Editing Transport in Saudi Arabia

{{Short description|none}}
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{{Infobox public transit
| image = File:Rail transport map of Saudi Arabia.png
| website = https://www.mot.gov.sa/en
| began_operation = 
| annual_ridership = 
| alt = 
| headquarters = [[Riyadh]]
| map_state = 
| map = 
| vehicles = 
| character = 
| operator = [[Ministry of Transport (Saudi Arabia)|Ministry of Transport]]
| chief_executive = Saleh bin Naser al-Jaser <br/>('''as Minister''')
| imagesize = 300px
| stations = 
| end = 
| start = 
| line_number = 
| transit_type = 
| locale = 
| area served = {{flag|Saudi Arabia}}
| owner = [[Ministry of Transport (Saudi Arabia)|Ministry of Transport]]
| native_name = {{lang|ar|نظام النقل بالمملكة العربية السعودية}}
}}

'''Transport in Saudi Arabia''' is facilitated through a relatively young system of [[road]]s, [[Rail transport|railways]] and [[Sound (geography)|seaways]]. Most of the network started construction after the discovery of oil in the [[Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia|Eastern Province]] in 1952, with the notable exception of [[Highway 40 (Saudi Arabia)|Highway 40]], which was built to connect the capital [[Riyadh]] to the economically productive [[Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia|Eastern Province]], and later to the [[Holy sites in islam|Islamic holy city]] of [[Mecca]] and the port city of [[Jeddah]]. With the economic growth of the 1970s, the [[Kingdom of Saudi Arabia]] has initiated many infrastructure development projects across the country, and the extensive development of the transportation network has followed suit in support of various economic developments.

== Roads ==
[[File:Medina Road - Jeddah - Saudi Arabia.jpg|thumb|Traffic on Medina Road in [[Jeddah]]]]

=== History and overview ===
In 1921, [[King Abdulaziz]] introduced the first car in Saudi Arabia.<ref name="Al-Harby"/> However, by the time the Kingdom was established in 1932, there were still less than {{convert|30|miles|km}} of paved roadways in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.saudiembassy.net/transportation-communication#:~:text=At%20the%20time%20of%20the,air%2C%20marine%20and%20public%20transport. |title=Transportation & Communication |website= saudiembassy.net|publisher=[[Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington, D.C.]] |access-date=October 9, 2023 }}</ref> Cars eventually supplanted camels as the main mode of transport in the Kingdom in the 1950s, with a major uptick in car ownership occurring in the 1970s.<ref name ="Al-Harby">{{cite web |url= https://english.alarabiya.net/amp/variety/2018/02/13/When-the-first-car-was-introduced-to-Saudi-Arabia-98-years-ago|title=When the first car was introduced to Saudi Arabia 98 years ago |last=Al-Harby |first=Mohamed |date=February 13, 2018 |website= english.alarabiya.net|publisher= [[Al Arabiya English]]|access-date= October 9, 2023}}</ref> The roads of Saudi Arabia gradually became the defining feature of the kingdom's transport system as the main population centres are not only scattered all over the country but also because they faced a major challenge from the [[Geography of Saudi Arabia|geography of the country]] itself; separated by [[Arabian Desert|deserts]], [[valley]]s and [[mountain]]s, among other [[landform]]s. Due to this, a reliable road network became more important and essential than other [[Mode of transport|modes of transport]] in the kingdom.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Aldagheiri|first=M.|title=The role of transport roads network in the economic development in Saudi Arabia|url=https://asc.qu.edu.sa/files/shares/The%20role%20of%20transport%20roads%20network.pdf|website=Qassim University College of Arabic and Sociology|access-date=2020-08-10|archive-date=2020-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725180739/https://asc.qu.edu.sa/files/shares/The%20role%20of%20transport%20roads%20network.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Saudi Arabia had encouraged road transport in the past by maintaining one of the lowest petrol prices in the world. Despite raising prices in 2018,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Saudi Arabia hikes fuel price|work=[[Saudi Gazette]]|url=http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/525180/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-Arabia-hikes-fuel-price}}</ref> it is worth noting that due to limited alternative passenger transport options in the country, the gasoline fuel demand is relatively inelastic to its prices;<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Algunaibet, Ibrahim, Walid Matar|date=2017|title=The responsiveness of fuel demand to gasoline price change in passenger transport: a case study of Saudi Arabia|journal=Energy Efficiency |volume=11 |issue=6 |pages=1341–1358 |doi=10.1007/s12053-018-9628-6}}</ref> light-duty vehicles dominate the passenger transport landscape. Buses and other public transport options are limited, and walking or bicycles are hindered by the urban landscapes and harsh weather in most regions of the country.

