Medina, Saudi Arabia

Getting around Medina

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

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Haramain High Speed Rail

Medina to Mecca in about two hours, and to Jeddah airport directly.

Cost: SAR 40–150

2. Walking to the mosque

Most pilgrim accommodation is within walking distance, and the central area is pedestrianised.

3. Careem and Uber

Both operate, and avoid the fares demanded on the street at peak.

4. Ziyarah coaches

Group tours to Quba, Uhud and Qiblatayn, arranged through hotels and operators.

Watch outUnlicensed guides charging well above the licensed rate for site commentary.

5. Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport

About twenty minutes from the centre, with direct international pilgrim flights.

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.