Madinah Airport to Masjid an-Nabawi: Taxi, Bus & Transfers

The easiest way from Madinah airport to Masjid an-Nabawi is the official airport taxi, a fixed SAR 75 for up to five passengers or SAR 90 for up to seven to the central Haram area, taking about 30 minutes. The cheapest way is Madinah Bus Route 400, which runs 24 hours a day from outside the terminal, with a reported fare of SAR 3.45. Uber and Careem also serve the airport. There is no train: the Haramain railway station is in a different part of the city.

Madinah airport to Masjid an-Nabawi: your options compared

Travel times depend on traffic, the time of day and how close to a prayer you are travelling.

About the airport and the journey

Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport (code MED) is run by Tibah Airports, a consortium of TAV and Al-Rajhi. It handled about 11.7 million passengers in 2025, and Skytrax named it the Middle East’s best regional airport for 2026, the third year running. Most visitors use the main terminal, with a seasonal terminal for Hajj.

The airport is about 20 km from the mosque by road. Tibah gives 20 km, and Rome2Rio measures 19.3 km. You may see lower figures such as 15 km elsewhere, but that is close to the straight-line distance. The route follows King Salman Road and then Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road, the 13 km road to the mosque that was renamed in 2025. You may see older directions calling this the “airport road”.

Before you leave the terminal

A few minutes here makes the rest of your trip easier:

• SIM cards: Zain, Mobily and STC have kiosks opposite international arrivals, next to Gate 3, according to Tibah Airports. You will need data if you plan to use a ride-hailing app.
• Cash: Tibah’s site indicates an ATM in international arrivals before immigration and an exchange kiosk in the meeters-and-greeters area. It is sensible to have some riyals on you for the taxi.
• Your hotel’s details: have the name, address and map pin ready, ideally in Arabic too. Several Madinah hotels have similar names.
• Your apps: see our top 10 apps for Umrah pilgrims if you have not set these up yet.

Option 1: The official airport taxi

The taxi is the simplest option for most people, and it now has a clear price. The airport’s taxi page publishes a zone-based tariff. The Central Haram Area, where the hotels around the mosque are, is listed at 20 km and costs SAR 75 for up to five passengers and SAR 90 for up to seven. Fares are in multiples of SAR 5, and a sign outside the building shows them.

1. Go to the taxi rank directly outside the main terminal.
2. Check the fare sign, and tell the driver your destination.
3. Confirm the fare before you load your bags.
4. Show your hotel’s name or map pin.
5. Pay at the end. Small notes are useful, and you should not assume a driver can take your card.

The page is undated, and we have not checked the board in person. Other guides quote anything from SAR 50 to SAR 140, which is another reason to use the rank and check the sign. If you are sharing with others, the per-person cost can be low: SAR 75 between four people is under SAR 19 each.

Option 2: Madinah Bus Route 400

This is by far the cheapest option. A June 2026 report citing the Madinah Development Authority describes Route 400 as a 24-hour link between the airport and the Prophet’s Mosque.

Because payment is the main unknown, have a backup. Buy your ticket in the Madinah Bus app before boarding if you can, or ask staff at the stop. The bus suits you if you are alone with a small bag and your hotel is near the north side of the mosque. With big suitcases, young children or elderly parents, a taxi is likely worth the extra cost. The stop may also leave you with a long walk across the piazza to your hotel.

Option 3: Uber, Careem or Rehla

Ride-hailing avoids any conversation about the fare, because the app shows the price first. Uber has a Madinah airport pick-up page, and the airport lists Careem and Rehla too. We could not confirm the exact pick-up zone. Uber says the app assigns it, so follow the instructions on your screen and the signs in the terminal.

To use these apps, you need a working data connection on arrival and a payment method that works. Compare the app’s fare with the SAR 75 taxi before booking. At busy times, an app fare may not be cheaper. Rides for groups need a larger car, so check the car size if you have several people or a lot of luggage.

