Updated · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services
Saudi SIM card for tourists: your options
Getting a Saudi SIM card as a tourist is simple, and it makes the rest of the trip easier: maps, flight updates, WhatsApp messages with your driver and, for pilgrims, the Nusuk app all need data. You have four options: a local SIM card, a local eSIM, a travel eSIM or roaming on your home number.
This guide explains how each works and what to have ready. It gives no prices or data allowances, because plans change often; check the network or provider for today's offers.
| Option | Where you get it | What you need | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local SIM card | Network counters at the airport, or network shops in the city | Your passport for registration, and a phone that accepts other SIM cards | Longer stays, local calls and a Saudi number |
| Local eSIM | From STC, Mobily or Zain | An eSIM-compatible, unlocked phone, and registration as the network asks | A Saudi number without swapping cards |
| Travel eSIM | From a travel eSIM provider, before you fly | An eSIM-compatible, unlocked phone | Data from the moment you land |
| Roaming | Your home network | Roaming switched on | Very short trips; check your home network's charges first |
STC, Mobily or Zain?
STC, Mobily and Zain are the main mobile networks in Saudi Arabia. Each sells prepaid SIM cards at airport counters and in shops in the cities, and each offers eSIMs. Compare their current plans on their own websites or apps.
If you are planning long road trips, ask about coverage on the roads you will use. For a stay in the big cities, compare the plans and pick the one that suits the data you need.
Buying a SIM card at the airport
- Have your passport ready: SIM cards must be registered to the buyer's identity.
- Look for the network counters in or near the arrivals area. At Madinah Airport, our meeting point is opposite the SIM card kiosks.
- Before you leave the counter, check the SIM works: send a WhatsApp message or make a call.
- Keep your home SIM safe, or use a dual-SIM phone so your home number still receives bank codes.
- If the queue is long, message your driver first so they know you are on the way.
- Our meet-and-greet service includes help with SIM cards when you land.
eSIM: set it up before you fly
- Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked.
- Choose a network eSIM or a travel eSIM provider and buy the plan you need.
- Install it at home over Wi-Fi, following the provider's instructions; most give you a QR code to scan.
- Leave it switched off until you land, then turn it on and enable data roaming if the provider tells you to.
- Check whether the plan includes a Saudi phone number or data only. Many travel eSIMs are data only, which is fine for WhatsApp but not for local calls.
Staying in touch with your driver after landing
Your driver has your flight number and tracks it, so they know when you land and wait free for 60 minutes after landing. You still need a way to say you have your bags and are coming out.
- Before you fly, save our number, +966 57 951 9804, and the driver's name and plate, which we send the day before.
- After landing, switch on your eSIM or roaming, or join Wi-Fi if it is available, and send a WhatsApp message.
- WhatsApp calls work over data, so the driver can call you even if you have no Saudi number.
- If you have no data at all, go to the meeting point and look for your name board; the driver is already there.
- Download offline maps of the cities you are visiting before you travel.
Which apps to set up before you travel
Some apps send a code to your phone number to confirm your account. Set them up at home, where your usual number works, rather than after you have swapped SIM cards.
- WhatsApp, for messages and calls with us and your driver.
- Nusuk, if you are going for Umrah or to the Rawdah in Madinah.
- A maps app, with offline maps of your cities.
- Your airline's app, for changes to times and gates.
- Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem, if you plan to use them for short city rides.
Coverage on long road trips
Signal is generally good in the cities, but it can weaken on long empty stretches between them, such as the desert roads to AlUla or across the interior. Download offline maps, keep your phone charged and share your plans with family before a long drive.
Our Saudi road trip guide covers checkpoints, rest areas and fuel on long routes. With a pre-booked driver, rest, prayer and fuel stops are planned for you.