Transfer at Riyadh Airport
Riyadh Airport has a total of 5 public terminals, divided by airline.
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Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4 are connected into one long building with three concourses (one for each terminal). The newest Terminal 5 is located approximately 1.5 km south of Terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4.
On the opposite side of the airport is Royal Terminal, used exclusively for flights of the Saudi royal family.
Terminals 1, 2, 3, 4
The original terminals, built in 1983, are interconnected to form a single building. The space is quite cramped and there is often a shortage of seating after security checks, especially in the morning and night rush hours when most flights depart.
- Terminal 1 - currently undergoing extensive renovation and is not used for check-in
- Terminal 2 - Air Arabia, airblue, Air Cairo, Air India, Azerbaijan Airlines, Biman Bangladesh, British Airways, Egyptair, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Fly Bosnia, flydubai, Gulf Air, Indigo, Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways, Lufthansa, Oman Air, Pakistan Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian, Salam Air, Spicejet, Srilankan Airlines, Tarco Aviation, Yemenia
- Terminal 3 - Akasa Air, Flyadeal (international flights only), Flynas (international flights only), KLM, Middle East Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Wizz Air
- Terminal 4 - Saudia (international flights only)
Terminal 5
The newest terminal, built in 2016, is also the largest and most well-equipped with services.
It serves all domestic flights within Saudi Arabia.
- Terminal 5 - Flyadeal (domestic flights only), Flynas (domestic flights only), Saudia (domestic flights only)
Transfer between flights
The transfer at Riyadh Airport is very well organised and straightforward. Although international terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4 are not among the most modern airport structures, the airport's many restaurants make transfers easy.
When changing planes, you go through security in the transit area. However, you do not have to leave the transit area when transferring between international flights.
Most transfers take place within a single terminal, but even if you need to transfer between terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4, you do not need to leave the transit area. All buildings are interconnected by corridors in both the transit and public areas.
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Do I need a visa when transferring?
There is no need to arrange a visa for Saudi Arabia as long as the transfer time does not exceed 12 hours. This is because you do not leave the transit area during the transfer and therefore do not go through passport control at all.
You will only need to obtain a visa if you combine your transfer in Riyadh on your own from two separately purchased tickets.
What checks do I go through when I change planes?
You will always go through a security checkpoint during your transfer, which is exclusively for transfer passengers and is located within the transit zone.
The security checkpoint is always separated into rows for men and women.
There is no passport control when transferring between two international flights.
In the case of a transfer from an international flight to a domestic flight or vice versa, there is, of course, passport control.
What is the minimum transfer time?
The official minimum transfer time within Terminals 1, 2, 3, 4, where all international transfers take place, is 75 minutes. However, the actual transfer time will be slightly shorter and is normally between 40 and 60 minutes.
During this time you will get through security without any problem.
For transfers between Terminals 1/2/3/4 and Terminal 5, the minimum time is set at 120 minutes.
Transfer between terminals
You can move between terminals 1, 2, 3 and 4 on foot via the internal corridors, both landside and airside.
The distance from the end of Terminal 1 to the end of Terminal 4 is approximately 1.5 km.
To connect to/from domestic flights, you need to move to Terminal 5, 2 km away.
A free shuttle bus runs between all terminals on the outdoor public section, every 10 minutes for 24 hours a day. The bus journey time is approximately 7 minutes.
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Hotels near the terminal
Unfortunately, you won't find any hotels inside the transit zone, so you'll have to spend the night in the terminal or pay for an expensive visa to Saudi Arabia if you have a long layover.
The free transit visa to leave the airport is only granted for 12 hours.
There are two hotels in the immediate vicinity of the airport. Both offer private transfers to all terminals for a fee of around 60 sar. So it may be cheaper to use taxi apps Uber or Careem.
- Riyadh Airport Marriott Hotel ***** - 5 minutes drive from the airport
- Radisson Hotel Riyadh Airport ***** - 10 minutes drive from the airport
Hotels in Riyadh
The capital of Saudi Arabia has no historic centre and most tourists get around Riyadh by taxi. So choose your hotel based on price or popular chains that operate in Riyadh in large numbers.
Any questions left?
If you have any questions or comments about the article...