The development of the Saudi road network can be divided into two major phases; i.e. the expansion of the modern road network from 1938 to 1970, preceding the initial development plans conceived by the [[Ministry of Transport (Saudi Arabia)|Ministry of Transport]], and the development and expansion after the introduction of the plans (after 1970). The two stages, pre-national planning and postnational planning, relate to the historical circumstances of the economic, political and social demands of the kingdom. The activity during the second stage greatly exceeds that during the first owing to the existence of coordinated plans, high investment and concentration of effort.<ref name=":0" />

=== Highway network ===
The [[Ministry of Transport (Saudi Arabia)|Ministry of Transport]] in 2014 maintained a total estimated road length of 627,000&nbsp;km, of which 151,000&nbsp;km were highways linking major regions of [[Saudi Arabia]] with international borders and serving as interconnecting roads between the major Saudi Arabian cities; 102,000&nbsp;km were secondary roads linking major cities with other smaller cities in their respective provinces; 374,000&nbsp;km were feeder roads branching out of secondary roads and serving towns, villages & agricultural areas. Another 204,000&nbsp;km of roads was under construction by the end of [[fiscal year]] 2014. The [[Ministry of Transport (Saudi Arabia)|Ministry of Transport]] maintains 151,000&nbsp;km of major roads linking the major Saudi Arabian cities and the kingdom to its neighbors.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" />
{| class="wikitable"
|+Major highways of Saudi Arabia
!Saudi highway network
![[Arab Mashreq International Road Network|Mashreq network]]
!Southern or western terminus
!Northern or eastern terminus
!Map
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-5.svg|frameless|40x40px]] Highway 5
|[[File:Mashreq-M55.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M55
|'''Road 45''' at Yemeni border in [[At Tuwal|Tuwal]]
|[[Highway 15 (Jordan)|'''Highway 15''']]/[[Highway 65 (Jordan)|'''Highway 65''']] at Jordanian border in Durra
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 5 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 5]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-10.svg|frameless|40x40px]] [[Highway 10 (Saudi Arabia)|Highway 10]]
|[[File:Mashreq-M90.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M90
|Highway 5 in [[Al Darb]]
|[[E 11 road (United Arab Emirates)|'''E11''']] at Emirati border in Batha'
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 10 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 10]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-15.svg|frameless|40x40px]] Highway 15
|[[File:Mashreq-M45.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M45
|'''S150''' at Yemeni border in Al Wadi'ah
|[[Highway 5 (Jordan)|'''Highway 5''']] at Jordanian border in Halat 'Ammar
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 15 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 15]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-40.svg|frameless|40x40px]] [[Highway 40 (Saudi Arabia)|Highway 40]]
|[[File:Mashreq-M80.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M80
|Highway 5 in [[Jeddah]]
|Route 613 in [[Dammam]]
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 40 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 40]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-50.svg|frameless|40x40px]] Highway 50
|[[File:Mashreq-M70.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M70 from [[Al Artawiyah|Artawiyah]]
|Highway 40 in Dhalm
|'''M70''' at Kuwaiti border in Ruqa'i
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 50 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 50]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-60.svg|frameless|40x40px]] [[Highway 60 (Saudi Arabia)|Highway 60]]
|[[File:Mashreq-M70.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M70
|Highway 5 near [[Yanbu]]
|Highway 50 in Artawiyah
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 60 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 60]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-65.svg|frameless|40x40px]] [[Highway 65 (Saudi Arabia)|Highway 65]]
|[[File:Mashreq-M35.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M35
|Highway 10 in [[Hotat Bani Tamim]]
|[[Highway 30 (Jordan)|'''Highway 30''']] at Jordanian border in [[Qurayyat, Saudi Arabia|Qurayyat]]
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 65 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 65]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-70.svg|frameless|40x40px]] Highway 70
|
|Route 375 in [[Al-Ula|AlUla]]
|Highway 6262 in Linah
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 70 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 70]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-75.svg|frameless|40x40px]] Highway 75
|
|Route 180 in [[Al Kharkhir]]
|Highway 95 near [[Tanajib]]
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 75 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 75]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-80.svg|frameless|40x40px]] Highway 80
|[[File:Mashreq-M50.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M50
|Highway 5 in [[Duba, Saudi Arabia|Duba]]
|'''Road 22''' at Iraqi border in [[Arar, Saudi Arabia|'Arar]]
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 80 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 80]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-85.svg|frameless|40x40px]] Highway 85
|[[File:Mashreq-M25.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M25
|Highway 65 in [[Qurayyat, Saudi Arabia|Qurayyat]]
|Highway 95 near [[Jubail]]
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 85 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 85]]
|-
|[[File:Saudi Arabia - Highway-95.svg|frameless|40x40px]] Highway 95
|[[File:Mashreq-M5.gif|frameless|40x40px]] M5
|[[E 11 road (United Arab Emirates)|'''E11''']] at Emirati border in Batha'
|'''Road 40''' at Kuwaiti border in [[Khafji]]
|[[File:Saudi Arabia 95 map.png|100px|Map of Highway 95]]
|-
| colspan="5" |'''Source(s)''':<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|title=Road Safety|url=https://www.mot.gov.sa/en/Roads/Pages/SafetyOnRoad.aspx|access-date=19 August 2020|website=Ministry of Transport}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Watling|first=Rawan Shaif, Jack|title=How the UAE's Chinese-Made Drone Is Changing the War in Yemen|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/04/27/drone-wars-how-the-uaes-chinese-made-drone-is-changing-the-war-in-yemen/|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Foreign Policy|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| colspan="5" |'''Note(s)''':

