Updated · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services
Why send your location to your driver?
Knowing how to send your location on WhatsApp to your driver saves time at almost every pickup. A map pin removes the guesswork. Hotels with similar names, new districts, compounds with several gates and large complexes are all easier with a pin. In Makkah, for example, the Clock Tower hotels share one vehicle drop-off zone, so a pin and the tower name help the driver find you.
Sharing works both ways. When your driver sets off, he sends you his live location, so you can see him coming. You send yours, so he comes to the right door.
How do you send your location on WhatsApp?
Menu names can differ slightly between phones and app versions. Location services must be switched on for WhatsApp in your phone's settings. If the pin looks wrong, step outside or near a window and try again.
- Open the WhatsApp chat with your driver, or with us if you do not have his number yet.
- Tap the attachment button: the paperclip on Android or the plus sign on iPhone.
- Choose Location.
- Wait a few seconds for the blue dot to settle, so the pin is accurate.
- Tap 'Send your current location' for one fixed pin, or 'Share live location' and choose how long to share it.
Current location, live location or a dropped pin?
To send a pin for a place you are not at, open Google Maps or Apple Maps, press and hold on the exact spot to drop a pin, then tap Share and choose WhatsApp. In WhatsApp's Location screen you can also search for a nearby place or move the map to the right spot.
| Option | What the driver sees | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Current location | One fixed point where you are now | You are waiting at one spot, such as a hotel entrance |
| Live location | Your position as you move, for the time you choose | You are walking to a meeting point, for example after prayers |
| A pin dropped on a map | A place you choose, not where you are | Booking ahead, or booking for someone else |
| Typed name and address | Text only | Always add it to a pin, never send it alone |
Pickups near the Haram and other busy places
In Makkah, roads closest to Masjid al-Haram close at peak prayer times, and the driver uses the nearest open drop point. After prayers, he may not be able to reach the spot where he dropped you. Agree a pickup point in advance, such as a hotel entrance away from the closed roads, then send your live location while you walk there. Our post on Makkah Haram drop-off points explains the main options.
In central Madinah, vehicle access around Al-Masjid an-Nabawi is controlled, and drivers use your hotel's assigned entrance. A pin of that entrance, plus a landmark such as a gate number, a shop or a hotel sign, helps the driver find you quickly.
Do you need to share your location at the airport?
Usually not. At Jeddah Airport, the driver meets you in the Terminal 1 arrivals hall, at the exit gate after customs, with a name board. At Riyadh Airport, he meets you in the arrivals hall after baggage claim at your terminal and sends a live pin on WhatsApp. We track your flight, and the driver waits free for 60 minutes after landing.
If you cannot find each other, send your current location and a photo of a sign or shop near you. You need data or Wi-Fi to do this, so read our guide to Saudi SIM cards and eSIMs before you fly.
Sharing your trip with family
You can share your own live location with a family member for the length of the ride, so they can follow the trip. Choose a duration that covers the whole journey: Makkah to Madinah takes about 4 h 30 min, so a short share would end before you arrive. Forward the driver's name and plate number to them as well.
Live location stops at the end of the time you chose, and you can stop it earlier from the chat. Once you are in the car, you can stop sharing with the driver.
Other ways to give an exact address
- A National Address: many buildings in Saudi Arabia have one, with a short address code. If your host or hotel gives you the code, send it with your pin.
- Your hotel confirmation in Arabic, or a screenshot of it.
- A photo of the building entrance, especially for homes, compounds and offices.
- The gate name or number for compounds and campuses, and whether the driver's name must be registered at the gate in advance.