10 comments
Hi everyone, I arrive from Rome to Riyadh, and get off at terminal 1, then I have a connecting flight to Manila at terminal 4, do I need to get a transit visa or since I leave after an hour it is not necessary. Also can I walk from terminal 1 to terminal 4. Thank you.
Hey. Hey. Do you have the connection bought as one booking? Or did you buy two separate tickets from Rome to Riyadh and from Riyadh to Manila?
If you have one booking, you don't need a transit visa - you won't be leaving the transit area. The journey from Terminal 1 to Terminal 4 is possible via an internal corridor and takes about 20 minutes on foot.
Hi, first of all thank you for your reply, the ticket is unique, i.e. it shows me the three flights I have to take, but it's always within the same booking, so I guess as you say I don't need it, the internal corridors are easily recognisable, and how do I know when I'm in a new terminal? I'll wait for your reply, thank you.
Follow the signs "Transit", everything is clearly marked. You do not need a visa in this case, your luggage will be transferred and you are not leaving the transit area. Everything is OK.
hello, I have a one-ticket flight from Paris to Male on Saudi with 2 stopovers in Jeddah and Riyadh. I booked via an agency and I can't manage to add the transit visa on the saudi interface. The duration on Saudi territory is less than 12 hours, but I think it involves a border crossing as there is a domestic link. Do I need a tourist visa or can I get a free transit visa? I'm travelling alone with 1 child, and the connection to Riyadh is short, so I can't afford to risk an administrative problem there. Thank you for your advice/answers. Sarah
Hello I am arriving in Riyadh on a full flight at T5 and need to go to T4 for an international flight I would like to know the price of the transit visa for a 7 hour stopover. Thank you
I will arrive at Riyadh King Khalid terminal 1 at 20:25 and then transfer to Jeddah at terminal 5 departure at 22:00. Is it enough time only one and half hours for transfer?
Hello everyone, I have to travel with a connection, trnasfert, to RUH, Riyadh of 2h00.
I'm arriving from JED, Jeddah, terminal 5 to leave two hours later from terminal 4 for an international flight.
All this with the same company, Saudia. Is the time allowed enough, please?
Thank you for your help.
Hey. Hey. Yes, if the ticket is bought as one booking, then any time sold by the airline is sufficient.
2 hours is fine.
thank you for this contribution
URGENT. I fly from Muscat (Oman) to Rome (Italy) and I’m connecting in Riyadh. At Muscat check in I’ve been given a ticket only (to Riyadh) and I’ve been told to go to transfer desk in Riyadh for the second ticket. I could not find the transfer desk In terminal 1, but I’ve been told to get the ticket at the gate. Is it so?
Yes, it can be. They should be able to print the boarding pass at the gate ;)
I will be travelling from Jakarta/Indonesia to Paris in May flying with Saudia airlines, when in transit, do I need to collect my luggage again and check in again?
You don't have to if you have purchased flights as 1 booking.
Hello can you please help answer my question? if I fly from jeddah to istanbul, connecting flight for 4 hours at riyadh airport, from terminal 5 to terminal 4, do I need a visa? or can I continue my journey without using a visa? because the transit area from terminal 5 to terminal 4 is not connected?
Hello. I don't really understand right now. Jeddah is in the same country as Riyadh, so if you stay in Jeddah you still need a visa for Saudi Arabia.
Hi. I have a flight from Heathrow to Abu dhabi with a 90 min transit in Riyadh. The ticket is with Saudia butbthe leg from Riyadh to Abu dhabi is being operates by Etihad. Will I require a transit visa for this. I land into terminal 4 but leave from terminal 2 I believe.
Hi, if the trip is bought as a single booking then no transit visa is needed - you will not be leaving the transit zone. It takes about 25 minutes to walk between terminals 2 and 4.
Yes bought as one ticket with Saudia.
Thank you very much.
Hi, my connecting flights are all operated by Saudi Airlines, with a 90 minute layover in Riyadh. I need to transfer between terminals T1 and T4, but I am not sure if my luggage needs to be checked in again. May I ask if a transit visa is required or not if a re shipment is needed. I am concerned about flight delays and whether 90 minutes are sufficient.
Hi, your luggage will be transferred automatically and the whole transfer will take about 10-20 minutes.
There is plenty of time for the transfer even with a reserve, nothing to worry about. Even if the plane is delayed, the airline will transfer you to another plane for free.
No visa is needed for transit.