UAE to Saudi Arabia by road: crossing the Ghuwaifat–Al Batha border

Going from the UAE to Saudi Arabia by road means one crossing on the UAE–Saudi border: Ghuwaifat on the UAE side and Al Batha on the Saudi side. It sits at the far western end of Abu Dhabi emirate on the E11, about 457 km from Dubai. You clear UAE exit first, then Saudi immigration, car insurance and customs. Allow extra hours for the crossing on top of the drive.

We arrange cars with a driver to Riyadh, Dammam and Al Khobar through this crossing. If you’d rather not drive 1,000 km yourself, see Dubai to Riyadh by road with a driver. This guide covers the crossing itself, from documents to customs.

Status on 12 October 2026: Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport has been closed since Saturday 10 October after Houthi missile attacks killed 12 people, and GACA, Saudi Arabia’s aviation authority, has extended the closure. Dammam’s airport was also targeted, and UAE airlines cancelled Riyadh and Dammam flights for 12 and 13 October. The UK Foreign Office, updated 11 October, advises against all but essential travel to Riyadh province, Dammam and Jeddah, and to every Saudi airport except Medina. Check UAE MOFA (mofa.gov.ae) and Saudi official advice before you set off, and see Riyadh airport closure: how to travel from the UAE.

Where is the Ghuwaifat border, and how far is it from Dubai?

Ghuwaifat is in Al Dhafra, the western region of Abu Dhabi, next to the town of Al Sila. Al Batha is the only land port between Saudi Arabia and the UAE. From Dubai you stay on the E11 the whole way: the road we drive for Dubai to Abu Dhabi transfers, continued west through Ruwais. In Saudi Arabia, Route 95 runs north to Salwa, and you turn inland via Al Hofuf to Riyadh.

From	To	Road distance	Driving time, no stops
Dubai	Ghuwaifat border	about 457 km	4 to 4.5 hours
Abu Dhabi	Ghuwaifat border	about 353 km	3 to 3.5 hours
Al Batha border	Central Riyadh	about 601 km	6 to 7 hours
Dubai	Central Riyadh	about 1,057 km	10 to 12 hours, plus the border
Abu Dhabi	Central Riyadh	about 954 km	9.5 to 11 hours, plus the border

What time does the Batha border open?

We couldn’t find passenger opening hours published by the UAE’s ICP or by Saudi passports, so we won’t quote any. Travellers report crossing at all hours, but check with ICP before a late-night crossing.

How does the crossing work, step by step?

UAE side first, then a short drive to the Saudi side. Keep every slip you’re handed until the last Saudi gate.

UAE exit at Ghuwaifat

1. Follow the signs for private cars. Trucks are processed separately.
2. Passport control. Hand over passports (or IDs for GCC citizens) for everyone in the car. Residents should have their Emirates ID ready too.
3. Exit fee. ICP lists the land exit fee at AED 30 for residents and visitors. UAE nationals and GCC citizens are exempt.
4. Gate pass. You’re usually given a paper slip for the car that collects stamps on both sides. Don’t lose it.

Saudi entry at Al Batha

1. Immigration. Officers check passports and visas. First-time visitors may be fingerprinted and photographed.
2. Car insurance. Show your Saudi third-party policy, or buy one at the insurance booths.
3. Customs. Officers check the car’s registration and may X-ray the car or search bags. Declare anything that needs declaring here.
4. Exit gate. Hand in the stamped gate pass.

What documents do passengers need?

Everyone needs their own documents, children included, and passports need at least six months’ validity from arrival.

Traveller	What to carry
GCC citizens, including Emiratis	Valid national ID card; Saudi Arabia reinstated ID travel for GCC citizens in 2022. Bring your passport too.
UAE residents	Passport, Emirates ID and a Saudi eVisa approved before you leave. GCC residents of any profession can apply if their residence permit has at least three months left.
Other passports	Passport and a Saudi visa valid for entry by land. Some nationalities, and holders of US, UK or Schengen visas, can get the eVisa.
Children	Their own passport or GCC ID, and their own visa. For the GCC-resident eVisa, applicants must be 18 or over, so parents apply first and add their children.

Apply on the official Visit Saudi eVisa portal. The eVisa is valid for a year with multiple entries, up to 90 days in total, and covers tourism and Umrah outside the Hajj season. Don’t count on a visa at the border: the UK Foreign Office warns that some visas only allow entry by air.

If a child travels with one parent, we’d carry the other parent’s signed consent and the birth certificate, in case officers ask.