Option 4: A hotel or pre-booked transfer

A driver waiting with your name removes the stress of arriving after a long flight. We would suggest this for late-night landings, elderly travellers and large groups, even though it usually costs more than the rank. Ask your hotel first, as some include or arrange pick-ups, and check your Umrah package too. Companies advertise a wide range of prices, some from SAR 150. Before you pay, check that the price is the final total, whether it covers waiting if your flight is late, and how to reach the driver.

Some hotels very close to the mosque include Dar Al Taqwa, Anwar Al Madinah Mövenpick, Millennium Taiba and Madinah Hilton. See the full Madinah hotels list, sorted by distance, and contact your hotel directly about transfers.

Which option should you choose?

Getting close to your hotel

We could not find a current official rule on where cars may drop off in the central area, and the only circular we found, from 2010, applied to Hajj and Umrah company buses. In practice, the streets around the mosque get very crowded around prayer times, and parking is limited. So:

• Ask your hotel in advance where a taxi can stop.
• Time your arrival to avoid the 30 minutes before a prayer if you can. Check Madinah prayer times for your landing day.
• Keep your passport and permits with you, not in your checked bag.
• Be ready to walk the last stretch with your bags if the road is closed.

Arriving by train instead?

The Haramain station is a separate journey and is not connected to the airport. According to Saudipedia, it is on King Abdulaziz Road, about 9 km from the mosque and about 13 km from the airport. A guide that says 5 km appears to be wrong.

The bus position is changing. Older sources describe a Route 300 between the station and the Prophet’s Mosque, running 7am to 11pm at SAR 11.50. In late September 2026, one report announced a “new direct route”, and an October 2026 report described an express Route 300 linking the station with the “Northern Centre station”. We have not been able to confirm the current fare, so ask at the station. For the train itself, see the official link on our downloads page and our guide on how to get to Madinah.

Going back to the airport

The route works in reverse, but plan with more care because you have a flight to catch:

• Book or arrange your car the day before, especially for a very early flight. Your hotel’s front desk can help.
• Allow extra time around prayers, when traffic near the mosque is at its heaviest.
• Check your airline’s check-in deadline, and leave well before it.
• Weigh your bags at the hotel, especially if you have bought dates. Our guide to the types of dates in Madinah covers packing and customs.
• Going on to Makkah for Umrah? Plan your ihram at the Miqat Mosque (Dhul Hulayfah), and check whether your route allows a stop there.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Accepting a ride inside the terminal. Walk out to the official rank, where the fare is on display, and turn down any offers you get on the way.
• Assuming your foreign card will work on the bus. One traveller’s foreign debit card failed. Have a backup, such as the app or another way to pay, before you rely on the bus.
• Trusting an old fare. Blogs and videos quote figures from SAR 50 to SAR 140 for the taxi and SAR 11.50 for the bus. Look at the sign at the rank and ask at the stop.
• Looking for a train. The Haramain station is not at the airport, so a train will not get you from your flight to the mosque.
• Ordering a small car for a large family. Check the number of seats and your luggage first. The seven-seat fare may save you from needing two cars.
• Landing with no data and no cash. You will need at least one of them for the trip into the city, so sort this out before you leave the terminal.

What to do when you arrive

Once you are at your hotel, rest and drink water first. Check the next prayer time, find your nearest gate, and save it as a map pin. When you are ready, read our first visit guide to Masjid an-Nabawi and our ziyarah etiquette guide. If you are still planning your dates, see the best time to visit Madinah.

Frequently asked questions

How we checked this article: we used the Tibah Airports website, Saudipedia, Uber, Arab News, Gulf News, TradeArabia, Rome2Rio, a report citing the Madinah Development Authority, and one traveller’s first-hand account on Visit Al Madinah. The Madinah Bus and Transport General Authority websites would not load for us. We have not yet tested these routes in person. Last checked 30 October 2026.