* Highway number(s) in bold indicate that the route is not part of the Saudi highway network.
|}

Most of these highways are two-lane highways, and some of them are not separated by [[median strip]]s. The Ministry of Transport has been working on a project to gradually modernize these roads. [[Highway 10 (Saudi Arabia)|Highway 10]] currently holds the record for world's longest straight road, with the {{Cvt|256|km||abbr=}} section from [[Haradh]] to the Batha' border with UAE cutting through the [[Rub' al Khali|Rub' al-Khali]] desert, beating the previous record holder, [[Australia]]'s [[Eyre Highway]], by {{Cvt|110|km||abbr=}}.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-03-11|title=Saudi Arabia home to the world's longest straight road|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1263776/offbeat|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Arab News|language=en}}</ref> On 19 February 2018, the [[speed limit]] on sections of Highway 5, Highway 15, [[Highway 40 (Saudi Arabia)|Highway 40]] and [[Highway 65 (Saudi Arabia)|Highway 65]] was increased from 120&nbsp;km/h (75&nbsp;mph) to 140&nbsp;km/h (87&nbsp;mph).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1249|title=Arab News}}{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

== Rail ==
{{main|Rail transport in Saudi Arabia}}

=== History and overview ===
[[File:Ferrocarril del hiyaz EN.PNG|thumb|Map of the historic Hejaz railway|245x245px]]
The first railway line in the kingdom predates the [[unification of Saudi Arabia]]. The 1,050&nbsp;mm (3&nbsp;ft 5<sup>11</sup>⁄<sub>32</sub> in) narrow-gauge [[Hejaz railway]], that ran from [[Damascus]] to [[Medina]], began construction in 1900 under the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[Hejaz Vilayet]], and was completed in 1908. A proposal to further extend the line to [[Mecca]] was made, but was never materialized. The southern portion of the line was mostly destroyed during the [[First World War]]. A few sections of the track remain, with some sections in Jordan being used up to today. The stations in [[Hegra (Mada'in Salih)|Mada'in Salih]] and [[Medina]] have been converted into museums ([[Hejaz Railway Museum]] and Mada'in Salih Railway Station), each having some locomotives and rolling stock from the original railway.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Railways in Saudi Arabia|url=https://www.sinfin.net/railways/world/saudi.html|access-date=2020-08-19|website=www.sinfin.net}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/286628|title=Move Under Way To Restore Madain Saleh Railway Station|date=June 22, 2006|website=[[Arab News]]}}</ref>

