🚗  Driving in Riyadh

⚠️ Things to know:

• Driving can be aggressive, especially during peak hours

• Roadworks are common across the city and routes can change significantly due to ongoing projects

• Check Google Maps or Waze before travelling to estimate traffic

📍 Rush Hour (Sunday-Thursday)

Morning:
8:00am – 9:30am

Evening:
4:30pm – 7:00pm

Considerable congestion on the main highways during these hours, so plan accordingly. 

🚕 Ride-Hailing Apps

• Uber

• Careem

• Bolt:  If your destination is Diplomatic Quarter, Bolt usually has no issues getting in (others may face restrictions)

🚇 Riyadh Metro

The Riyadh Metro now covers many key areas across the city, and is a great way to avoid traffic.  To travel, you can either:

• Directly tap your bank card directly at station gates (use the same card to enter/exit the stations)

• Purchase a metro card to be topped up with credit, or weekly/monthly packages

💡 If you live and work near a metro station, it can often be faster than driving during rush hour

🚙 Car Rental

• Multiple international and local rental agencies exist - if you have an Iqama, you will need a KSA license to be able to rent one