This Darb Alwatan bus schedule for 2026 covers every route the company runs, how often buses leave, how long each journey takes, real ticket prices, baggage rules and how to book. All details were checked against Darb Alwatan’s official timetable and booking site on 9 October 2026.
Faster option between Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah: see our Haramain train guide with official fares, booking and luggage rules.
Before you travel: the booking site often shows more departures than the official timetable, and fares change with demand. Always confirm the exact time and price for your date in the DAW BUS app or on reservation.darbalwatan.com.
Darb Alwatan at a Glance
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Network | Intercity buses across northern, central and eastern Saudi Arabia, with routes to Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Yanbu |
| Routes | 29 route codes in the official timetable |
| Main stations | Riyadh, Dammam, Al Jubail, Al Ahsa, Buraydah, Hail, Tabuk, Jeddah and Taif |
| Booking | DAW BUS app, reservation.darbalwatan.com, stations and sales agents |
| Fares seen | From 32 SAR (Dammam to Jubail) to 195 SAR and more (Riyadh to Hail) |
| Customer care | 8003040155 (toll-free), contact.us@darbalwatan.com |
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Follow on WhatsAppWhat Is Darb Alwatan?
Darb Alwatan is one of the three companies the Transport General Authority (TGA) chose to run Saudi Arabia’s intercity bus network. It holds the northern concession: 26 routes serving more than 75 cities and governorates when services started on 16 October 2023. The company belongs to Hafil Transportation, part of the Mohamed Yousuf Naghi & Brothers Group.
The other two regions are run by North West Bus (northwest) and SAT, an alliance of SAPTCO and Spain’s Alsa (south). So if your route is in the south, such as Abha or Jazan, you will book with SAT, not Darb Alwatan. All three operate under contracts with the TGA, which also sets the fines for passengers who break the rules on board.
Darb Alwatan Routes and Journey Times 2026
This table follows Darb Alwatan’s official route timetable (checked 9 October 2026). Buses run daily unless noted, and journey times are approximate because many routes stop in smaller towns on the way.
| Code | Route | Days | Journey time |
|---|---|---|---|
| NN-06 | Makkah (Jarwal) to Madinah | Daily | About 6.5 hours |
| NN-05 | Madinah to Buraydah | Daily | About 7 hours |
| NN-35 | Dammam to Madinah | Daily | About 18.5 hours |
| NN-07 | Dammam to Makkah (Jarwal) | Daily | About 21 hours |
| NN-09 | Dammam to Jeddah train station (SAR) | Daily, 3 each way | About 22 hours |
| NN-01 | Dammam to Yanbu | Daily | About 22 hours |
| NN-02 | Riyadh to Yanbu | From Riyadh Mon, Wed, Sat; from Yanbu Sun, Tue, Thu | About 18.5 hours |
| NN-04 | Makkah (Jarwal) to Hafr Al Batin | Daily | About 20.5 hours |
| NN-32 | Riyadh to Al Khobar | Daily | About 6 hours |
| NN-29 | Riyadh to Khafji | Daily | About 9 hours |
| NN-23 | Riyadh to Hail | Daily | About 10 hours |
| NN-14 | Riyadh to Buraydah | From Riyadh Mon, Thu, Sat; from Buraydah Sun, Tue, Fri | About 10 to 11 hours |
| NN-12 | Riyadh to Hafr Al Batin and Arar | Daily | About 8 to 9 hours (Hafr Al Batin), 16 hours (Arar) |
| NN-13 | Riyadh to Arar | Daily | About 16 hours |
| NN-22 | Riyadh to Sakaka | Daily | About 16 hours |
| NN-24 | Riyadh to Tabuk | Daily | About 19.5 hours |
| NN-21, NN-28 | Riyadh to Qurayyat | Daily | About 21.5 to 23 hours |
| NN-10 | Madinah to Arar | Daily | About 16 hours |
| NN-03 | Dammam to Hail | Daily | About 14 hours |
| NN-15, NN-16 | Dammam to Tabuk | Daily | About 25 hours |
| NN-17, NN-18 | Dammam to Qurayyat | NN-18 daily; NN-17 Sun, Mon, Tue | About 22 hours |
| NN-20 | Dammam to Al Jubail | Daily | About 1 hour 20 minutes |
| NN-19 | Dammam to Khafji | Sun, Thu, Sat | About 4 hours 45 minutes |
| NN-25 | Al Khobar to Jubail, Jubail to Al Ahsa, Al Ahsa to Khafji | Daily | 1 hour 45 minutes to 8.5 hours |
| NN-44 | Dammam Airport to Khafji border | Daily, 3 each way | About 3 hours 15 minutes |
| NN-26 | Jubail to Dammam Airport | Fridays, 3 each way | About 1 hour 35 minutes |
Buses also stop at many towns on the way, including Rafha, Turaif, Dumat Al-Jandal, Tayma, Zulfi, Majma’ah, Shaqra, Ar Rass, Al Mithnab, Abqaiq and Nairyah. Search your town in the app to see whether it is served.
Makkah to Madinah Bus Timings
This is Darb Alwatan’s busiest route for pilgrims. Buses leave from the Jarwal area in Makkah. On 9 October 2026 the booking site showed six departures a day from Makkah to Madinah:
| Departure | Bus | Journey time | Fare from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 07:30 | Standard | About 6.5 hours | 50 SAR |
| 10:30 | Standard (through bus to Hafr Al Batin) | Check in the app | 101 SAR |
| 13:30 | Standard | About 6.5 hours | 50 SAR |
| 16:30 | VIP | About 5 hours 10 minutes | 75 SAR |
| 19:30 | Standard | About 6.5 hours | 50 SAR |
| 22:30 | VIP | About 5 hours 10 minutes | 75 SAR |
The VIP bus is faster and costs about 25 SAR more. Planning an Umrah trip around the visit to Madinah? See the best times to perform Umrah.
