Hi,
I did this trip recently. As less information is available thought of sharing my experience.
The return trip to either Abu Dhabi or Dubai is SAR270. In addition you will have to get the VISA for GCC residents online. For the moment even on arrival visa is issued at the border, but sometimes SAPTCO makes an issue if you have not taken UAE visa before so better to apply for online Visa.
SAPTCO bus station is few kilometres from Batha. At the bus station you have to get a sticker for your bag at counter 5. I dont know any reason why you take this. But if you loose your bag you can may be prove.
After placing the sticker you take your bag and you have to put it to the luggage carrier by yourself, porters are available at a fee. The bus normally departs from gate 7. It is the same bus you take to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. When I told ticket checker at the reception that I am going to Abu Dhabi he didn't know that there is a bus to Abu Dhabi. So basically just tell you are taking the bus to Dubai, if someone asks near the reception. However, tell the conductor that you are getting down in Abu Dhabi, as sometimes you might be the only person travelling to Abu Dhabi.
I first thought there was just one bus. Actually based on the travellers seems like more than one bus travels on a day, all around the same time.
Female and family sits infront while single men sit in the back of the bus.
At the Saudi border the bus conductor will collect your Iqama. Then at UAE border you will have to get down and go and do the eye scan and stamping of entry.
The border and the break we took just before the border took 3 hours during Eid holidays. Altogether took 15 hours to get to Abu Dhabi.
In Abu Dhabi the bus stops way before the city. If you ask a shop owner will show you the place where you can take the bus to the city. The bus is not frequent and only travels once an hour. You can't hardly find a taxi from this place as well. But when you stand with your bags some passing by vehicle will offer a ride. Bargain and go for around 40-50 dirhams.
The bus stop in Dubai in very close to the Deira metro. Infront of Hyatt you find very small shops and travel agencies. This is where the bus stops. Next to Hyatt there is a big UAE bus station stop. Don't get misled that the SAPTCO bus stops here. As mentioned it is infront of Hyatt - near small travel agency.
Coming back from Dubai (I came back from Dubai) only took 12 hours. If it was Abu Dhabi would have taken abt 10.5 hours I guess. At UAE border the conductor collects the exit fee. You will get down and stamp your exit. At Saudi border your Iqama will be collected. Also bags in luggage and inside bus will be checked for illegal stuff at Saudi border.
When you come to the SAPTCO bus stand you can take a taxi inside the bus stand for a higher costs, or step out of SAPTCO gate and get a taxi for a lesser costs.
Hope this will be helpful for more travellers to use the SAPTCO bus when travelling to UAE.
Riyadh to Dubai/Abu Dhabi by SAPTCO bus - My experience
Hello Savank,
Thank you for this detailed post about your experience 
Surely members will be able to relate to that and that will help those who will be traveling 
Cheers,
Bhavna
Hello TS Savank, Thanks for sharing your experience to UAE. Aside from Iqama, did they require your original passport upon entering in the border? Any website for applying online visa in UAE?
Dear friend
I am planning to go dubai for eid from riyadh through saptco bus. your advice is truly appreciative. I have a doubt in obtaining visit visa for uae. Is it possible to get visa at border or where should I apply. I have Engineer Iqama.
I heard recently they changed their on arrival visa policies. You have to apply online before you go there. Please check with their online portal or contact embassy. I will be going there next month, so my office admin informed me about this change done by UAE.
Excellent post! Planning to go to dubai also by bus. Did you buy your tickets in advance? how and where? Thank you.
Book your ticket from saptco website..
Hi guys, first and foremost going by bus from riyadh to Abu dhabi through saptco, what is the name of the UAE border,
is it Al ghuwaifat border? kindly confirm because i need it for my online visa application. and lastly aside from having your visa with you, you are also required to bring your original iqama?
thanks
as per saptco schedule. the trip going to uae is not everyday. please confirm
Rame.. Got them thanks.
Call them for schedules and buy them online.
Got them. Thank you.
Did this trip last hajj. Savank accounts pretty accurate. The sticker in the station is where you actually get listed in the bus manifest. Very important as you could be ejected from the bus if your not on the list.
Border stop Saudi side takes long and there wasn't much people but still took us 3 hrs both ways. Going back you go to al belad sham office near where the bus stopped in Dubai. Bus stops near the Border, Al Batha, for food and CR break.
Going back to Riyadh conductor collects 35AED for UAE exit fee.
Thanks Savanak for a very helpful post.
Hi,
Sorry for the late reply as I did not login to EB recently. You can obtain online Visa to UAE from the following site (If you or your spouse has Saudi Iqama). Probably not given for all occupations, those occupations not falling might have to go on the normal route of obtaining UAE Visa.
https://www.gdrfa.ae/GCCIND/createVisa. … pany=false
Reservation of SAPTCO tickets can also be done online.
https://www.saptco.com.sa/Home.aspx
Well you can also travel to some of the other GCC countries in the SAPTCO bus. Including Jordan which I really like to visit shortly. Currently I have not no idea about obtaining Visa for the other GCC countries.