Can I drive my UAE-registered car into Saudi Arabia?

Yes, if it’s your car and the papers are in order:

• Mulkiya (registration card). Current, and matching the plates and chassis number.
• Ownership. The UK Foreign Office says the car must be wholly owned by and registered to the traveller. For a financed, leased, company or borrowed car, get a written no-objection letter from the bank, leasing firm, employer or owner, and expect it may not be enough.
• Saudi third-party insurance. Compulsory for every foreign vehicle, GCC-registered cars included; UAE GCC cover doesn’t replace it. Buy it through Manafith, the official platform for foreign vehicles (manafith.com.sa or its app), or at the Al Batha booths. Online you can pick a short cover period; at the border, policies are sold in longer blocks.
• Driving licence. Check if your nationality also needs an international driving permit.

Saudi traffic fines are recorded on Absher against your passport or ID, and must be paid before you leave the country.

What about a hired car with a driver?

That’s a commercial vehicle, and the car’s papers are the operator’s job: registration, the driver’s authorisation, Saudi insurance and any cross-border permit the trip needs. You carry only your passport, ID and visa. Ask the operator to confirm in writing that the car is cleared to enter Saudi Arabia before you pay.

What can’t you take into Saudi Arabia?

Saudi customs (ZATCA) and the UK Foreign Office list these as banned or restricted:

• Alcohol, pork and pork products, including food containing them.
• Narcotics and drugs of any kind, plus pills and creams not registered with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA).
• Weapons, ammunition, fireworks and counterfeit currency.
• Radar detectors and eavesdropping devices, and certain sculptures such as religious symbols.

Some prescription medicines are controlled in Saudi Arabia; if you take one, get the SFDA’s clearance permit for travellers before the trip and carry the prescription. You must also declare more than 200 cigarettes, and cash, gold or jewellery above a set value. That threshold was reported lowered in mid-2026, so check the current figure with ZATCA.

How long does the UAE–Saudi border crossing take?

There’s no official waiting-time figure. Quiet days move steadily; at Eid and other holidays, waits of several hours have been reported. With Riyadh’s airport closed, more UAE residents are driving this week, so allow extra time.

• Leave Dubai early. A 5am start gets you to the border before midday.
• Avoid holiday peaks if you can shift by a day.
• Keep documents in one folder, ready before each booth.
• Finish the Saudi stretch in daylight. UK advice is to cross desert areas by day.

Fuel, rest stops and phone signal

Fill up in Ruwais or Al Sila, the last towns before the border. In Saudi Arabia, top up after the checkpoint and again at Al Hofuf; the stretches between are long and quiet. Carry water, and share your route and arrival time with someone at home.

Your UAE SIM works in Saudi Arabia only with roaming on, so check your carrier’s GCC roaming pack and download offline maps. Saudi SIM shops ask for your passport and the border number from your entry record.

Why many people use a car with a driver instead

Dubai to Saudi Arabia by road is ten to twelve hours of driving to Riyadh plus a border. That’s a long day, and harder if you have to drive back. With a driver, you can rest or work, and the car’s insurance and papers aren’t your problem. It also sidesteps the ownership question if your own car is financed or a company car. On our Dubai to Riyadh transfers, the car’s side of the border is our job and you bring your own documents. For trips inside the country, see our chauffeur service across the UAE.

Frequently asked questions

What time does the Batha border open?

We couldn’t find official passenger opening hours from ICP or Saudi passports. Travellers report crossing at all hours, but arrangements can change at short notice, so check with ICP before a late-night crossing.

Do I need a visa to cross from the UAE to Saudi Arabia by road?

GCC citizens don’t; they cross with a national ID. UAE residents need a Saudi eVisa, available online if their residence permit has at least three months left. Others need a visa valid for land entry, approved before you leave.

Can I drive my UAE-registered car into Saudi Arabia?

Yes, if you own it. Carry the mulkiya and your licence, and buy Saudi third-party insurance through Manafith or at the Al Batha booths; UAE GCC cover doesn’t replace it. The UK Foreign Office says the car must be registered to you.

How long does the UAE–Saudi border crossing take?

There’s no official figure. Waits of several hours have been reported at Eid, and customs may X-ray the car. With Riyadh’s airport closed, more people are driving, so leave Dubai early and allow extra time.

Can I enter Saudi Arabia with my Emirates ID?

Only if you’re an Emirati or another GCC citizen. UAE residents need their passport and a Saudi eVisa; the Emirates ID alone isn’t enough, and your residency must have at least three months left when you apply.