Updated · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services
What is the Rawdah and why do you need a permit?
The Rawdah, or Al-Rawdah al-Sharifah, is the area of Al-Masjid an-Nabawi between the house of the Prophet ﷺ and his minbar. The Prophet ﷺ described it as a garden from the gardens of Paradise, so almost every visitor to Madinah hopes to pray there. Because the area is small, entry is managed with a Rawdah permit: a time slot booked through Nusuk.
The permit is personal and covers only the Rawdah. You do not need it to pray in the rest of the mosque. Rules, slot times and booking screens change, so check the Nusuk app for the current position before you travel.
How do you book a Rawdah permit on Nusuk?
If you are also performing Umrah, that needs a separate permit. See our guide to the Umrah permit on Nusuk.
- Open the official Nusuk app and sign in with your own account.
- Choose the Rawdah visit option.
- Pick a date and one of the time slots shown for men or for women.
- Confirm the booking and check that the permit shows in the app.
- Book a permit for each person who wants to go, or add family members if the app allows it for your account.
- Note the slot time and any entry instructions in the app, and plan your walk or taxi to match.
When are Rawdah slots available?
Men and women visit the Rawdah at separate times, and the app shows which slots are open for each. The exact hours are set by the mosque authorities and can change, especially in Ramadan and around Hajj, so we do not list them here.
Slots can fill up quickly in busy periods. Book as soon as your Madinah dates are fixed. If nothing shows for your dates, check the app again later and keep your days in Madinah flexible, so a slot on any day of your stay will work.
How should you plan your Madinah arrival around the slot?
Avoid booking a Rawdah slot for the same few hours as your arrival. Leave time for the journey, check-in and rest.
Road times include no long stops. On the Makkah to Madinah road most drivers stop once, at Al Faqih or Badr, roughly halfway.
| Arriving from | Distance | Typical drive | Taxi from (economy) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madinah Airport (MED) | 18 km | 25 min | SAR 60 |
| Madinah Haramain Station | About 10 km | A short city drive | SAR 60 |
| Makkah, by road | 450 km | 4 h 30 min | SAR 770 |
| Jeddah Airport, by road | 402 km | 5 h | SAR 690 |
Getting to Al-Masjid an-Nabawi for your slot
Hotels in the central area are within walking distance of the mosque, so most guests walk to their slot. Vehicle access around the mosque is controlled, and drivers drop at each hotel's assigned entrance rather than at the mosque gates.
If you stay outside the central area, book a short taxi and leave plenty of time. Traffic builds around prayer times, and queues to enter can be long. City rides in Madinah start from SAR 60 per car, and our Madinah taxi drivers know the drop-off points.
Visiting with elderly parents or a wheelchair user
The walk from the drop-off point to the Rawdah entrance can be long, and crowds move slowly. Ask at the mosque about current arrangements for wheelchair users, and check the Nusuk app for any options shown for them.
- Book a wheelchair-accessible van with a rear ramp, so the user rides seated in their own chair.
- Plan the trip outside prayer times, when roads are calmer.
- Agree a pickup point with the driver before you go in, and share your live location when you come out.
Making the most of your Madinah days
Pair the Rawdah with a Ziyarat tour on another morning. Masjid Quba is about 4 km from Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, and Mount Uhud and Masjid al-Qiblatayn are about 5 km away. An hourly driver costs from SAR 80 per hour with a 3-hour minimum and waits at each stop.
Saturday mornings are the Sunnah time to visit Masjid Quba and also the busiest, so avoid booking your Rawdah slot for the same morning if you plan to go.