Regards,
Dear Friends
Savank information are right.
I would like add few more details.
- Online VISA only accepted at border and bus (if you go with family, apply first for you and attach your approved VISA image(convert to 100kb size) while apply for family members)
- Take color prints of UAE VISA (if possible), Iqama, passport
- At Abudhabi border (al ghuwaifat), entry stamp will be punched in your VISA's (keep it safe while return/exit) you have to show this VISA and they will collect it.
- keep in mind that UAE exit fee is 35AED & will not be accepted by cash. So there is a shop keeper having e-dirham smart card. he will charge extra 5AED per card.
I hope this information will help everyone.
Thanks
Dear Sravan,
If I travel to Dubai by SATCO from Dammam for applying e-visa what is the border selection point?
Good day!!
I really appreciate this blog site for it helped me a lot with my travel plan to UAE last January 2016. Kudos to the contributors.
Regarding the pick up station of SAPTCO bus in Dubai, fortunately the hotel (AL FAREJ HOTEL) i was billeted was so near the pick up station. it was stone throw away so i found it easy to locate. It is few meters from OMAR BIN AL KHATTAR ROUND ABOUT.
docbong wrote:
THE SAPTCO TERMINAL IN DUBAI
nice going docbong.
Appreciate if you could post a trip report or details for others to know how you did it.
I'm planning to go Dubai by SAPTCO bus. considering the long hours of journey, can you share your exp? sitting is push back chair or any sleeper coach is also available?
Thank you for the information.
I would like to ask how much the cost of your fare from Riyadh to Abu dhabi.
Hi me and husband going to Dubai by next week by saptco bus from there we will be going to India . I want to know is it how far from Dubai to shraja.? Because our flight is from shraja to India.can anyone tell which place is better for us to stay if we are going to uae by bus and we will be taking flight from shraja to India.
Sharjah is very near from Dubai. Its around 20-25 mins drive depends upon traffic. Taxi might take 70-80 AED from you it includes Toll taxi. The best place to live is near any metro station. The reason is, you will have to make metro train car and can travel anywhere with costing 3-5 AED each person. Otherwise you have to take taxi all the time and its expensive. I would recommend to take hotel near Diera Metro station since there is a big mall called Diera City Center. You can walk toward that and buy something. There are also cheap shops near Diera City center also. Hope it will help you. Please let me know in case you need any other information.
hii..thankyou for your feedback, i want to travel to uae on a three month visit visa as i getting my Saudi Arabia visa cancel. just want to know can i travel through Saudi Arabia directly to UAE , or i need to go to india first? and can i travell through saptico?
Hi Savank,
First of all a big thumbs up for your information👍. I am planning to go to Abu Dhabi by SAPTCO after 2 weeks and applying for UAE visa online. But, while filling journey details there is showing only one city in the options i.e. Dubai (No other cities such as Abu Dhabi is available in the options).
Do I need to goto Dubai first and then head back to Abu Dhabi? Please suggest. Also, please let me know which will be the nearest Port of Arrival from Abu Dhabi? The available options in website are: Dubai Airport, Rachid Port, Jabel Ali Port, Shandaghra Port , Hamirya Port, Dry Docks, Hata police and Al Wigaga (To Oman).
Thanks in advance. Waiting for your reply.
Regards,
Chetan Patle
Hi Doc just want to ask how you were able to manage the booking for the SAPTCO Bus. Is it thru online or you just paid it through their ticketing office?
I took the SAPTCO bus from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi. The bus has ample leg room that you can get a full stretch. Apart from that, the bus in not comfortable for an international journey. Many countries operate Volvo buses with recliner seats for overnight journey. SAPTCO could do the same. The bus station needs a good revamp. Border crossing was very smooth on both Saudi and UAE side. The quoted journey time of 12Hrs from Riyadh to Abu Dhabi is never kept as per finding from regular travelers. The journey took 15 hours while I travelled. Most of the time is wasted by drivers taking longer breaks. There are two drivers in the bus who takes turns in driving while the other one rests. The price charged is quite reasonable at 380 return or 250 one way. There are no quality restaurants once the journey begins. So, have food and drinks stocked prior to journey. The bus stops at Bani Yas in Abu Dhabi which is far away from the City. So taxi to city will be around another 60-8- Dhirams. It was an experience I wanted to go through. I will not do it again unless the condition of the bus and the time keeping improves.
Articles to help you in your expat project in Riyadh
Well i wanted to give you a guide about the televsion networks which are available in KSA.
Saudi Arabia is the biggest country in the Middle East. Its growing population and the exponential expat community ...
Riyadh is one of the biggest and most beautiful cities in Saudi Arabia, with quite a bit to offer to expats in ...
Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, has a lot to offer, even though it is difficult to give you a precise list of ...
Safari Resort, located about 70 km from Riyadh driving west on the Makkah Highway is a fabulous location for ...
This information is courtesy of Maserman
