How far is Jeddah from Makkah? The short answer is about 70 to 100 km by road, and a car usually needs 1 to 1 hour 45 minutes. The exact figure depends on where in Jeddah you start and where in Makkah you stop. This guide gives the distances, the drive times at different hours, and the points that change the number.
It is written for pilgrims planning an Umrah arrival or a day trip, so it also covers the train and the miqat.
The short answer
| Start | Roughly | Usual drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Jeddah city hotel to Makkah | 70 to 90 km | 1 to 1 hr 30 |
| Jeddah Airport to Makkah hotel | 80 to 100 km | 1 hr 15 to 1 hr 45 |
| Makkah hotel to Jeddah Airport | 80 to 100 km | 1 hr 15 to 1 hr 45 |
The drive times are those we use on our own route pages. The Makkah to Jeddah highway itself is 70 km long, according to Saudipedia’s article on transport in Makkah. The airport is further north than the city centre. Public airport listings put it about 19 km north of Jeddah, which is why the airport trip is longer than a trip from a central hotel.
Why the distance is not one number
People who ask how far Jeddah is from Makkah often get answers from 65 to 100 km. All of them can be right, because:
- Jeddah is a long city. It runs along the Red Sea coast, so a hotel on the Corniche and a hotel in the north are many kilometres apart.
- Makkah is also large. A hotel next to the Haram is not the same distance as one in a district on the edge of the city.
- Roads close to the Haram are controlled. The last part of the trip can be a detour. Your driver knows which gate is open on the day.
- The airport sits north of the centre. Add about 20 km if you start there.
Rather than trust one figure, ask for your own start and finish. Our routes and fares are on Jeddah city to Makkah and Jeddah Airport to Makkah.
How long it takes at different times of day
The distance stays the same, the time does not.
- Early morning and late night. The road is quietest and the trip is at the short end of the range.
- Midday. Traffic is steady, and the heat is strong. Make sure the vehicle is cool and carry water.
- Evening. Our airport route page adds about half an hour for evening arrivals, when the road to Makkah is busiest.
- Around prayer times. Traffic changes near Maghrib and Isha, especially on Fridays.
A slow road is our problem, not yours. The fare for the whole vehicle does not change with traffic.
What about the train?
The Haramain high speed railway links Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah, and stops at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz Airport and at a Jeddah city station in the Sulaymaniyah area. The railway is operated by Saudi Arabia Railways. Saudipedia gives the line length as about 450 km and a top speed of 300 km/h.
The Makkah station is not next to the Haram, so a taxi is needed at the end of the train trip. See Makkah Haramain station taxi. For a side by side comparison on the longer Makkah to Madinah leg, read Makkah to Madinah by train or taxi.
The miqat on the way
Where you enter ihram is a religious question, not a driving one. Pilgrims flying in normally enter ihram before or at the miqat on their flight, and there is no miqat stop on the road from Jeddah Airport to Makkah. If you start in Jeddah, what applies to you depends on your situation and your school of thought, so ask your group leader or a scholar. Do not rely on a driver or an article for a ruling.
The driver can stop on the road for prayer or rest. Say so when you book so he plans the time.
Planning your trip around the distance
A few practical points follow from the numbers.
- Add buffer to hotel check in. If you land at 3 am, a 1 hr 30 drive means you reach the hotel at 5 am or later. Ask the hotel when your room is ready.
- Add time for the Haram area. The last kilometre can take as long as the first 20.
- Time a departure from Makkah backwards. For a flight from Jeddah, we set the pick up time from your flight, not from a guess. See Makkah to Jeddah Airport taxi.
- Choose the vehicle for the bags. A longer drive with many bags is easier in a larger vehicle. See choosing a vehicle for your group.
Questions people ask
About 70 to 90 km from a central Jeddah hotel and about 80 to 100 km from the airport, depending on where you stop in Makkah.
Usually 1 to 1 hr 30 from a city hotel and 1 hr 15 to 1 hr 45 from the airport.
Roughly 80 to 100 km, because the airport is north of the city. See the longer guide to Jeddah Airport to Makkah.
For most travellers it is a short intercity trip. Whether it counts as travel for prayers or fasting is a religious question, so ask a scholar.
Plan with today’s times until it is open.
Fares start at SAR 250 for the whole vehicle on both the Jeddah city and the airport routes. See routes and prices.
Still have a question?
Ask on WhatsApp in Arabic, English or Urdu, at any hour.
Book the drive
Tell us your Jeddah start point, your Makkah hotel and the date, and we send the fare in writing. Message us on WhatsApp or use the booking page. You pay the driver at the end, with no deposit.
Sources
- Saudipedia, Transport in Makkah (النقل في مدينة مكة المكرمة), length of the Makkah to Jeddah highway: https://saudipedia.com/article/14799
- Saudipedia, Haramain High Speed Railway (line length and top speed): saudipedia.com/en/haramain-high-speed-railway
- King Abdulaziz International Airport, location north of Jeddah: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Abdulaziz_International_Airport
- Saudi Gazette, reports on a planned Jeddah to Makkah direct road: saudigazette.com.sa/article/636322
- Umrah Online Taxi route times and fares: routes and prices
