Getting around Makkah and Madinah: taxis, buses, apps
A practical guide to getting around Makkah and Madinah: how much taxis cost, which apps work, how the city buses run, how to travel between the two cities and how to walk to the mosques in the heat. Every figure comes with a date and a source.
Getting around Makkah and Madinah is easier than it seems, but the best option depends on the distance, the time of day and the season. Near the mosques you mostly walk. Beyond that you choose between a taxi, a ride-hailing app and a city bus, and between the two cities between the Haramain train and a car. This guide compares the options using the figures and dates we were able to confirm.
ZiyaraGo is an independent information service. Fares and routes change, and some of the figures below come from press articles and guidebooks from 2024-2026, so each one is dated. Before you travel, check the current price in the app or with the driver.
In short: what to choose and when
Around the Sacred Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, walk: the roads next to the mosques are congested and slow for cars, especially at prayer times. For longer trips within the city, take a metered taxi or a ride-hailing app. For an inexpensive trip around Makkah, the public bus will do, and between Makkah and Madinah the usual choice is the Haramain high-speed train.
If you are arriving by air, see our Madinah airport guide and our Haramain train guide, which describe transfers from the airports.
Comparing the options
The table shows the main options with the figures we were able to confirm and the date of each source. Prices are in Saudi riyals (SAR).
| Option | Where | Cost (source and date) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metered taxi | Makkah and Madinah | Flag fall of 6.40 SAR by day and 10 SAR at night, 2.10 SAR per km, minimum 10 SAR (March 2022 tariff, cited in February 2026) | Short trips with luggage |
| Ride-hailing app | Both cities | The price is shown in the app before you order | A known price, no haggling |
| Makkah city bus | Makkah | 4 SAR single ride, 8 SAR express, 15 SAR day pass (September 2024) | Inexpensive trips on 12 routes |
| Madinah city bus | Madinah | 3.45 SAR on routes 401-404 and 11.5 SAR on routes 300 and 400 (January 2025 guidebook) | Inexpensive trips; express route 300 from the station |
| Hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus | Madinah | About 80-83 SAR for 24 hours (from resellers) | A first look at the main sites |
| Haramain train | Makkah-Jeddah-Madinah | Economy from 162 SAR and business class about 455 SAR before VAT (guide updated 9 October 2026) | From Makkah to Madinah in about 2 h 20 min |
| On foot | Around both mosques | Free | Hotels near the mosques |
Taxis in Makkah and Madinah
Licensed taxis run on a meter. A February 2026 guide, citing a March 2022 tariff from the General Transport Authority, gives the following for a standard four-seat car: a flag fall of 6.40 SAR by day and 10 SAR at night, 2.10 SAR per kilometer, 0.90 SAR per minute of waiting and a minimum fare of 10 SAR. We could not open the authority's official page when checking, so ask the driver to switch on the meter and, if in doubt, compare with the price in an app.
In Makkah, the licensed Makkah Taxi service, run by the Royal Commission for Makkah City, was reported in January 2025 to operate around the clock from 47 pickup points, with an electronic meter and payment by cash or card. Trips to the airport, the train stations and the Haram area may include a surcharge, so agree the final price before setting off.
Ride-hailing apps
A General Transport Authority report for the third quarter of 2025, quoted by Arab News on 21 October 2025, names Uber, Careem, Bolt, Jeeny, EGO and inDrive among the licensed apps. The Makkah region accounted for about 22% of trips in Saudi Arabia, and the Madinah region for about 5.8%.
The app shows the price before you order, which is the main reason to choose it for a trip where you do not know the usual fare. At peak times the roads around the Haram are restricted, so the pickup point may be far from the gate: place your pin on the road shown in the app rather than on the mosque, and follow the driver's messages.
Makkah city buses
In January 2026 the Saudi Press Agency reported that Makkah's public bus network includes 12 routes, 400 buses and 431 stops. The buses run around the clock, and you can pay in the Makkah Bus app, at machines at the stops or on board.
The latest fares we found date from September 2024: 4 SAR for a single ride, 8 SAR for an express and 15 SAR for a day pass. Check the current price in the app before relying on them.
| Indicator | Value | Source date |
|---|---|---|
| Routes | 12 | January 2026 |
| Buses | 400 | January 2026 |
| Stops | 431 | January 2026 |
| Single ride | 4 SAR | September 2024 |
| Express | 8 SAR | September 2024 |
| Day pass | 15 SAR | September 2024 |
City buses and hop-on hop-off in Madinah
A January 2025 guidebook gives the fares on Madinah's public buses: 3.45 SAR on routes 401 to 404 and 11.5 SAR on routes 300 and 400; check the current price before you travel. On 1 October 2026 the Saudi Press Agency reported a new express route 300 from the Haramain station to the Prophet's Mosque area; the fare was not stated. During Hajj in May 2026 public bus service was suspended, so changes are possible in the season.
The hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus in Madinah, operated by City Sightseeing, is sold by resellers for about 80-83 SAR for 24 hours; there are a Green and a Red route. It is handy for a first look at the main sites, but stops and timetables change, so check them when you buy the ticket.
Between Makkah and Madinah
The usual choice is the Haramain high-speed train: about 2 hours 20 minutes on the way, economy from 162 SAR and business class about 455 SAR before VAT, according to a guide updated on 9 October 2026. Tickets are sold at sar.hhr.sa, in the Haramain app and in Nusuk; our Haramain train guide describes the stations, baggage rules and ticket changes.
A private car between the cities has no fixed regulated price. Commercial guides cite roughly 350-500 SAR for a sedan and 900-1,300 SAR for a minibus, and one operator quotes 700 SAR for a sedan, so agree the price and the pickup point in writing before the trip.
Walking, heat and help for limited mobility
Most hotels near the mosques are within walking distance of the gates, but heat and crowds slow you down. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health advises avoiding direct sun from about 10:00 to 16:00, drinking water often and carrying an umbrella. Plan long walks for early morning or evening.
At the Sacred Mosque, wheelchairs are handed out free at the Bab al-Salam gate and at the Shubaika bridge (Gulf News, August 2024), while paid electric scooters were reported to cost 57.50-230 SAR in May 2024 through the Tanaqol app. On 12 May 2026 the Saudi Press Agency reported that carts and wheelchairs are available at the Prophet's Mosque; the cost was not stated. Check the current service points with mosque staff.
Metro and railway: what is not there yet
Neither city has a year-round metro. The Makkah metro is at the design stage: tenders were reported in 2026, with phases planned for the period from 2032 to 2045. The Mashair train serves the holy sites only during Hajj, so do not build your travel plan around it.
How we chose
We compiled this guide from reports by the Saudi Press Agency, Arab News, Gulf News and Argaam, from the General Transport Authority's published figures as quoted in the press, and from the operators' own pages, and we wrote everything in our own words. Each figure is dated by its source. Where an official page could not be opened, we say so, and we do not give figures on which sources disagree.
Tips
- Walk near the mosques; for longer trips take a taxi or an app and compare the price before the ride starts.
- Check the price in the app or ask the driver to switch on the meter; for the airport and the station, agree the price in advance.
- Place your ride-hailing pin on the road shown in the app, not on the mosque: the roads near the Haram are restricted at peak times.
- Buy train tickets at sar.hhr.sa, in the Haramain app or in Nusuk, not from street sellers.
- Do not walk in direct sun from about 10:00 to 16:00.
Questions and answers
How much does a taxi cost in Makkah?
The tariff cited in a February 2026 guide and in force since March 2022: flag fall of 6.40 SAR by day and 10 SAR at night, 2.10 SAR per kilometer and a minimum of 10 SAR. Trips to the airport and to the Haram area may include a surcharge, so agree the price first.
Which ride-hailing apps work in Makkah and Madinah?
The General Transport Authority's report for the third quarter of 2025 names Uber, Careem, Bolt, Jeeny, EGO and inDrive among the licensed apps.
How much does a city bus cost in Makkah?
A September 2024 guide gives 4 SAR for a single ride, 8 SAR for an express and 15 SAR for a day pass. According to the Saudi Press Agency in January 2026, the network has 12 routes, 400 buses and 431 stops.
How do I get from Makkah to Madinah?
The Haramain high-speed train takes about 2 hours 20 minutes. Tickets are sold at sar.hhr.sa, in the Haramain app and in Nusuk.
Is there a metro in Makkah or Madinah?
There is no year-round metro. The Makkah metro is at the design stage, and the Mashair train runs only during Hajj.
Can I get a wheelchair at the mosques?
At the Sacred Mosque, wheelchairs are handed out free at the Bab al-Salam gate and at the Shubaika bridge (Gulf News, August 2024), and at the Prophet's Mosque carts and wheelchairs are reported to be available (SPA, May 2026).
Prepared with the help of AI and checked by the ZiyaraGo team. Editorial policy