Darb Alwatan Bus Timings From Riyadh and Dammam
Riyadh departures in the official timetable (checked 9 October 2026). The app may show extra buses on busy days:
| Route | Departs Riyadh | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Riyadh to Hail (NN-23) | 09:00 and 12:30 | The booking site showed 9 departures on 9 October, from 07:00 to 22:30 |
| Riyadh to Tabuk (NN-24) | 14:30 and 20:30 | About 19.5 hours |
| Riyadh to Al Khobar (NN-32) | 16:30 | About 6 hours |
| Riyadh to Buraydah (NN-14) | 11:30 (Mon, Thu, Sat) | Long route via other towns, about 10 hours |
| Riyadh to Yanbu (NN-02) | 19:00 (Mon, Wed, Sat) | Arrives about 13:20 the next day |
In the Eastern Province, Dammam to Al Jubail is the shortest and cheapest route: the booking site showed 10 departures a day from 06:00 on 9 October, at about 1 hour 20 minutes and from 32 SAR. For the free airport links to Jubail and Khafji, see our guide to the King Fahd Airport shuttle bus.
Darb Alwatan Ticket Prices 2026
Darb Alwatan does not publish a fare list. Prices are set per trip in the booking engine and rise as seats sell. These are one-way adult fares, including VAT, seen on 9 October 2026:
| Route | Super Saver | Standard | Flexible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makkah to Madinah (standard bus) | 50 SAR | 54 SAR | 56 SAR |
| Makkah to Madinah (VIP bus) | 75 SAR | 81 SAR | 84 SAR |
| Dammam to Al Jubail | From 32 SAR | Higher | Higher |
| Riyadh to Hail | From 195 SAR | Higher | Higher |
Book early and choose Super Saver if your plans are fixed; it is the cheapest fare but cannot be changed.
How to Book a Darb Alwatan Ticket Online
- Open the DAW BUS app (App Store or Google Play) or go to reservation.darbalwatan.com.
- Choose your departure city, destination and date. Select one way or round trip.
- Pick a departure and a fare type: Super Saver, Standard or Flexible.
- Enter the passenger name and ID or Iqama number. You can book as a guest without an account.
- Pay online. Your ticket is emailed to you and can also be downloaded.
You can also buy tickets at Darb Alwatan stations and about 31 sales agent offices; the official list of stations and agents shows each location.
Fare Types, Changes and Refunds
| Super Saver | Standard | Flexible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checked baggage | 45 kg | 60 kg | 75 kg |
| Change date or time | Not allowed | Up to 24 hours before, 10% fee | Up to 2 hours before, 10% fee |
| Refund | No | No | Up to 2 hours before, 50% fee |
Source: Darb Alwatan fare conditions (checked 9 October 2026).
Darb Alwatan Baggage Allowance
- Carry-on: one bag up to 7 kg, no larger than 45 x 35 x 20 cm.
- Checked: up to 2 bags, each no larger than 90 x 50 x 40 cm, with a total of 45, 60 or 75 kg depending on your fare.
- Extra bags: 10 SAR (up to 10 kg), 20 SAR (up to 20 kg) or 30 SAR (over 20 kg), within the limit of 2 checked pieces and 75 kg per ticket.
Darb Alwatan Bus Stations
Darb Alwatan has nine of its own stations. Tap a city to open the official map location:
In Makkah (Jarwal), Madinah, Yanbu, Hafr Al Batin, Khafji, Arar, Sakaka, Qurayyat and other towns, buses stop at sales agent offices rather than stations. Check the exact pick-up point on your ticket.
Rules and Facilities on Board
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before departure.
- Carry your original ID or Iqama. Passengers aged 13 and over can travel alone; children under 12 must travel with someone aged 16 or over.
- No hot food and no smoking on board, including e-cigarettes. The TGA fine is 200 SAR for smoking or travelling without a valid ticket, and 500 SAR for damaging the bus.
- Buses have air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, charging points, extra legroom and a toilet.
Only use licensed buses and taxis between cities; drivers who carry passengers without a licence face heavy fines. See our guide to unlicensed passenger transport rules.
How to Contact Darb Alwatan
- Call centre: 8003040155 (toll-free).
- Email: contact.us@darbalwatan.com.
- Social media: @Darbalwatan on X and @darbalwatan on Instagram.
- Head office: P.O. Box 3770, Dhahran 34521.
Darb Alwatan does not list a WhatsApp number, so be careful with numbers shared on social media that claim to sell tickets.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I book a Darb Alwatan ticket online?
Book on reservation.darbalwatan.com or in the DAW BUS app. Choose your cities and date, pick a departure and fare type, and pay online. You can book as a guest, and the ticket is sent to your email.
How much is the Darb Alwatan bus from Makkah to Madinah?
On 9 October 2026 the standard bus from Makkah (Jarwal) to Madinah cost from 50 SAR (Super Saver) to 56 SAR (Flexible), and the VIP bus from 75 SAR. Prices change with demand, so check the app for your date.
What is the Darb Alwatan luggage allowance?
You can take a 7 kg carry-on bag and up to two checked bags. The checked allowance depends on the fare: 45 kg for Super Saver, 60 kg for Standard and 75 kg for Flexible.
Can I cancel a Darb Alwatan ticket and get a refund?
Only Flexible tickets can be refunded, up to 2 hours before departure, with a 50% fee. Super Saver tickets cannot be changed or refunded. Standard tickets can be changed up to 24 hours before departure for a 10% fee, but not refunded.
What is the Darb Alwatan customer service number?
Call the toll-free number 8003040155 or email contact.us@darbalwatan.com. Darb Alwatan does not publish a WhatsApp number.