The first railway line built and completed under Saudi rule was the {{Cvt|569|km||abbr=}} [[Dammam–Riyadh line|Dammam-Riyadh line]], which began construction in 1947. It was inaugurated on October 20, 1951, by [[King Abdulaziz]]. This was before the formation of the [[Saudi Railways Organization]] (SRO), and the railway line was run and maintained by [[Saudi Aramco]], before being entrusted to the [[Ministry of Finance (Saudi Arabia)|Ministry of Finance.]] On May 13, 1966, a royal decree established the SRO, a public corporation that now runs the line. The main railway stations for passengers opened in Riyadh, Dammam, and Hofuf in 1981. The modern passenger line between Riyadh and Dammam measuring {{Cvt|449|km||abbr=}} was completed in 1985.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-09-20|title=Saudi railways approach 67th anniversary, play large role in linking cities|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1375306/saudi-arabia|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Arab News|language=en}}</ref>

The other conventional railway line in the kingdom is the [[SAR North–South Railway line|North–South line]], also known as the [[SAR Riyadh-Qurayyat line|Riyadh-Qurayyat line]], which runs from the capital [[Riyadh]] to border with [[Jordan]] at [[Al-Haditha, Saudi Arabia|Hadithah]] via [[Buraidah]], [[Ha'il]] and [[Qurayyat, Saudi Arabia|Qurayyat]], with feeder lines to multiple [[phosphate mining]] and [[Bauxite|bauxite mining]] locations in the northern parts of the kingdom. The largest feeder line connects the main line to the port city of [[Ras Al-Khair|Ra's Al-Khair]], near [[Jubail]], giving the line a total length of more than {{Cvt|2750|km||abbr=}}. The only high-speed railway line in the kingdom, the [[Haramain high-speed railway|Haramain high-speed railway line]], was completed in 2017, and connects the two Islamic holy cities of [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]] via the [[King Abdulaziz International Airport]] in [[Jeddah]] and the [[King Abdullah Economic City]] near [[Rabigh]].<ref name=":1" />

=== Detail ===
[[File:Rail transport map of Saudi Arabia.png|thumb|Map of present-day Saudi Arabian railway network with future projects]]The historic 1,300&nbsp;km (810&nbsp;mi) 1,035&nbsp;mm (3&nbsp;ft 5<sup>11</sup>⁄<sub>32</sub> in) [[Narrow-gauge railway|narrow-gauge]] [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[Hejaz railway]] was mostly destroyed during the [[World War I|First World War]] and its stations in [[Hegra (Mada'in Salih)|Mada'in Salih]] and [[Medina]] have been converted to museums. Within two decades of the [[unification of Saudi Arabia]], the first [[Dammam–Riyadh line]] was completed in 1951, and was {{Cvt|569|km||abbr=}} long. This line was later converted to only be used for [[freight transport]], with a new, shorter, {{Cvt|449|km||abbr=}} line being completed in 1985, exclusively for the transport of passengers. The other passenger line in the kingdom is the [[SAR Riyadh–Qurayyat line|Riyadh–Qurayyat line]], which runs through the middle of the country connecting the capital [[Riyadh]] to [[Ha'il]], [[Majma'ah]], the [[Al Jawf Region|Al Jawf Province]] and [[Jordan]] via [[Qurayyat, Saudi Arabia|Qurayyat]]. It is the longest line in the Saudi rail network, and with a feeder line connecting it to the port of [[Ras Al-Khair|Ra's al-Khair]], its total length comes up to around 2,750&nbsp;km (1,710&nbsp;mi). The [[SAR North–South Railway line|North–South Railway line]] uses portions of the Riyadh–Qurayyat line and connects the main line to [[phosphate]] and [[bauxite]] mining locations in the northern reaches of the kingdom.

Apart from [[Public transport|mass transit]] systems such as metros, the only [[high-speed rail]]way line in the kingdom is the [[Haramain high-speed railway|Haramain high-speed railway line]], construction of which was completed in 2017. The line is 453&nbsp;km (281&nbsp;mi) long and connects the two Islamic holy cities of [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]] via the [[King Abdulaziz International Airport]] in [[Jeddah]] and the [[King Abdullah Economic City]].

