Your plane lands in Jeddah, and about 90 kilometres of road lie between you and the Grand Mosque. Getting from Jeddah Airport to Makkah comes down to four practical options: the Haramain train, a taxi or ride-hailing app, the SAPTCO bus, or a private transfer booked in advance. Each one differs in time, in cost, and in what it does with your luggage. This guide puts rough numbers on each and helps you pick the one that fits your trip.
The prices below are estimates, gathered from the official Haramain railway site and from recent travel guides. They change with the time of day and the season, so check the live fare in the app before you pay.
Before you leave the airport: ihram and terminals
First, King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah is not a miqat. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah says so plainly on its miqat page. If you are travelling from outside the miqat boundaries for Umrah, you enter ihram on the plane as it passes the miqat, and many airlines announce the moment. Pack your ihram clothes in your hand luggage, because checked bags only reach you after landing.
Second, check which terminal you land in. The Haramain station is built into the main terminal (Terminal 1), so from there you can walk to the train. The North Terminal and the Hajj Terminal are separate buildings, and you need a shuttle bus or a car to reach Terminal 1 from them. Allow extra time for that transfer, and more in peak season.
The Haramain train from Jeddah Airport to Makkah
The train is the fastest option most of the time, because road traffic does not touch it. The ride from the airport station to Makkah station takes 35 to 50 minutes depending on stops. According to the official site, the station operates daily from 6:30 am to 12:30 am. If your flight lands at 3 am, there is no train, and you will need a car.
Fares and booking
The official site does not publish a fixed fare table. The price appears when you book and moves with timing and demand. Recent travel guides report economy fares starting around SAR 40 and reaching about SAR 80 on ordinary days, rising in Ramadan and school holidays. Business class costs more and includes a meal and drinks.
You can book through the Haramain train app on iOS and Android, on hhr.sa, by calling 920004433, or at the ticket offices and machines in the station. Children aged 2 to 12 need a seat and a ticket; infants under 2 travel without a seat. The site lists no child discount, though it does offer one for passengers with a valid disability card.
Luggage: the limit most people miss
Each passenger may bring one large bag of up to 25 kg and no larger than 65 × 55 × 35 cm, plus one small hand bag or backpack. Bags go through a security check before boarding. If each of you has two large suitcases, or you are a family with a lot of luggage, a car will be easier than the train.
From Makkah station to your hotel
Makkah station sits in the Ar Rusayfah district, about 3.5 km from the Grand Mosque, not at its gates. You will need a taxi or ride-hailing car for roughly ten minutes, usually SAR 20 to 45 depending on traffic. Count this step when you compare the train with a car. For stations, classes and timings in full, read our Haramain train guide.
Taxis and ride-hailing apps
A car takes you from the terminal door to the hotel door, which is what most travellers want after a long flight. The drive takes one to one and a half hours in normal traffic and can approach two hours at peak times and near the Haram.
- Uber and Careem: both operate at the airport and show the price before you confirm. Recent guides report roughly SAR 170 to 280 for a standard car, rising to around SAR 350 when demand surges.
- Official taxi rank: roughly SAR 180 to 300 for a sedan, more for larger cars. Agree the fare or make sure the meter is running before you set off.
- Skip offers inside the hall: unofficial drivers who approach you may ask for far more. Head to the taxi rank or the signposted ride-hailing pickup point.
For a family of four, the car comes close to the cost of four train tickets plus the taxi from Makkah station, and you only handle your bags once.
The SAPTCO bus: cheapest and slowest
SAPTCO runs buses between Jeddah and Makkah, with departures from the airport. It is the cheapest option, with guides quoting about SAR 20 to 40 per person and a higher class for more. The trip can take one and a half to three hours with stops, and the bus drops you at a station in Makkah, not at your hotel, so you still need a car afterwards.
The bus suits a solo traveller with light luggage and time to spare. Check times and fares in the SAPTCO app or at the ticket counter, since schedules change in peak seasons.
Private transfers booked in advance
Many Makkah hotels and Umrah operators offer airport pickup: a driver waiting in arrivals with your name and a car sized for your family and bags. It usually costs more than the apps, but you know the price in advance, and you are not hunting for a ride while tired or travelling with elderly parents. If you land at night after the trains stop, this is the calmest choice.
Ask your hotel about pickup and its price when you book. If you have not chosen a hotel yet, our guide to Makkah hotels by budget can help.
Which option suits you?
- Solo traveller or couple with one bag each, arriving in daytime: the train, then a short taxi from Makkah station.
- Family with children and lots of luggage: a large car from an app, or a hotel transfer.
- Elderly travellers or anyone who struggles to walk: a private transfer from terminal door to hotel door.
- Arriving after midnight: a car, since the station is closed until 6:30 am.
- Tightest budget, plenty of time: the SAPTCO bus.
Jeddah Airport to Makkah at a glance
- Haramain train: 35 to 50 minutes, then about 10 minutes by car to the Haram. One large bag per passenger.
- Taxi or app: one to one and a half hours, about SAR 170 to 300 for the whole car.
- SAPTCO bus: one and a half to three hours, about SAR 20 to 40 per person.
- Private transfer: same time as a car, with a price fixed in advance.
The return trip to the airport
Going back works differently, because the plane will not wait. If you return by train, book a day or two ahead, since evening trains fill up in busy seasons, and pick one that gets you to the airport at least three hours before your flight. Getting to Makkah station also needs a car from the hotel, and the roads around the Haram jam after each prayer, so avoid leaving just as worshippers stream out.
If you go back by car, add half an hour on top of the app estimate. Check which terminal your flight leaves from before you book the ride; a driver who drops you at the wrong one costs you an extra shuttle transfer.
Before you set off
Decide on your transport before you fly, not after you land. If you choose the train, book once you know your arrival time, leaving at least two hours for passport control and baggage. If you choose a car, download the app and set up payment before you leave home.
Once you reach your hotel, the Umrah itself begins. The full steps, and what to prepare beforehand, are in the Habibi Travel Umrah guide. May Allah accept it from you.