Between cities
Madinah to AlUla taxi, from your hotel to AlUla
- DistanceAbout 330 km
- Journey time5 to 6 hrs
- FromSAR 600Whole vehicle, one direction
Overview
A Madinah to AlUla taxi takes you from your Madinah hotel to your hotel or address in AlUla. The trip is about 330 km to the north. AlUla, also written Al Ula, is a desert valley of old tombs, rock shapes and palm farms. One car makes the whole drive. The ride ends at your door in AlUla.
A taxi from a Madinah hotel to any address in AlUla costs from SAR 600 for the whole vehicle, one way. The drive north is about 330 km. Plan on 5 to 6 hours door to door. A stop to pray and a stop to eat are in the fare. You pay for your own food.
What is in AlUla
AlUla is a governorate in the north west of Saudi Arabia, and it is part of Madinah Province. Its best known places are spread along one long valley.
- Hegra. It is also called Al-Hijr or Mada’in Salih. In 2008 UNESCO made it the first World Heritage Site in Saudi Arabia. It has 111 large tombs cut into the rock by the Nabataeans, an old Arab people. Experience AlUla, the official booking site for visits in AlUla, advises an organised tour. It says you may not drive in yourself.
- AlUla Old Town. About 900 mud brick houses stand close together here. The town grew on an old road from Sham, the Levant, down to Makkah. It lies 26 km south of Hegra.
- Elephant Rock. People here call it Jabal al-Fil. Wind and water shaped the rock so it looks like an elephant with its trunk. It stands about 11 km north of AlUla.
- The oasis. Palm and citrus farms run through the valley. Saudipedia counts about 2.3 million palm trees in AlUla.
Your ride ends at your hotel or address in AlUla. It does not include tours, or waiting at any of these places.
AlUla fares for each vehicle class
Each fare pays for one vehicle and your whole group, one way. It runs from your Madinah hotel to your address in AlUla, in Saudi Riyal, with both stops on the way.
| Vehicle | Seats and bags | Fare | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|
 SedanToyota Camry | 4 seats2 large cases plus 2 hand bags | SAR 600Whole vehicle, one direction | Too small for your party |
 SedanHyundai Sonata | 4 seats2 large cases plus 2 hand bags | SAR 600Whole vehicle, one direction | Too small for your party |
 VanHyundai Staria9 seat Staria carrying up to 7 passengers | 7 seats6 large cases plus 4 hand bags | SAR 800Whole vehicle, one direction | Too small for your party |
 SUVGMC Yukon XLYukon XL or similar | 7 seats6 large cases plus 4 hand bags | SAR 1,200Whole vehicle, one direction | Too small for your party |
 VanToyota Hiace | 11 seats10 large cases plus 10 hand bags | SAR 1,000Whole vehicle, one direction | Too small for your party |
 MinibusToyota Coaster | 19 seats15 large cases plus 19 hand bags | SAR 1,650Whole vehicle, one direction | Too small for your party |
 CoachCoach | 44 seats44 large cases plus 44 hand bags | SAR 1,800Whole vehicle, one direction | Too small for your party |
Whole vehicle, one direction unless return is marked. Pay the driver at the end, cash in SAR or bank transfer. No deposit, no card, no booking fee. Journey time: 5 to 6 hrs.
Picking a vehicle for AlUla
A Camry or a Sonata suits two to four people. With all 4 seats in use, each carries 2 large cases and 2 hand bags. A family of up to seven takes the Staria or the GMC Yukon XL, with space for 6 large cases. The Yukon XL has a higher seat.
A group of up to 11 shares one Hiace, which holds 10 large cases. Groups of up to 19 ride in the Coaster, and up to 44 in the Coach.
Which vehicle fits?
5 of 7 vehicle classes take 4 people and 4 large cases, Madinah to AlUla.
