Dubai to Riyadh by Road: Private Car with Driver
Door to door from Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah to Riyadh, Dammam, Al Khobar or Hofuf. Riyadh airport is closed as of 12 October 2026; check official advice before you travel.
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Dubai to Riyadh by road is about 1,060 km and 10.5 to 11 hours of driving, plus time at the border. We arrange a private car with a driver that collects you at your door in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah and takes you to your address in Riyadh, Dammam, Al Khobar or Hofuf. You get one fixed quote for the car, agreed on WhatsApp before pickup.
It’s the longest trip in our chauffeur service across the UAE. The car runs west on the E11 to the Ghuwaifat border, crosses at Al Batha and continues through Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Riyadh airport status as of 12 October 2026: King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is closed. Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) suspended operations after a deadly attack on 10 October and extended the suspension after a second strike on 11 October, without saying when flights will resume. Emirates, Etihad and flydubai have also cancelled Dammam flights for 12 and 13 October. Before you travel, check the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Saudi official advisories. Our guide to the Riyadh airport closure: how to travel from the UAE covers the wider options.
Reviewed by Arshad Hussain, chauffeur operations specialist, dubai · Updated
What route does the driver take from Dubai to Riyadh?
The E11 west to the Ghuwaifat border, Highway 95 to Salwa, the Salwa–Hofuf road to Hofuf, then the Dammam–Riyadh expressway into the city. Past Abu Dhabi, almost all of it is open desert highway.
Dubai to the border
the E11 runs past Abu Dhabi and through Al Dhafra to the UAE post at Al Ghuwaifat, near Al Sila. That’s about 455 km and 4 hours from central Dubai, or 355 km and 3 hours from Abu Dhabi.
The crossing
Al Batha is the Saudi side, in the Eastern Province. It’s the only land crossing between the two countries.
Border to Riyadh
about 600 km, north on Highway 95, west through Hofuf, then the Dammam–Riyadh expressway.
Border to Dammam and Al Khobar
about 340 km, staying on Highway 95 up the coast from Salwa.
Highway 10, the famously straight road from Al Batha to Haradh, adds about 120 km to Riyadh, so it isn’t our default. Saudi Arabia is one hour behind the UAE. Our UAE–Saudi border crossing guide covers both border posts in more detail.
How long is the drive to Riyadh, Dammam and Al Khobar?
From Dubai, about 10.5 to 11 hours to Riyadh and about 8 hours to Dammam or Al Khobar, before border time and rest stops. Abu Dhabi saves roughly an hour on each. Sharjah adds about 20 minutes.
| From | To Riyadh | To Dammam | To Al Khobar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | About 1,060 km, 10.5–11 h | About 800 km, 8 h | About 795 km, 8 h |
| Abu Dhabi | About 955 km, 9.5–10 h | About 700 km, 7 h | About 690 km, 7 h |
| Sharjah | About 1,080 km, 11 h | About 820 km, 8–8.5 h | About 815 km, 8 h |
Distances and times are city centre to city centre on the fastest route, checked in October 2026. Hofuf is about 735 km from Dubai and 635 km from Abu Dhabi.
Plan for border time on top. Queues at both posts vary, and nobody can promise a crossing time, so we build in a buffer and quote an arrival window. The driver also stops for fuel and breaks. Ten hours at the wheel without them isn’t safe.
Which car is best for a 10-hour drive to Saudi Arabia?
A full-size SUV for up to four passengers, or a van for families and anyone carrying a lot of luggage. We don’t recommend a sedan for the Riyadh run: ten hours is a long time in a back seat, and a sedan boot fills quickly with cases for a long stay.
| Car | Passengers we suggest for this trip | Why |
|---|---|---|
| GMC Yukon Denali | Up to 4 | High seating, quiet on the highway, third row free for bags |
| Cadillac Escalade | Up to 4 | Quiet cabin and wide rear seats for a long day |
| Mercedes V-Class | Up to 5 | Facing seats, room to stretch, 4 large cases |
| Mercedes Vito | Up to 6 | Takes up to 5 large cases, the practical family pick |
A Yukon or Escalade carries six on a city transfer. For a full day on the road we keep it to four, so the third row is for luggage. Compare the luxury SUV with driver range, or the vans on van rental with driver.