== Air ==
{{see also|List of airports in Saudi Arabia|List of airlines of Saudi Arabia}}
[[File:Dammam0136.jpg|left|thumb|Interior of the [[King Fahd International Airport]], the largest airport in the world by area]]
Saudi Arabia is served by three major international airports: the [[King Khalid International Airport]] in [[Riyadh]], the [[King Abdulaziz International Airport]] in [[Jeddah]], and the [[King Fahd International Airport]] in [[Dammam]], which is also the largest airport in the world by area.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The largest airport in the world: Middle Eastern airports that set records {{!}} OxfordSaudia Flight Academy|url=https://www.oxfordsaudia.com/en/blog/largest-airport-world/|access-date=2020-08-19|website=OxfordSaudia|language=en-GB}}</ref> In addition to these three major airports, several smaller airports, providing both domestic and international connections, are present throughout the kingdom, such as the [[Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport]] in Medina and the Ta'if International Airport in Ta'if among others. 
[[File:Aramco Plane 1.jpg|thumb|A [[Saudi Aramco]] Aviation [[Boeing 737]] aircraft at [[Shaybah]]]]
The Saudi Arabian flag carrier, [[Saudia]], started out in 1945 with a single twin-engine [[Douglas DC-3|Douglas DC-3 Dakota]] gifted by [[US President]] [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|title=Transportation & Communication|url=https://www.saudiembassy.net/transportation-communication|access-date=19 August 2020|website=Saudi Embassy}}</ref> The airline now operates more than 140 aircraft, providing a means of transport to more than 34 million annual passengers to 95 destinations around the world.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=SAUDIA|url=https://www.saudia.com/TRAVEL-WITH-SAUDIA/Where-we-fly/flight-destinations/Flights_Destinations_SA_en.html|access-date=2020-08-19|website=www.saudia.com|archive-date=2020-06-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622082248/https://www.saudia.com/TRAVEL-WITH-SAUDIA/Where-we-fly/flight-destinations/Flights_Destinations_SA_en.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{Citation needed span|Other major airlines in the country include [[Flynas]], [[Flyadeal]] and [[SaudiGulf Airlines]], among others. In addition to these public airlines, [[Saudi Aramco]] operates its own private airline, Saudi Aramco Aviation, with a fleet of seven aircraft and multiple helicopters and their own terminals in several cases, which they use for the transportation of employees from several far-flung locations such as [[Shaybah]], [[Yanbu]] and [[Tanajib]].|date=October 2024}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+Airports of Saudi Arabia, by runway length (2003 est.)
! colspan="2" |Airports with paved runways
|-
!Runway length
!Number of airports
|-
|over {{Cvt|10000|ft||abbr=}}
|32
|-
|{{Cvt|8000|ft||abbr=}} to {{Cvt|10000|ft||abbr=}}
|13
|-
|{{Cvt|5000|ft||abbr=}} to {{Cvt|8000|ft||abbr=}}
|12
|-
|{{Cvt|3000|ft||abbr=}} to {{Cvt|5000|ft||abbr=}}
|2
|-
|under {{Cvt|3000|ft||abbr=}}
|2
|-
|'''Total'''
|61
|-
! colspan="2" |Airports with unpaved runways
|-
!Runway length
!Number of airports
|-
|over {{Cvt|10000|ft||abbr=}}
|6
|-
|{{Cvt|8000|ft||abbr=}} to {{Cvt|10000|ft||abbr=}}
|5
|-
|{{Cvt|5000|ft||abbr=}} to {{Cvt|8000|ft||abbr=}}
|75
|-
|{{Cvt|3000|ft||abbr=}} to {{Cvt|5000|ft||abbr=}}
|38
|-
|under {{Cvt|3000|ft||abbr=}}
|14
|-
|'''Total'''
|138
|-
! colspan="2" |Heliports (2009 est.)
|-
| colspan="2" |9
|}
In 2019, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) launched the first commercial helicopter that will serve to transport customers within the major Saudi cities and to take them to different tourism destinations.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-03-11|title=Saudi Public Investment Fund launches Kingdom's first commercial helicopter operator|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1465166/saudi-arabia|access-date=2019-03-12|website=Arab News|language=en}}</ref>

