Traffic in Saudi Arabia

42358POSTS

8 years ago

Hello everyone,

Which city or area do you live in in Saudi Arabia, and how do you find the traffic?

How long does it take to commute to work or run errands?

Is there a rush hour in your city? What times of the day would you recommend people to avoid driving if they can?

Are there any ways to avoid spending too much time in traffic in Saudi Arabia?

What is parking availability and cost like?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

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Travelling to JORDAN from Saudi Arabia - 6 Replies
Car Accident in Saudi Arabia - 3 Replies

Ehtesham ViP

1296POSTS

8 years ago

Residing in Jeddah, traffic is horrible at rush hours. I used to drive for around 150 kms from Jeddah to Bahrah and then back to Jeddah, so I have seen the traffic closely.
Morning rush hour starts from 06:30 Am till 08:00 Am -
Afternoon rush hours between 12:30 Pm to 02:00 Pm
Evening rush hours between 04:30 Pm to 06:30 Pm
Weekends is different with high traffic at night
here are the bottle necks I have experienced (at morning)
- coming from south to north on Makkah highway - expect traffic jam for upto 45 mins before University exit
- From Makkah highway taking exit to Tahliah Road - expect atleast 1 hour to reach from highway to Medina Road (including 15 mins jam at bridge)
- At Sabaeen Road starting from Aziz Mall bridge to Old Airport expect traffic and upto 30 mins
- At medina road starting from Palestine to Heraa Road

I am sure other members would add their experience but
On one note , what makes it ugly and horrible is the way people drive, blocking turns at signal, jumping lanes and queues is a common practice with complete disregard to the others waiting.

Great life Member

21POSTS

8 years ago

Living in Riyadh... it is usual not to reach your destination in desired time, and the major excuse of being late is due to traffic. Specially morning duty timing, at noon during school timing and after Aser till night

Shahidnadeemcpcu Member

10POSTS

8 years ago

Not satisfactory really!

mohsinsm Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

Hi,

I am Living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia,聽 As my home is very near to my office, so I will not found any traffic on my route. but聽 I will tell that there is more traffic in the morning 7 am聽 to 9 am , noon at聽 12 pm聽 to 2 pm and evening聽 4 pm to 5 pm.

jhulilang Member

10POSTS

8 years ago

Traffic is good but the worst kind of drivers. It seems that they think that what they cars are camels and the road is the desert. I would not recommend someone to drive here in Riyadh

mrvrouf Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

Public transport...buses,Mono/metro trains.school buses instead of small vehicles

wassif007 Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

Priscilla wrote:
Hello everyone,

Which city or area do you live in in Saudi Arabia, and how do you find the traffic?

How long does it take to commute to work or run errands?

Is there a rush hour in your city? What times of the day would you recommend people to avoid driving if they can?

Are there any ways to avoid spending too much time in traffic in Saudi Arabia?

What is parking availability and cost like?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

Almost every time morning, evening or at night there is traffic here in Riyadh..
and yes there are so many drivers on the road that dont drive good at all

elleinfinity25 Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

Hi. Im from Yanbu. As regards to traffic, the roads are wide and i rarely experience heavy jams. Rarely as in rarely. There is the usual rush hours but it doesnt cause any hassle. Taxis are available and are in reasonable costs. Carpooling, you might have to be careful because there are some checkpoints in some areas and they might think of you otherwise. For parking fees, i dont have much of an idea because i dont have a car. 鉁� Hope this helps.

Syed Aaban Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#10

Jeddah.. I love to drive only on Saturday or Friday noon.

Dnyaneshwar_1 Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#11

Hello

Staying in Riyadh. Roads in Riyadh are big. Most of the areas are controlled by Camera signals.
Always roads are having heavy traffic . But due to traffic control not necessarily to be panic.
Sometimes near junction traffic getting stuck .
Exit 18 to Batha ....Main crowded place of the city takes @ Minimum - 25 minutes聽 Maximum - 40 minutes

faraham Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#12

Hello,

I live in King Fahd Neighborhood. Metro work is increasing the traffic next to the house however, i mostly go out at night. I use uber for transportation if i am not going out with my husband. Google maps helps me a lot to track traffic and what time to leave home to reach on time by destination.

Ali Hazrat Member

3POSTS

8 years ago

#13

Ras Tanura the peace city, no traffic and no violation 馃檮

Frank1688 Member

19POSTS

8 years ago

#14

Traffic in Jeddah is an utter nightmare apart from Fridays, i agree with the other post that the drivers, particularly taxi drivers exacerbate the situation.

modjo Serial expat

316POSTS

8 years ago

#15

Living in Jubail - driving on Jubail/Dammam highway is like dodging bullets from left and right and back!聽

WonderingExpat Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#16

I live in Jeddah 2 years.聽 The traffic is the worst part of living in Jeddah or for the matter living in Saudi Arabia.聽 The fact that there is no code of law goes doubly for traffic rules, very few follow them.

I have chosen to pay a significant amount more for my apartment so that I could live very聽 close to work.聽 Walking distance. Uber and Careem are much less expensive than using regular taxi.聽 But always use your Google maps or Waze to ensure you get to the correct聽 destination.

