From Jeddah Airport to Makkah and Madinah: Train, Bus, Taxi and Time

Most travellers to Makkah and Madinah land in Jeddah, and the first real decision of the trip comes before the luggage belt: how do I get from King Abdulaziz International Airport to my hotel? The answer depends on which terminal you arrive at, the time of day, how much luggage you carry and whether you are going to Makkah, Madinah or both. This guide goes through the options one by one.

A note on what this is. ZiyaraGo is an independent information service. Timetables, fares and rules on this route change, so we give distances, rough durations and a way of choosing, not prices, and we link to the official pages where the current numbers live. Confirm the details with your airline, your hotel and the transport operator before you travel.

Travel notice, 15 October 2026: Saudi airports have been affected by recent attacks and flight disruption, and several governments, including the UK, advise against all but essential travel to Jeddah and to Saudi airports other than Madinah. This guide describes how ground transport normally works. Before you travel, check your government’s current travel advice and your airline’s flight status, and expect changes.

First, find out which terminal you arrive at

King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) is about 19 km north of the centre of Jeddah, and the official airport list names four terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 4, the North Terminal for foreign airlines, and the Hajj & Umrah Terminal. Which one you use depends on your airline, and some airlines have changed terminals over the years.

Why it matters for the onward journey: the Haramain station and the main ground-transport area are connected to Terminal 1. If you arrive at another terminal, ask the airline or the airport staff how to reach the station or the pick-up area, and allow extra time for it. Look up your airline in our list of terminals by airline, which is a snapshot of the official airport website, and check the terminal on your ticket before you fly.

• Terminal 1 – King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah)
• Northern Terminal – King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah)
• Hajj Terminal – King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah)
• Terminal 4 – King Abdulaziz International Airport (Jeddah)

The options at a glance

From the airport to Makkah there are four realistic ways. The Haramain high-speed train is the fastest and the most predictable. A taxi or a ride-hailing car is the most flexible and the most comfortable with heavy luggage. A shuttle bus is the cheapest and the slowest. A hired car with a driver, booked in advance through your hotel or an agency, costs more but removes every question on arrival.

The road from the airport to Makkah is roughly 80 to 95 km depending on where in Makkah you are going. In normal traffic count about an hour to an hour and a half. In Ramadan, in the Hajj season and at peak hours, traffic on the expressway and around Makkah can double that, so do not plan a tight connection after a road transfer.

The Haramain train from the airport

The Haramain high-speed railway has five stations: Madinah, King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh, Jeddah (Al-Sulaymaniyah), Makkah (Rusaifah) and King Abdulaziz Airport. The airport station opened in December 2019 on a short branch of about 3.75 km, and a transport centre links it with the Terminal 1 building and the car parks.

Typical journey times from public sources: about an hour from the airport to Makkah, and about two hours from the airport to Madinah. The line between Makkah and Jeddah’s Al-Sulaymaniyah station is 77 km and takes about 43 minutes. Tickets are sold on the operator’s official site, sar.hhr.sa, where you choose the stations, the date and the number of passengers; the same site shows the current timetable.

Two practical points. First, the station in Makkah is not next to the Haram: you will need a taxi or a hotel shuttle for the last part, so ask your hotel how far it is. Second, the train has a luggage limit that can be stricter than an airline allowance, so read the baggage rules on the operator’s site before you book if you travel with a lot.

• Haramain Station — Jeddah (Al-Sulaymaniyah): Complete 2025 Guide

Taxi, ride-hailing, bus and rental car

Licensed taxis wait outside the terminals around the clock and use meters; the fare depends on distance and time of day. Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem also work at the airport and are often cheaper than a taxi, but the pick-up point can be a short walk from the arrivals hall, so open the app before you collect your bags and read the pick-up instructions. Whichever you choose, agree the price or check that the meter is running before the car moves, ask whether the price covers all your luggage, and do not go with people who approach you inside the terminal.

A shuttle bus between the airport and Makkah is the cheapest option and it runs through the day, but it makes stops, and you may then still need a taxi from the bus stop to the hotel. It suits a solo traveller with one bag and a flexible schedule better than a family with children.

Car rental desks of the large companies work at the airport. Parking near the Haram is difficult, and in busy seasons a rental car is a burden rather than a help. For most people, a car with a driver arranged in advance is simpler.

From the airport to Madinah

Madinah is about 420 km from Jeddah. The train is the easiest way: the airport station to Madinah takes roughly two hours, and you do not need to go into Jeddah first. A domestic flight takes about an hour in the air, but you land, collect the bags, check in again and clear security, so the total is often close to the train, and the train station is in the city rather than at the far end of a second airport.

By road, a taxi or a private car takes four to five hours depending on stops and traffic. A long-distance bus works if you want the lowest price and are not short of time, but intercity buses may leave from the main Jeddah station rather than the airport, so you need a transfer first. If you plan both cities, look at the order too: many travellers go to Madinah first by train and then continue to Makkah, which avoids a return trip to Jeddah.

How much time to allow after landing

Plan the first hours rather than the first minutes. Passport control, baggage and customs can take from half an hour to two hours depending on the hour and on how many flights have landed together. After that comes the transfer. A sensible rule is to count one to two hours at the airport and then the journey time plus a reserve of an hour or more in busy seasons.

If you land at night, check in advance whether your hotel accepts late arrivals and whether trains and buses still run at that hour; taxis and ride-hailing are the fallback. Keep water in your hand luggage for the first hours.

Which option suits you

A solo traveller or a pair with light luggage who wants the most predictable time: the train. A family with children or heavy cases and a hotel in Makkah: a car with a driver or an app-booked taxi, ideally with the hotel’s help. A traveller on a tight budget with time to spare and one bag: the shuttle bus or the train in economy class. A traveller going on to Madinah: the train, which beats the road on time and comfort.

In every case, three things save the day: know your terminal, have the hotel’s address in Arabic on your phone, and keep a little local cash for the first purchases. The rest is easier once you are in the car or on the platform.

How we chose

We built this guide from official sources, such as the railway operator’s site and the airport’s public information, and from public travel information, and rewrote everything in our own words. We left out prices and timetables that change often, and we treat the durations as approximate. Check the current figures with the operator before you travel.

Tips

• Find your terminal on the ticket and in our list before you fly, and plan how to reach the train or pick-up area from it.
• Book the Haramain train on the official site and read the baggage rules first.
• In ride-hailing apps, open the pick-up instructions before you collect your bags; agree the price or the meter before the car moves.
• Keep an hour or more in reserve after the journey time in Ramadan, in the Hajj season and at peak hours.
• Keep the hotel address in Arabic on your phone, some cash in riyals and water in your hand luggage.

Questions and answers

How long does the train from Jeddah airport to Makkah take?

About an hour according to public sources. The line between Makkah and Jeddah’s Al-Sulaymaniyah station is 77 km and takes about 43 minutes. Check the current timetable on the operator’s official site.

Is there a direct train from the airport to Madinah?

The airport station is on the Haramain line, and Madinah is its other end; the journey takes roughly two hours. Check the timetable for the date of your trip, because direct departures and stops depend on the schedule.

Where is the Haramain station at the airport?

It is linked to the Terminal 1 building by a transport centre. If you arrive at another terminal, ask the airline or airport staff how to get to it.

Is a taxi or the train cheaper?

A shuttle bus is usually the cheapest, then the train in economy class; a taxi or a car with a driver is the most expensive but the most convenient with luggage. We do not give prices because they change; compare current quotes.

How long is the road from the airport to Makkah?

About 80 to 95 km, roughly an hour to an hour and a half in normal traffic and longer in busy seasons and at peak hours.