In 2019 Saudi Arabia had 103 million air passengers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Saudi Arabia: annual air passengers 2022 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/1171847/saudi-arabia-annual-air-passengers/ |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=Statista |language=en}}</ref>

== Ports and waterways ==
[[File:Jeddah-seaport-saudiarabia.PNG|thumb|[[Jeddah Islamic Port]]]]

=== History and overview ===
Historically, the area that is now Saudi Arabia was situated close to one end of the [[Silk Road]], and the ports here made the many tribes in the region wealthy as they profited off the [[spice trade]]. Saudi Arabia is one of several [[List of countries without rivers|countries without any rivers]], however there are several [[wadi]]s spread throughout the country that fill up during the rainy season of winter. However, due to their unstable nature, they are neither classified nor used as [[waterway]]s. The [[Jeddah Islamic Port]] was the main gateway to pilgrims making the journey to the Islamic holy cities of [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]] before the advent of [[jet aircraft]], and is said to have been given that status by the third [[Rashidun]] [[Rashidun Caliphate|caliph]], [[Uthman]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jeddah Islamic Port|url=http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/review/SAU_Jeddah_Islamic_Port_281.php|access-date=2020-08-19|website=World Port Source|archive-date=2020-02-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223125937/http://worldportsource.com/ports/review/SAU_Jeddah_Islamic_Port_281.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> One of the first ports built under the kingdom was located in [[Khobar]], and was used to transport [[petroleum]] to [[Bahrain]]. The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) was founded in 1976 as a government agency to oversee and maintain the kingdom's ports, and it currently maintains nine ports throughout the kingdom.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Introduction to the Ports Authority|url=https://www.ports.gov.sa/section/full_story.cfm?aid=74&catid=22|website=Saudi Ports Authority|access-date=2020-08-19|archive-date=2012-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120220052406/http://www.ports.gov.sa/section/full_story.cfm?aid=74&catid=22|url-status=dead}}</ref> Several other ports are not maintained by Mawani but by other entities, such as the [[King Abdullah Port]] in the [[King Abdullah Economic City]] near [[Rabigh]].

=== Detail ===
Like all states in the [[Arabian Peninsula]], Saudi Arabia does not have any rivers or inland waterways. This has not stopped the kingdom from pursuing the development of a water transportation network, primarily constructed to support the transport of [[petrochemical]]s. The [[Saudi Ports Authority]] (Mawani) runs and manages the major ports in the country, overseeing their operations. There are some other ports in the kingdom managed by other entities, such as the [[King Abdullah Port]]. The largest port on the [[Persian Gulf]], the [[King Abdul Aziz Port|King Abdulaziz Port]], is located in [[Dammam]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=nationsonline.org|title=Map of the Persian Gulf|url=https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/Persian-Gulf-Map.htm|access-date=2020-08-19|website=Nations Online Project|language=en-us}}</ref>

=== Ports ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Ports managed by the Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani)
!Name
!City
!Located on
!Terminals
!Berths
!Capacity (containers)
!Area
|-
|[[King Fahad Industrial Port (Yanbu)|King Fahd Industrial Port]]
|[[Yanbu]]
|[[Red Sea]]
|3
|34
|210,000,000
|{{Cvt|50|sqkm||abbr=}}
|-
|[[Jeddah Islamic Port]]
|[[Jeddah]]
|[[Red Sea]]
|5
|62
|130,000,000
|{{Cvt|12|sqkm||abbr=}}
|-
|[[King Abdul Aziz Port|King Abdulaziz Port]]
|[[Dammam]]
|[[Persian Gulf]]
|4
|42
|105,480,000
|{{Cvt|4.3|sqkm||abbr=}}
|-
|[[King Fahad Industrial Port (Jubail)|King Fahd Industrial Port]]
|[[Jubail]]
|[[Persian Gulf]]
|5
|34
|70,000,000
|{{Cvt|2|sqkm||abbr=}}
|-
|Jubail Commercial Port
|[[Jubail]]
|[[Persian Gulf]]
|4
|16
|36,000,000
|{{Cvt|4.1|sqkm||abbr=}}
|-
|Ra's al-Khair Port
|[[Ras Al-Khair|Ra's al-Khair]]
|[[Persian Gulf]]
|5
|14
|35,000,000
|{{Cvt|19.2|sqkm||abbr=}}
|-
|[[Yanbu Commercial Port]]
|[[Yanbu]]
|[[Red Sea]]
|2
|12
|13,500,000
|{{Cvt|3.9|sqkm||abbr=}}
|-
|Duba Port
|[[Duba, Saudi Arabia|Duba]]
|[[Red Sea]]
|3
|6
|10,000,000
|{{Cvt|11.25|sqkm||abbr=}}
|-
|Jizan Port
|[[Jizan]]
|[[Red Sea]]
|1
|12
|5,000,000
|{{Cvt|4.3|sqkm||abbr=}}
|-
| colspan="7" |'''Sources:''' <ref>{{Cite web|last=Mawani|title=Saudi Ports Authority|url=https://mawani.gov.sa:443/en-us/Pages/default.aspx|access-date=2020-08-19|website=mawani.gov.sa|language=en}}</ref>
|}

