Driving in Saudi Arabia — 2026 Guide
Saudi Arabia is the overland gateway to the wider Gulf — the Al Batha crossing links the UAE to Riyadh, the holy cities and onward routes to Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait.
Right
Drives on
120–140 km/h
Highway limit
SAR
Currency
~2.33 SAR/L
Fuel (91)
Manafith
Insurance
Driving into Saudi Arabia from the UAE
Border crossing from the UAE
Al Batha (E11 from Abu Dhabi)Entry & visa requirements
Apply online for a Saudi eVisa for GCC Residents or obtain a tourist eVisa. UAE/GCC Nationals enter visa-free.
Documents to carry
- Passport (minimum 6 months remaining validity)
- Valid UAE Residence Visa (minimum 3 months validity)
- Emirates ID copy
- Passport-sized digital photograph with clean white background
- Fee
- SAR 300 visa fee plus mandatory medical insurance, totaling approx SAR 535 (~AED 525). UAE nationals: Free.
- Approval time
- Extremely fast. Usually approved in 5 minutes to 12 hours.
- At the border
- Pre-arranged eVisa is highly recommended. Clearing on-arrival visas at the Al Batha land border is complex, slow, and depends heavily on queue size and officer discretion. Pre-ordering ensures hassle-free boundary clearance.