What do passengers need at the UAE–Saudi border?
A passport for every passenger (UAE citizens can use their Emirates ID), a Saudi visa unless you’re a GCC citizen, and your Emirates ID if you live in the UAE. Visa rules depend on the passport, so check each person in the car.
GCC citizens
no Saudi visa needed. UAE citizens can travel within the GCC on their Emirates ID.
UAE residents
apply online for the Saudi tourist eVisa before the trip. Your residence visa needs at least three months of validity and your passport at least six. Carry your Emirates ID to re-enter the UAE.
eVisa countries
citizens of 68 countries, including the UK, the US and most of Europe, can apply online. The eVisa is valid for a year, with stays of up to 90 days.
Everyone else
apply through a Saudi embassy or the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you travel, not at Al Batha.
Tourist visas require Saudi-approved medical insurance, visitors give fingerprints when applying or on arrival, and under-18s must travel with a parent, guardian or other safe companion. These rules come from Saudi Arabia’s tourist visa regulations and the official Saudi eVisa portal, checked on 12 October 2026. They change, so confirm them before you book.
You don’t need to do anything for the car. The car and driver are cleared for the crossing before pickup.
How do I book a car from Dubai to Riyadh?
Send us four details on WhatsApp at +971 55 500 7952 and we’ll come back with a fixed quote for the car.
- The route: pickup address in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah, and the drop-off address in Riyadh, Dammam, Al Khobar or Hofuf.
- Passengers and luggage: adults, children and their ages, and the number of large suitcases.
- Passport nationalities: for every passenger, and whether each holds UAE residence. A visa problem is easier to fix in Dubai than at Al Batha.
- Date and pickup time: for Riyadh we suggest an early start, so most of the drive is in daylight.
The quote names the car, the planned stops and an arrival window in Saudi time, confirmed in writing before pickup.
Safety and travel status: check before you leave
If your trip can wait, wait. The security situation in Riyadh is ongoing, and official advice can change daily. If it can’t wait, check these sources before you book and again before you leave, and we’ll plan the drive around what they say.
UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs
the MOFA travel updates for Saudi Arabia. Emirati citizens can also register their trip through MOFA’s Twajudi service.
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)
its Saudi Arabia travel advice, updated 11 October 2026, advises against all but essential travel to Riyadh province, the cities of Dammam, Jeddah and Taif, and every Saudi airport except Medina. Riyadh and Dammam are both on this route.
GACA
airport status from the General Authority of Civil Aviation, and flight status from your airline.
Saudi and other governments
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry has asked affected travellers to contact the Saudi embassy or consulate where they are. If you’re neither Emirati nor British, read your own country’s advice too.
Check the evening before and again on the morning you leave. If official advice changes between booking and pickup, message us and we’ll talk through moving the date.
Dubai to Riyadh by Road: Private Car with Driver: frequently asked questions
About 1,060 km and 10.5 to 11 hours of driving from central Dubai, via the E11, the Ghuwaifat and Al Batha border posts and Hofuf. Add time for the border and for fuel and rest stops. Door to door, plan on most of a day.
A metered Dubai taxi isn’t a practical way to make a 1,000 km cross-border trip. What people usually mean by a Dubai to Riyadh taxi is a pre-booked private car with a driver, where the car is cleared for the border in advance. That’s what we arrange, at a fixed price agreed before pickup.
No. As of 12 October 2026, King Khalid International Airport (RUH) is closed. GACA suspended operations after an attack on 10 October and extended the suspension after a second strike on 11 October, without announcing when flights will resume. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel to every Saudi airport except Medina. Check GACA and your airline for the latest status.
GCC citizens don’t. UAE residents need the Saudi tourist eVisa, applied for online before the trip, with at least three months left on their UAE residence and six months on their passport. Other travellers need an eVisa if their nationality is eligible, or a visa from a Saudi embassy if it isn’t.
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Send your pickup, drop-off, date and time. We reply with a fixed, all-inclusive price, usually within minutes, 24 hours a day.