Bruce

nasirali62 New member

4POSTS

8 years ago

#17

The traffic聽 is not so horrible聽 in jeddah聽 but in rush hours聽 from 6.30am聽聽to 9.0 itz聽 damn slow . and from 12.30 to 2 .0 too is very slow聽 due to school hrs ,

i travel about 140 km daily from jeddah to qauzain ( south jeddah)
the traffic is more near the up comming聽 railway station on Harmain road . I Think this is lot better than聽 RIYADH

the traffic聽 can be reduced on roads if聽 public transport system is introduced and聽 maintained at regular times , and at聽 various routes.聽
if public transport system is used聽 it will also help people to increase their health by little walking outside . like if u see the people of japan聽 more of the public transport system is used . the japan聽 manufactures the world's branded cars聽 but聽 maximum are exported聽 the local people hardly use them compared to saudi arabian people聽 adn the japanes remain healthy .
.

Tantanatan Member

3POSTS

8 years ago

#18

In Riyadh it is horrible because of ongoing metro and Riyadh bus projects You will find almost all the roads are with temporary diversion boards...car pooling is in a way a best option since there is no public transport facilities for each and every corner of the city.

Abuzaryab Member

2POSTS

8 years ago

#19

I am living in Riyadh yes聽 Traffic in Riyadh morning 6;30 am to 7:00 pm聽 is a big issue i was driving daily city center to Alkharj road,聽 driving in morning its ok but afternoon faced daily a huge rush especially from Exit 18 to Exit 13.

rafaquat Member

15POSTS

8 years ago

#20

My daily commute is about 25 minutes in my car in Riyadh.聽 Traffic is not bad.聽 but in morning and evening rush hours you need to be very watchful and alert on the road.

Amar Rane Member

2POSTS

8 years ago

#21

I stay in jeddah Al-Rehab-3. My office is in Rawdah near Kubri Murabba near Sunset hotel. The distance from my place to office is around 10 km. In high traffic times it takes around 20 min. Mainly traffic congestion occurs on tahlia madina road junction.
Without traffic it takes maximum 10 min t travel the same distance.

Rafeeq Shaikh Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#22

Its Depends upon time, mostly the traffic rush at morning from 7:00 am to 8:30 am,聽 at noon time around 1 hour later 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

goErshadGO New member

6POSTS

8 years ago

#23

Been here in the Kingdom for about a decade now and I could say that the traffic conditions are unique to this part of the world. Lots of reckless drivers, ignorant of rules and traffic which makes driving here a bit of a gamble. This is most observable during rush hours especially in large cities like Jeddah and Riyadh. At these times, accidents are common since some drivers seem to disregard basic driving rules safety measures on the road just to get ahead and beat the traffic. Rear end collisions are common and respect for other vehicles on the road seem to be non existent here. In fact, having dents and scratches on cars here are a norm as a proof.

modjo Serial expat

316POSTS

8 years ago

#24

goErshadGO wrote:
Been here in the Kingdom for about a decade now and I could say that the traffic conditions are unique to this part of the world. Lots of reckless drivers, ignorant of rules and traffic which makes driving here a bit of a gamble. This is most observable during rush hours especially in large cities like Jeddah and Riyadh. At these times, accidents are common since some drivers seem to disregard basic driving rules safety measures on the road just to get ahead and beat the traffic. Rear end collisions are common and respect for other vehicles on the road seem to be non existent here. In fact, having dents and scratches on cars here are a norm as a proof.

Mir W Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#25

Living in Khobar -聽 working in Dhahran.聽聽In the morning it is very hard to reach on time in office.聽
In case of any emergency one cannot reach at destination and for the last 30-year azizia and Dhahran roads have not been expanded.聽聽On Same tracks traffic is stuck up always and if by chance any accident occurs the traffic is totally jammed.聽聽If you are not going to job, you should avoid to travel in the morning peak time.
more than 7-year spent to build two bridges, it was better and cheap if city planners made plan for flyover from Rashid Mall to Gulf Center.

one thing is highly appreciable that Saudi Traffic Police is very Active, organized, vigilant and arranged with helpful manners.聽
We wish the roads should be expanded as vehicle are increasing day by day.

Adiljawad Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#26

Living in Riyadh and the traffic is pathetic during rush hours..

Rush hours can be defined from 0630hrs. Till 0830 hrs. Then from 1230 hrs till 0300 hrs. Then from 0430 hrs till 0730 hrs.
On the weekends you can say its rush hours from 04.00 hrs. until 0930 hrs.

The biggest problem in driving are those silly people who use their cell phones while driving. Another set of irritating drivers are the typical drivers who have no road sense at all..

Driving in Saudia is real challenge and other than saving yourself and your car you have to save others and their cars as well.

M.Danish Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#27

currently working in construction company As a maintenance Side Engineer in Riyadh city from Saudi Arabia . i have experience industrial and others sector聽 machine ETC.

聽聽聽

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 THANK聽 YOU

aliazhar40 Member

1POSTS

8 years ago

#28

My work place is stp Madina, so as I am suffering here in plant is flooding in sewage treatment plant due to heavy rain.
In last 6 years of my job in plant, I experienced this problem 3 times. In this condition this plant stopped for some days.
The reason behind is improper bypass line before plant to auto controle the heavy rain flood. And this auto control doesn't need more than a check valve (NRV) with the bypass line above the normal water pressure in the pipe line.
Thank you