of the central area is pedestrianised during peak periods, and walking is often the only option.

Tip: Distances between hotels and the mosque are longer than they look; check before booking.

Booking apps in Saudi Arabia

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Careem

The most widely used ride-hailing app in Saudi Arabia.

Coverage: All major cities including Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Mecca and Medina.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.

Uber

Operates across the kingdom alongside Careem.

Coverage: Major cities.
Why it helps: Particularly useful during pilgrimage season, when street fares are demanded at many times the normal rate.