== Public transit systems ==
[[File:Bus SAPTCO Koridor Saqifah Bani Sa'idah - Jalan Raya Tabuk.jpg|left|thumb|A SAPTCO bus in [[Saqifah|Saqifah Bani Sa'idah]], [[Medina]]|248x248px]]
The [[Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO)]], known by its abbreviation SAPTCO, established in 1979 by a royal decree, operates a fleet of more than 4,500 vehicles<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Company profile|url=https://www.saptco.com.sa/About-Us/Company-Profile.aspx|access-date=19 August 2020|website=SAPTCO, About Us|archive-date=25 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200825023816/https://saptco.com.sa/About-Us/Company-Profile.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> with multiple routes throughout the kingdom. It transports approximately 8 million people monthly between the major cities of the kingdom.<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=27 June 2018|title=Eight (8) Million Passengers transported by SAPTCO during Ramadan 1439|url=https://www.saptco.com.sa/MediaCenter/News/news194.aspx|access-date=19 August 2020|website=SAPTCO Media Center}}{{Dead link|date=August 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In addition to the transnational routes, SAPTCO also operates 10 international routes which transport approximately 500,000 people between the kingdom and the neighbouring Gulf states. SAPTCO operates special bus services during the Hajj pilgrimage, which carry approximately 15,000 pilgrims between the holy sites.<ref name=":2" /> One of Saudi Arabia's most sophisticated bus networks is that of the city of [[Medina]], with 10 lines connecting different regions of the city. It serves approximately 20,000 passengers on a daily basis.<ref>{{Cite web|title=حافلات المدينة|url=https://madinabuses.mda.gov.sa/|access-date=2020-08-19|website=madinabuses.mda.gov.sa|archive-date=2021-06-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210603050406/https://madinabuses.mda.gov.sa/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-05-19|title=20 ألف مستفيد يوميا من النقل الترددي بالمدينة|url=https://makkahnewspaper.com/article/1103561/البلد/20-ألف-مستفيد-يوميا-من-النقل-الترددي-بالمدينة|access-date=2020-08-19|website=صحيفة مكة|language=ar}}</ref> 
SATPCO buses are gender-segregated.
[[File:Damman City2.JPG|thumb|Taxis in front of King Fahd Mosque in [[Dammam]], 2008]]
[[File:Green Taxi Riyadh 2024.jpg|thumb|Green Taxi in [[Riyadh]], 2024]]
[[Taxicab|Taxis]] are available in all major cities of the kingdom, in addition to the presence of private companies that offer vehicle hiring services, such as [[Uber]] and [[Careem]] (which is a subsidiary of Uber), and ChaCha Taxi, a locally known provider focused on accessible and reliable transport.<ref name="ChaCha Taxi">{{cite web |url=https://chachataxi.com/ |title=Online Taxi Service in Saudi Arabia |access-date=4 November 2024}}</ref> A reflection of gender inequality, men travelling solo may sit in the passenger seat, but women are expected to sit in the rear seat.<ref name="taxi_exp">{{cite web |url=https://www.expatica.com/sa/living/transportation/public-transportation-in-saudi-arabia-74944/#taxis |title=Taxis and ride-hailing services in Saudi Arabia |access-date=2021-09-02}}</ref> Before the reform in early 2020,<ref name="taxi_exp" /> Saudi cabs did not have meters; the price was agreed to up front and trips had to be booked in advance because of a 2012 "no hailing" regulation.<ref name="just_landed">{{cite web| url = https://www.justlanded.com/english/Saudi-Arabia/Saudi-Arabia-Guide/Travel-Leisure/Public-transport-in-Saudi-Arabia| title = Public transport in Saudi Arabia}}</ref> Women had also been required to be accompanied by a male relative or another woman.<ref name="just_landed" />

