Money, ATMs and Payments in Saudi Arabia
Handling money smoothly in Saudi Arabia is mostly about knowing a few local realities in advance: which cards work everywhere, where exchange rates are actually better, and what a fair taxi or train fare looks like so you can spot overcharging before it happens. None of this is complicated, but the details rarely come up until you are standing at an ATM or in the back of a taxi wondering if the price is right.
This guide covers cards, cash, ATMs, tipping, and getting around by taxi and the Haramain high-speed train. Prices below are reported as ranges by pilgrims in 2025-26 rather than fixed rates, since fares and charges do shift; always confirm the current price before you pay.
Cards vs. Cash
Saudi Arabia is largely card-friendly in hotels, malls, larger restaurants, and official services such as Nusuk fees and Haramain train tickets, and international Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted. But you will still want some cash, particularly small notes, for street vendors, small local eateries, some taxis, and tipping. Pilgrims frequently ask which is better: "did you find it better to carry cash and exchange it locally, or did you mostly rely on an..." card, one pilgrim asked in a planning thread, and the honest answer most experienced pilgrims settle on is a mix of both rather than relying entirely on either.
A practical approach: carry a card for hotels, larger purchases, and official fees, and keep a moderate amount of Saudi riyal cash on hand for daily small expenses, topping it up from an ATM or exchange counter as needed rather than carrying a large amount at once.
ATMs and Fees
ATMs are widely available in and around both holy cities, including inside malls, near hotels, and close to the Haram itself. Two practical issues come up repeatedly:
- Queues near the Haram can be long, especially around prayer times and in the evening. Pilgrims specifically mention "the long queues at the ATMs near haram" as something to plan around, so where possible withdraw at a quieter time or a less central location rather than only at the closest machine.
- International monthly withdrawal limits can catch you out mid-trip. Many home banks cap how much you can withdraw abroad in a calendar month, not just per transaction. One pilgrim's experience is a useful warning: "bear in mind the international ATM monthly allowance. For Chase this was limited to £1500/month," they wrote, having discovered the cap partway through their trip. Check your own bank's international ATM limit before you travel, and consider a second card from a different bank as a backup in case you hit that ceiling.
Also check your card's foreign transaction fee and ATM withdrawal fee structure before you go; some travel-focused cards waive these fees entirely, which can save a meaningful amount over a week or two abroad.
Exchange Rates: Home vs. Airport vs. Makkah
Exchange rates vary noticeably between your home country, the airport, and exchange counters inside Makkah and Madinah, and pilgrims consistently report getting a better deal locally: "the rate is better there than taking riyals from here," as one pilgrim summarised after comparing. Airport exchange counters, in Saudi Arabia as in most countries, tend to offer the least competitive rates of the three because of the captive, time-pressured audience, so avoid changing a large amount there beyond what covers your first few hours.
A sensible order of preference reported by pilgrims: exchange a small amount before you travel or at the airport just to cover your arrival, then use exchange counters or ATMs in Makkah or Madinah for the bulk of your cash needs, comparing a couple of exchange counters if you have time since rates can differ between them too.
Apple Pay, Google Pay and mada
Contactless mobile payment through Apple Pay and Google Pay is widely accepted in Saudi Arabia at card terminals in shops, restaurants, and taxis that take card payment, and it is a convenient way to pay without pulling out cash or a physical card. mada is Saudi Arabia's domestic debit card network; you will see the mada logo on many local terminals, and while your international card will typically work on the same terminals through the Visa or Mastercard network, it is worth knowing the mada name so you are not confused by it on a receipt or terminal screen.
Set up your mobile wallet with your travel card before you leave home, since doing so is far easier with a reliable connection than after you land.
Tipping
Tipping is not obligatory in Saudi Arabia but is appreciated and increasingly common, particularly for hotel staff, taxi drivers who help with luggage, and tour or ziyarat guides. There is no single fixed rate, and reports vary by service and city, so treat this as a general guide rather than a rule: a modest amount, rounded up on a taxi fare or a small note for a porter, is generally seen as a fair and welcome gesture rather than an expectation you must meet. If you are on a package with a tour guide throughout your trip, ask your operator whether tipping guidance is already built into local custom for that group, since practices can differ.
Taxi Fares: What Pilgrims Report
Overcharging is one of the most consistently reported transport complaints, particularly for pilgrims who are visibly not local: "Taxis overcharge you if they can tell you are not a local," one pilgrim wrote, a pattern echoed across many threads. Ride-hailing apps such as Uber or Careem, where available, tend to give a clearer upfront price than flagging down a street taxi, which reduces the room for a driver to inflate the fare once you are already in the car. If you do use a street taxi, agree the fare before you get in wherever possible, and treat a driver who refuses to state a price upfront as a signal to look for another car.
The table below reflects fare ranges reported by pilgrims in 2025-26 for common routes. Treat these as a rough fairness check, not a fixed price, since fares vary by time of day, traffic, vehicle type, and whether you book through an app or hail on the street.
| Route | Reported fair-price range (SAR) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jeddah airport to Makkah hotel | Roughly 80-150 SAR | Higher late at night or for larger vehicles; app-booked rides tend toward the lower end |
| Makkah to Madinah (private taxi) | Roughly 400-600 SAR | Shared or SUV options can cost more; the Haramain train is often cheaper per person for a small group |
| Madinah hotel to Madinah airport | Roughly 60-100 SAR | Pilgrims specifically ask about this route when comparing taxi vs. transfer options |
| Short trips within Makkah or Madinah | Roughly 15-35 SAR | Ride-hailing apps generally give the most predictable price for short local trips |
These ranges are a starting point drawn from what pilgrims have reported, not an official tariff, so confirm current pricing with your driver or app before you travel.
Haramain Train Fares and Booking
The Haramain high-speed train connects Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, and the King Abdulaziz International Airport station, and is generally the fastest and most predictable way to travel between the holy cities, covering the journey in roughly two to two and a half hours depending on the route and stops. Tickets are booked through the official Haramain train platform, hhr.sa, or through approved agents, with two travel classes generally offered: economy and business, with business offering more space and a higher fare.
A few practical points pilgrims report:
- The booking website has been reported to go down or show maintenance messages at times: "the Haramain website to book train tickets has been under maintenance for a few days," one pilgrim noted, so book with some buffer time before your travel date rather than at the last minute.
- A payment can appear to fail even when it actually succeeded. One pilgrim described exactly this: "the page crashed but I got the confirmation email and just double check," a useful reminder to check your email and account before assuming a failed payment screen means no booking was made, and before you pay twice.
- Tickets cannot generally be booked too far in advance; the booking window opens closer to the travel date than many pilgrims expect. As one pilgrim found, "you cannot book the haramain train ticket too far ahead," so if you try early and see no availability, that may simply mean the window has not opened yet rather than the train being sold out.
- Luggage allowance is generally similar to standard rail travel, with space for a reasonable amount of personal luggage per passenger; very large or excess baggage may need to travel separately or incur an extra charge, so check the current allowance on hhr.sa before you travel with heavy bags.
- Stations are generally located a taxi ride from the city centre and the Haram itself rather than directly adjacent, so budget time and a short taxi fare for the transfer at each end, particularly in Makkah.
For more on getting between the two cities generally, including options beyond the train, see our Umrah transport: Makkah to Madinah guide.