Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
If you are travelling with a car from another GCC country, insurance and the Collision-
Damage Waiver (CDW) are mandatory. With car hire it's usually included in the price but
it pays to check very carefully.
Road Rules
The main rules include:
Driving on the right side of the road.
Leaving the scene of an accident is a serious offence and can result in fines of over
SR1000, imprisonment and deportation.
Not carrying a valid driving licence can result in a night in jail and a hefty fine.
Right turns are allowed at red lights unless specifically forbidden.
The speed limit in towns is 60km/h, 70km/h or 80km/h.
The speed limit on open highways is 120km/h (but can drop to 90km/h or 100km/h).
LOCAL TRANSPORT
Taxi
Taxis are found in most of the larger towns and are known as 'limousines' locally; they
can be hailed anywhere. Note that it's much cheaper to negotiate the fare first (as locals
do) rather than use the meter.
TRAIN
Saudi Arabia currently has only one stretch of train track in the entire country, between
Riyadh and Dammam via Al-Hofuf.
Plans are afoot to link Jeddah, Mecca and Medina by high-speed link to assist with hajj
pilgrimage. If this rail expansion occurs, further extensions to Aqaba in Jordan and on to
Egypt have also been discussed by Saudi officials. However, this would be a number of
years away - if it happens at all.
Ambitious future rail plans also include a 'North-South Line' linking Riyadh with
Hazm, 'The Land-bridge' linking Jeddah and Riyadh and a 'West Coast Line'.
Note that schedules change often; check the website for the latest information
(
www.saudirailways.org
)
. Maximum luggage allowance is between 20kg and 40kg de-
pending on the class of ticket (per excess kilo SR1 to SR2); luggage is loaded onto a sep-
arate carriage.
The gate closes five minutes before departure, but you should get there one hour before
departure for police checks and luggage x-rays.
Classes
