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Voykit pocket guide · Saudi Arabia
Qurayyat
القريات
Skip unless you are crossing the Jordan border or riding the Riyadh–Qurayyat train. Half a day is enough: see Ka'af Palace and the old town, then move on.
Qurayyat is a small border city in northern Saudi Arabia, 30 km from the Jordanian crossing. It has one notable sight (Ka'af Palace) and a weekly overnight train from Riyadh. Most travellers use it as a transit stop, not a destination.
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
- Local name
- القريات
- Best months
- Nov–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 0–1 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 150–250 excl. bed · Mid SAR 250–400 excl. bed · High SAR 400+ 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 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 (Arabic, small café) | SAR 5–10 |
| Shawarma sandwich | SAR 8–15 |
| Simple restaurant meal (kabsa or mandi) | SAR 20–40 |
| Taxi ride within city | SAR 15–25 |
| Bottle of water (1.5 L) | SAR 1–2 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- URY · Gurayat Domestic Airport
- Daily Saudia flights from Riyadh and Jeddah
Typical fares
- Gurayat Airport → city centre
- about SAR 50 by taxi (check)
- Qurayyat → Tabuk by car
- about 2.5 h, fuel about SAR 40
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
Taxi or private car; the city is small and walkable in the centre. No public transport within the city.
See and do
Known for
- Ka'af Palace
- Border crossing to Jordan
- Terminus of the north–south railway
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tabuk | Car via Highway 80, about 2 h 30 min | About 2.5 h |
| Sakakah | Car via Highway 80, about 1 h 30 min | About 1.5 h |
| Duba | Car via Highway 80 and 5, about 2 h 45 min | About 3 h |
Sleep
- City centre near the old town
- A few hotels; best for a single night if you arrive late.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | كم السعر؟kam as-si'r? |
| Where is the border? | أين الحدود؟ayn al-hudud? |
| I need a taxi | أحتاج تاكسيahtaj taksi |
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
- The train from Riyadh runs once a week only – check the SAR schedule before planning.
- Border crossing to Jordan: check current opening hours and visa rules on the official Saudi border authority site.
- Summer temperatures exceed 45°C; carry water and avoid midday walking.
Very low crime. The main risks are extreme summer heat and the border crossing being closed without notice. Check the official Saudi border authority before driving to Jordan.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Qurayyat yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ka'af Palace
- Border crossing to Jordan
- Terminus of the north–south railway
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Gurayat Airport – General Authority of Civil Aviation: gaca.gov.sa/web/en-gb/airport/gurayat-airport
- Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR): www.sar.com.sa
- Wikivoyage: Qurayyat (Saudi Arabia), revision 5249677 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5249677
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Qurayyatالقريات
إلى هذا العنوان، من فضلك
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The nearest major embassy is in Riyadh (about 12 h drive). For Jordan border issues, contact the Saudi border authority.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/qurayyat-saudi-arabia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.