In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Saudi Arabia
Dhahran
Skip Dhahran as a base unless you work for Aramco or need a consulate; stay in Khobar or Dammam and visit for the day.
Dhahran is the corporate heart of Saudi Aramco, a clean, gated company town with few tourist sights. Most visitors stay in nearby Khobar or Dammam and come here only for the US consulate or a business meeting. The town has no public transport and no real centre for tourists.
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- SAR
- Money
- SAR (riyal) is pegged to the US dollar at about 3.75.
- Daily spend
- Budget SAR 200–400 excl. bed · Mid SAR 400–800 excl. bed · High SAR 800+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- STC, Mobily and Zain sell tourist SIMs at arrivals; passport and fingerprint registration are required.
- Emergency
- Police 999 · Ambulance 997 · Unified emergency (Eastern Province) 911
- Plugs
- Types G, C, F · 230 V · 60 Hz · UK-style three-pin (G) is the standard; older buildings may have European sockets. Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% if no service charge; small change at cafés.; Ride-hailing / taxi: Round up or tip in the app.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: SAR 5–10.; Guide / driver day: SAR 50–100 guide; SAR 30–50 driver.; Fuel station attendant: SAR 2–5 if they clean the windows.
- Water
- Tap water is desalinated and treated; most people drink bottled water, sold everywhere for SAR 1–2.
- Toilets
- Western toilets with a hand shower in malls, hotels and mosques; squat toilets at older fuel stations. Malls and mosques are the free public options.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (café) | SAR 15–25 |
| Fast-food meal | SAR 25–40 |
| Sit-down restaurant meal | SAR 50–120 |
| Taxi Khobar → Dhahran | SAR 25–40 |
| Taxi DMM → Khobar | SAR 100–150 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- DMM · King Fahd International Airport
- About 65 km (40 mi) away; taxi to Dhahran about 45 min, around SAR 100–150 (check)About 40 mi (65 km) away; taxi to Dhahran about 45 min, around SAR 100–150 (check)
Typical fares
- Taxi DMM → Khobar
- about SAR 100–150, 45 min (check)
- Taxi Khobar → Dhahran
- about SAR 25–40, 7 min (check)
- Taxi Dhahran → Dammam
- about SAR 40–60, 15 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
No public buses inside Dhahran. Aramco runs a bus service for employees and dependents only. Taxis and Uber/Careem are the only options for visitors. The Dhahran–Khobar–Dammam triangle is connected by 6–8 lane expressways.
See and do
Known for
- Saudi Aramco headquarters
- US consulate
- King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Khobar | Taxi or Uber, about 7 min | About 15 min |
| Dammam | Taxi or Uber, about 15 min | About 25 min |
| Al-Ahsa (Hofuf) | Taxi or car via Dhahran–Hofuf highway, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Bahrain | Taxi to Khobar then bus or taxi over King Fahd Causeway, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Khobar (Al Khobar)
- 7 min by car; wide choice of hotels, restaurants and corniche.
- Dammam
- 15 min by car; more budget options and the railway station.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | كم السعر؟kam as-si'r? |
| Taxi, please | تاكسي، لو سمحتtaksi, law samaht |
| Where is…? | أين…؟ayn…? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say as-salamu alaykum; wait for a woman to offer her hand first; avoid: Hugging or touching the opposite sex
- Hospitality: Accept coffee and dates; eat with the right hand; avoid: Refusing all offers or showing the soles of your feet
- Prayer times: Wait quietly when shops close; step aside for people praying; avoid: Walking in front of people praying; loud music near mosques
- Dress: Loose, covering clothes in public; headscarf in mosques; avoid: Shorts, sleeveless tops and swimwear in town
- Photos: Ask before photographing people; avoid: Photographing women, families or official buildings
- Conversation: Talk about family, food, football, travel; avoid: Criticising religion, the royal family or the government
- Queues and sections: Follow signs for family and women's sections where they exist; avoid: Entering women-only areas
Scams and watch-outs
- Dhahran is a private company town; some areas (Aramco residential compounds) are restricted to employees and require a pass.
- No regular bus service for the public; you need a car or taxi.
- Summer temperatures regularly exceed 45°C; plan outdoor activities for early morning or evening.
Very safe; crime is low. The main risks are extreme heat and traffic on the expressways.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Dhahran yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Saudi Aramco headquarters
- US consulate
- King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- US Consulate Dhahran: sa.usembassy.gov/embassy-consulates/dhahran/
- Wikivoyage: Dhahran, revision 5337832 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5337832
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/dhahran). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.