- VanHyundai Staria7 seats, 6 large cases, 4 hand bagsSAR 800
- SUVGMC Yukon XL7 seats, 6 large cases, 4 hand bagsSAR 1,200
- VanToyota Hiace11 seats, 10 large cases, 10 hand bagsSAR 1,000
- MinibusToyota Coaster19 seats, 15 large cases, 19 hand bagsSAR 1,650
- CoachCoach44 seats, 44 large cases, 44 hand bagsSAR 1,800
Too small for this party: Toyota Camry, Hyundai Sonata.
Pick-up in Madinah, drop-off in AlUla
Your driver meets you in the lobby of your Madinah hotel at the time you choose. Thirty minutes of waiting are in the fare (waiting time).
The fare does not change from one AlUla address to another. It can be a hotel, a rented house or a farm stay. A map pin sent on WhatsApp shows the driver which gate is yours.
Need rides inside Madinah before you go? Book a Madinah taxi.
Booking your ride to AlUla
- Name both ends. Give your hotel in Madinah, and your hotel or a map pin in AlUla.
- Count people and cases. Large cases decide the vehicle as much as seats do.
- Check the written fare. You get the price for the vehicle that fits, on WhatsApp.
- Keep the driver’s number. You get his name and mobile number ahead of the trip.
Message us on WhatsApp, at any hour.
How the drive to AlUla goes
- Lobby, Madinah. The driver loads your cases and checks the AlUla address with you.
- The road north. You cover about 330 km of road.
- Prayer and a meal. Two stops, both in the fare. You pick the times with the driver.
- Your gate in AlUla. He helps carry the cases to the door, and the ride ends there.
From lobby to gate, the trip takes 5 to 6 hours. That time holds both stops. Leave in the morning if you want to reach AlUla before dark.
AlUla or Yanbu: two drives out of Madinah
Both trips start at your Madinah hotel, and both stay in Madinah Province. AlUla lies inland to the north, about 330 km by road. The Madinah to Yanbu taxi heads west to the Red Sea coast, about 240 km.
Pick AlUla for old tombs and desert rock. Pick Yanbu for the sea and its old port.
What the AlUla fare covers
- Collection from your Madinah hotel lobby
- Drop-off at any address in AlUla
- A stop to pray and a stop to eat (you buy your own food)
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- As many cases as your vehicle class holds
A child seat costs nothing when you tell us the child’s age (child seats). Payment goes to the driver at the end, in AlUla (how to pay). To move or cancel the ride, read cancelling and changing.
Tips for the AlUla trip
Book Hegra first
Experience AlUla says there are only so many tours each day, and it advises you to book ahead. Get your tour time before you fix the day of the drive.
Summer heat
Saudipedia gives summer highs of up to 40 degrees Celsius in AlUla. Keep water and a hat with you in the car.
Stretch at each stop
Get out and walk a little at both stops, even if you do not feel tired.
Your AlUla hotel
Keep its phone number handy for the driver.
Questions about the Madinah to AlUla taxi
From SAR 600 for the whole vehicle, one way. Each bigger class shows its own price on its fare card.
About 330 km from your Madinah hotel to your address in AlUla.
Plan for 5 to 6 hours. That count already holds the stop to pray and the stop to eat.
No. Experience AlUla says self-driving is not allowed at Hegra, and it advises an organised tour. Your ride ends at your address in AlUla.
Yes. Any address in AlUla has one fare. A map pin helps the driver find it.
The way back is not on the fare list. Send us the details on WhatsApp anyway. A person prices it and replies in writing (booking and fares).
A Camry or a Sonata takes 4 people. The Staria and the Yukon XL take 7, the Hiace 11, the Coaster 19 and the Coach 44.
Still have a question?
Ask on WhatsApp in Arabic, English, Urdu, Punjabi or Saraiki, at any hour. Voice notes are fine.
Related pages
Book the drive to AlUla
Send your Madinah hotel, your AlUla address, the date and how many of you are going. A person replies on WhatsApp with the fare, day or night.