The Makkah Mass Rail Transit, also known as [[Mecca Metro]], became the first [[rapid transit]] system to enter operation in Saudi Arabia after the completion of the [[Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah Metro line|Al Mashaaer Al Muqaddassah]] (S) line in 2010. Other rapid transit systems currently in operation and development in the kingdom include:
* The [[Riyadh Metro]], consisting of six lines serve the capital city of [[Riyadh]], which is started its operations on 1 December 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Riyadh metro mega-project to be fully operational by 2021|url=https://www.thenational.ae/business/travel-and-tourism/riyadh-metro-mega-project-to-be-fully-operational-by-2021-1.711522|access-date=2020-08-19|website=The National|date=8 March 2018 |language=en}}</ref>
* A three-line [[Medina Metro|metro]] project in extension to the public transportation master plan in [[Medina]], announced by the [[Al Madinah Region Development Authority|MMDA]] in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|title=هيئة تطوير المدينة المنورة تطرح تنفيذ 3 خطوط مترو و200 محطة للحافلات|url=https://aawsat.com/home/article/326216/%D9%87%D9%8A%D8%A6%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B7%D9%88%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%AF%D9%8A%D9%86%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B7%D8%B1%D8%AD-%D8%AA%D9%86%D9%81%D9%8A%D8%B0-3-%D8%AE%D8%B7%D9%88%D8%B7-%D9%85%D8%AA%D8%B1%D9%88-%D9%88200-%D9%85%D8%AD%D8%B7%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%A7%D9%81%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA|access-date=2020-08-19|website=الشرق الأوسط|language=ar}}</ref>
* The [[Jeddah Metro]], under construction with projected completion in 2025, as of 2018.

== Economic impact ==
The development of a road network plays an important role in the economic development of a country and therefore, the mileage of paved roads existing in a country is often used as an index to assess the extent of its development. The proper development of transport road network not only reduces the cost of transportation both in terms of money and time but also helps in the integration of various regions within the country and better understanding of neighbouring countries at the international level. The transport road network in Saudi Arabia contributed to the development of the country by bringing in direct benefits from its role in the development of some sectors such as minerals, agriculture, industry and commerce.<ref name=":0" />

== See also ==
{{Portal|Saudi Arabia}}

* [[Ministry of Transport (Saudi Arabia)]]
* [[Saudi Ports Authority]]
* [[Saudi Railway Company]]
* [[Saudi Railways Organization]]
* [[Saudi Public Transport Company (SAPTCO)]]
* [[History of women in aviation in Saudi Arabia]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Saudi Arabia topics}}
{{Asia topic|Transport in}}
{{Rail transport in Saudi Arabia}}
In recent years, the demand for private taxi services and online booking platforms has increased significantly, especially in cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam.<ref>{{cite web |title=Taxi Services in Saudi Arabia |url=https://taxiserviceksa.com |website=Taxi Service KSA |access-date=2025-05-02}}</ref>

== External links ==

* [https://www.gcs.gov.sa/Documents/Maps/Road%20Map%20HR.pdf A detailed map of the Saudi highway network can be found here]{{Dead link|date=April 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* [http://www.aircraft-charter-world.com/airports/middleeast/saudiarabia.htm A list of major airports and military airbases can be found here] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812050950/http://www.aircraft-charter-world.com/airports/middleeast/saudiarabia.htm |date=2020-08-12 }}

{{Commons category|Transport in Saudi Arabia}}

[[Category:Transport in Saudi Arabia| ]]