Tourists aren’t allowed to drive a rented car from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain or vice versa.

Travel from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain by Road

It is important that you have an exit-reentry visa. The journey begins in Khobar, a city located on the east coast of Saudi Arabia connected to Bahrain by the King Fahad Causeway, and takes approximately 20-45 minutes depending on the crowd level. In a very busy season, it could take up to two hours.

Documents and Guideline

• 3-month validity Iqama is required.
• The exit re-entry.
• Passport.
• If the car is leased or not owned, the car authorization is necessary.

Here are some things you should know:

• There is a 100 mph speed limit on the causeway.
• The best time for getting to Causeway is between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• There is an app available on both the Play Store and the AppStore for monitoring the queue in Causeway.
• For navigation inside Bahrain, download offline maps (Maps.me).

Saudi Arabia to Bahrain by Car

When traveling by vehicle, taking a car across the causeway into Bahrain requires authorization from the owner unless you own it outright. There is no doubt about it. The fact that Saudi customs keeps turning back people at the very first booth. It is annoying because it causes a delay when you are in the queue. 

To travel outside Saudi Arabia, you must also purchase car insurance before entering the causeway. To drive on the causeway, you will have to pay 25 Saudi Riyals or 2.5 Bahraini Dinar.

Saudi Arabia to Bahrain by Public Transport

The most convenient way to get from Saudi Arabia to Bahrain without a car is by train and bus. It is possible to travel between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain with the SAPTCO buses. SAPTCO runs two buses daily from Manama – Lulu Centre to Dammam.

Read More: Which Countries Accept Saudi Driving License, How to Change Car Color in Saudi Arabia?

Travel from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia by Road

You should have your exit-reentry visa. You should travel to Dammam / Al Khobar if you are in other parts of Saudi Arabia.

In cases where the applicant is traveling to Saudi Arabia for the first time on his or her visa, they must land directly in Saudi Arabia and not travel by road. In order to make sure everything is covered, it is important to check the official website.

A vehicle enters via the causeway if you are using one. As already said, Saudi Arabia doesn’t offer visas on arrival, so you’ll need a visa to enter. Initial entry visas used to say “by air only”, but I think they stopped doing that since the causeway has fingerprint scanners. 

Bahrain to Saudi Arabia by Car

Unless you own your vehicle outright, you must get permission to drive your vehicle out of Bahrain. It is also necessary to purchase car insurance before getting onto the causeway if you plan to travel outside Bahrain. It costs 25 Saudi Riyals or 2.5 Bahraini Dinar to drive on the causeway.

Bahrain to Saudi Arabia by Public Transport

Otherwise, you can take the SAPTCO buses which ply between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Two buses run from Manama – Lulu Centre to Dammam daily by SAPTCO. Travel time is 2h 37m and tickets cost between €3 and €25. On the Bahrain bridge, you will be able to enjoy beautiful views. 

Read More: Which Countries Accept Saudi Driving License