Search flights to Taif Regional Airport

Both military and civil flights are organized at Taif Airport, which was put into service in 1976 in Taif, which a summer town close to Mecca, the holy city of Muslims in Saudi Arabia. Taif Airport, where international flights are performed to Dubai, Kuwait, Cairo, Doha and Istanbul, offers flight service to 550 thousand passengers annually.

Taif is located on the slopes of the Sarawat Mountains in Mecca province of Saudi Arabia, which has rich ethnic roots and is home to the world's leading industrial and commercial centers. Taif is also referred to as Green Haven, thanks to its about 3,000 gardens. Taif is one of the most preferred cities in the Mecca region, one of the most visited places by tourists in terms of religious tourism, thanks to the developed transportation facilities and affordable accommodation options in the city. It is 150 kilometers away from the city of Mecca.

The most important feature distinguishing Taif from Mecca and Medina, which is the third largest city in Mecca province after Mecca and Jeddah, is that non-Muslim foreigners are allowed to enter the city. You will not have any difficulty in terms of transportation in Taif city, which is located in the western part of Saudi Arabia and in the south-east of Jeddah within the boundaries of the Mecca Administrative Region.

Taif's transportation networks have been extended to the Mecca province as a whole, and even to other parts of Saudi Arabia. There are intercity bus services between major cities in Saudi Arabia such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, Taif, Dammam, Abha, Naseem, Tebuk and Hael.

If you prefer to stay in Taif city center, you can go to other cities of Saudi Arabia with these services on daily basis. There are also local buses within the city, like intercity buses. Transportation within the city is very easy. City roads, rail systems, and highway connections allow you to get to any other point in the city as quickly as possible. You can also rent a car for a fixed period of time from the car rental companies for your transportation in Taif.

In fact, the most profitable, time-saving and easiest way to tour other parts of Saudi Arabia apart from Taif is renting a car. Access to the city is very easy thanks to the buses. Local buses within Taif city center are extremely comfortable and reach almost every point of the city. If you travel as a lonely woman on these buses, you must show your passport to the officers. This is because women throughout Saudi Arabia are banned from driving, traveling and accommodating alone. But if you are a tourist and you prove it, you can travel all by yourself.

In Taif city transportation there are many options such as cable car, car, bus and taxi. Because Taif is a bit smaller than other cities in Saudi Arabia, thus local buses are preferred rather than car rental and taxi options. Domestic or foreign tourists willing to travel with intercity trains need to purchase special seats reserved for ladies and families.

Taif Airport, which has direct flights from many parts of the world, is one of the busiest airports in Saudi Arabia. Approximately 30 kilometers east of the city center, Taif Airport has domestic flights to almost every city in Saudi Arabia.

Bus

There are buses directly from the airport to Taif city center. You can easily get to the city center by buses which are cheaper than the taxi. You can purchase your bus tickets online or at the ticket sales points located inside the terminal. You can travel to any point in the city with a bus that you can take from any stop at the exit of the Taif Airport arrival terminal.

It takes approximately 1 hour to get to the city by bus. Local buses, which have stops in many places of Taif, are the most preferred means of transportation for visitors of the city. As is the case throughout Saudi Arabia, few bus seats can be reserved for ladies and families within Taif city.

Traveling as a lonely woman on a bus requires special permission, which can be very difficult for Saudi Arabian citizens. As a lonely woman and tourist, if you want to travel in these buses, you would be asked to prove that you are a tourist by showing your passport.

Taxi

Taking a taxi is the most expensive way of travelling from Taif Airport to the city center. You can take this distance of 29.5 kilometers in approximately 30-35 minutes by taxi. From the airport to the center of Taif, you pay a taxi fare of 160-190 Suudi Riyali (130-150 TL). Of course, the price we specify in TL may vary depending on the changes between the Saudi Riyal and the Turkish Lira. It is more profitable to rent a car or take a bus instead of taking a taxi just outside of the arrival terminal of Taif Airport.

Car Rental

In almost every region of Saudi Arabia, women are prohibited from driving. Therefore, only male tourists can benefit from car rental option. If you rent a navigation device with your car, you can easily go to Taif and other major cities around.

You can reach the city center by the car you will rent from Taif Airport in approximately 20-25 minutes. In Saudi Arabia, oil is quite cheap compared to Turkey. Hence, one of the best options for your transportation is renting a car. On average, the amount you would pay for the oil to go to the city center from Taif Airport is approximately 1-2 TL.

Buses are the most convenient option that you can choose to reach the airport from Taif city center. You can also get to the airport by taxi or by renting a car from the city center.

Bus

Direct buses to the airport depart from Al Taif Station in Taif Al Faisaliah. Local bus services operated by SAPTCO depart on short intervals. According to the current information in SAPTCO's web site the fare you will pay for this trip, which is about 30 kilometers, is 15 Saudi Riyals and it takes about 1 hour. You can make your reservation at the official website of SAPTCO or you can get your ticket from the sales points. It is also possible to buy tickets from almost every stop.

Taxi

You must absolutely have an agreement with the driver about the fare before you start your journey, if you are taking a taxi without a taximeter. Otherwise, you can pay really high fares. Taxis are the least preferred means of transportation by visitors of Taif, where there is not much alternatives in terms of transportation in the city.

Taxi fares are more expensive than other means of transportation. This is why we recommend you take advantage of the bus or car rental service instead of taxis. You should be careful about the taxi you take. In Taif, limousine taxis, for example, are also available and they are much more expensive than regular taxis.

Car Rental

There are car rental companies located in the city as well as in Taif Airport. Car rental companies are as popular as local buses, as the oil prices here are low. In additions, there are extremely modern highways in Taif that has links to all nearby cities. You can go to the airport with your vehicle rented from Taif city and deliver it to the same car rental company in the terminal.

Airport Information

Taif Airport, 70 kilometers from Mecca and 30 kilometers from Taif city center, is an airport suitable for international and domestic flights. You will not find much shops and similar entertainment areas at Taif Airport, which is smaller than other airports in Saudi Arabia with regard to area and capacity.

Taif Airport is of great importance for the history of Saudi aviation. The first one to land this airport was Ibn Saud, the founder of the kingdom. It is an airport used both for military and public purposes.

In the terminal you can find a small parking area for cars and the offices of most preferred car rental companies throughout Saudi Arabia. You can also see bus stops and taxi stands, from where you can take a bus or taxi to Taif city center, at a short distance from the terminal exit.

The airport interior design is not too complicated as there is not much to do inside the airport. Several major airline companies, including Turkish Airlines, organize flights to Taif Airport.