Updated · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services
When is Ramadan in 2027?
Ramadan travel in Saudi Arabia follows the Hijri calendar. Ramadan is the ninth Hijri month and begins with the sighting of the new moon, so its dates move about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year. The next Ramadan is expected around February 2027, subject to moon sighting, and Eid al-Fitr follows at the end of the month.
Confirm the dates nearer the time from official announcements before you fix flights, especially for the start of the month and for Eid.
What changes for travellers in Ramadan?
| Area | What usually changes | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Working hours | Offices and many businesses shift their hours | Plan meetings and errands for the hours they are open |
| Shops and malls | Many open later and stay open late into the night | Shop in the evening; check hours before you go |
| Restaurants and cafés | Many close during fasting hours and open around Iftar | Plan meals for after sunset, or eat in private |
| Roads | Busy in the run-up to Iftar, lively again late at night | Avoid pickups just before sunset where you can |
| Attractions and museums | Opening hours can change | Check hours on the day |
| Makkah and Madinah | The busiest Umrah period of the year | Book transport early; expect road closures before prayers |
Eating, drinking and smoking in public
During fasting hours, from dawn to sunset, eating, drinking and smoking in public is not allowed in Saudi Arabia. This applies to everyone, including visitors who are not Muslim and travellers who are not fasting.
If you need to eat or drink during the day, do so in private, for example in your hotel room. If you are unsure what applies in a particular place, ask the staff there.
Traffic before Iftar and late into the night
In the hour or so before sunset, many people head home or to family for Iftar, and city roads and the roads into towns get busy. Once Iftar begins, streets are often quieter for a while. Later in the evening and after the Taraweeh prayer, roads, malls and markets get busy again, and activity continues late into the night, until Suhoor before dawn.
Allow extra time for any ride booked in the run-up to Iftar. Pickups between 00:00 and 05:00 carry a 20% night surcharge, which applies all year and is shown in your quote; in Ramadan, many people are out at those hours.
Planning airport transfers and intercity drives
- Book as soon as your flights are fixed; demand rises, especially to Makkah and Madinah, and vehicles can sell out.
- Avoid pickups just before Iftar where you can, and allow extra time if you cannot.
- On long drives that run through sunset, such as Riyadh to Dammam (4 h), ask the driver to stop for Iftar; meal stops are included.
- Check train, bus and flight timetables with the operator, as they can change in Ramadan.
- Changes are free whenever possible, and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup.
Ramadan in Makkah and Madinah
Ramadan is the busiest Umrah period of the year, and crowds peak in the last ten nights. Roads around the Haram close before Taraweeh, so drivers use the nearest open drop point, and Haram runs in the last ten nights should be booked at least 24 hours ahead.
Jeddah Airport to a Makkah hotel takes about 1 h 25 min and costs from SAR 180 per car, the same fare as in any other month. Our post on Ramadan transport in Makkah covers Taraweeh and Tahajjud rides in detail.
Sightseeing and business trips in Ramadan
Daytime is quieter, and many visitors plan sightseeing for the morning and the evening after Iftar. Museums and heritage sites may change their hours, so check before you go. An hourly driver, from SAR 80 per hour with a 3-hour minimum, suits an evening with several stops.
For business trips, expect meetings to follow the shifted working hours. Companies with a corporate account can book drivers for the whole visit on one monthly invoice.
Eid al-Fitr: the busiest travel days
Eid al-Fitr, on 1 Shawwal, ends Ramadan with family visits and holidays across the Kingdom. Intercity roads and airports get busy, and airport demand peaks in the days after Eid. Book intercity trips and your departure transfer early, and send us your flight number so the driver can track it.