Updated · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services
Who can enter Makkah?
The answer to the Makkah entry permit question depends on two things: who you are and when you travel. Entry to Makkah is for Muslims only. This applies to everyone in the vehicle, drivers as well as passengers. If your group includes someone who is not Muslim, plan their stay outside Makkah, for example in Jeddah, before you book any transfers.
For Muslim visitors, the rules depend on the season. For most of the year, the permit that matters is your Umrah permit. In the Hajj season, the rules for people and vehicles become much stricter.
Outside the Hajj season: Umrah and the Nusuk app
Outside the Hajj season, Muslim visitors and residents can travel to Makkah by road, and pilgrims book their Umrah through Nusuk, the official platform of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Your visa type decides whether you can perform Umrah, and the rules are reviewed each season, so check Nusuk for your visa before you fly. Our guides to the Umrah permit in Nusuk and Umrah on a tourist visa explain the steps.
International Umrah pauses around Hajj and resumes in the weeks after it. If your trip falls close to Hajj, check the current dates in Nusuk before you book flights.
During the Hajj season: who can enter?
For several weeks around Hajj, entry to Makkah is restricted. You need a Hajj permit, or a permit or residency that allows you to enter. Non-Saudi residents whose residency does not allow entry need a Makkah entry permit (tasreeh) in this period.
Hajj itself runs from 8 to 13 Dhu al-Hijjah. Hijri dates depend on the moon sighting and move about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year, and the start and end of the restrictions are announced each season. Follow the announcements from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Nusuk app, and do not rely on last year's dates.
The rules are checked on the roads into the city. On the Jeddah road, for example, the Al Shumaisi checkpoint checks entry permits during the Hajj season.
What do drivers and vehicles need?
In the Hajj season, only vehicles with Hajj permits may enter Makkah and the holy sites. That applies to every kind of vehicle, whichever company runs it. Permits and permitted vehicles are limited, so Hajj transport is booked months ahead.
Outside the Hajj season, the main limits on a normal day are road closures around the Haram at prayer times and on busy days, and designated drop-off points near the hotels. A local driver knows which drop point is open; if you drive yourself, the entry rules and parking are your responsibility. Our comparison of a car with driver and a self-drive rental sets out the trade-offs.
Our drivers on Makkah routes hold the permits they need for the city, and our Hajj vehicles hold Hajj transport permits.
Makkah entry rules at a glance
This table is a summary, not legal advice. Rules are set each season, so confirm them with Nusuk and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah before you travel.
| Who and when | What you need | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Muslim visitor, outside the Hajj season | A valid visa or residency, and an Umrah permit in Nusuk to perform Umrah | Nusuk app |
| Pilgrim performing Hajj | A Hajj permit | Nusuk or your Hajj organiser |
| Resident, during the Hajj season | A permit or residency that allows entry | The season's official announcements |
| Any vehicle, during the Hajj season | A vehicle permit for Makkah and the holy sites | Your transport operator |
| Non-Muslim visitor | Entry to Makkah is not permitted | Plan your stay outside Makkah |
Getting to Makkah with a permitted driver
Most pilgrims arrive at Jeddah Airport. The road to a Makkah hotel is 102 km and takes about 1 h 25 min. A pre-booked economy car costs from SAR 180, and a family van for up to 11 people from SAR 330.
From Madinah, the 450 km drive takes about 4 h 30 min, from SAR 770, and the driver stops at Dhul Hulayfah Miqat for Ihram on request. For Hajj, our Hajj transport service runs licensed transfers for permitted pilgrims and groups.
Checklist before you travel to Makkah
- Check that your visa allows Umrah, and book your Umrah permit in Nusuk.
- If you travel near Hajj, check the season's entry dates in Nusuk and in the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announcements.
- Carry your passport or residency card, and keep your permits on your phone.
- Book your airport transfer with a driver who is permitted to enter Makkah.
- Send us your hotel name so the driver plans the right drop point.
- Plan a stay outside Makkah for any travelling companions who are not Muslim.