What are my transport options as a woman in Saudi Arabia?

Expert Info

Posted by

on 23 Feb 2016

Hi there,

My husband and I are moving to Saudi Arabia from Spain as he has a job in the oil industry. I am a little apprehensive about the move but this is mainly because I am worried about losing my independence. How do women get about in Saudi Arabi if they are banned from driving? Can I use public transport or will I have to rely on my husband to take me everywhere?

Anonymous (not verified) on 27 Feb 2016 - 07:15

Hi there :) The only transportation we have here in Saudi is our compound bus, our husbands or taxi. I have a trusted cab driver that we use here a lot. Other than that, no other options :( Email me if you have any other questions :)

Anonymous (not verified) on 23 Feb 2016 - 14:39

Hi there - while you're waiting for someone to answer this, have a look at some of our interviews of women living in Saudia Arabia - driving is one of the many issues they have:

Brenda - a Canadian expat in Saudi Arabia
The culture here was a challenge. I was used to working full time back home, but now I have to rely on my husband for money and transport as I can’t work or drive in this country. Whenever I leave the compound I have to wear my abaya and cover my head. I wear a scarf or a hijab. I will say that it’s easier to do this than having to figure out what to wear every day. There really isn’t public transit to speak of. Taxis are available (make sure you find a trusted cab driver by asking a lady in the compound) but I don’t take them much as my husband takes me where I need to go or I use the compound bus.

Aisha - A Cameroonian expat living in Saudi Arabia
There are some negatives. I hate that I have a driving licence, but I am not allowed to drive. I hate that I sometimes have to wait in front of a shop to place my order because women are not allowed to get it. I hate to sit somewhere and someone comes up to me and says, “Alnisah mamnoah,” meaning “It is forbidden for ladies.” I had to get used to wearing the abaya and depending on my spouse whenever I needed to go anywhere in town. I guess I was once shocked when someone stopped me from getting into the elevator at a public hospital because he was the only male inside. I later learnt from my spouse that an unrelated man and woman are forbidden to stay alone in an enclosed area. The one question he or many others weren’t able to answer was why women were allowed to take a cab when the driver wasn’t their relative?

Mandi - an American expat living in Saudi Arabia
One of the biggest negatives is that I can't drive. I cannot work or travel without the permission of my Saudi husband. Employment opportunities are extremely limited for women and the salaries aren't great for someone without a degree and many years of experience, so I am not able to financially support myself. What I miss most about home is my independence and ability to come and go as I please.

Angela - another American expat in Saudi Arabia

There was a lot of culture shock when we first arrived. Here, women’s rights are very limited. We do have to wear an abaya (long black dress) and we cannot drive. This was a huge shock for any lady coming from America where we are a bit more independent. It’s a big adjustment to learn to rely on taxis or your husband for a ride to the grocery store or to the mall, as in America I would hop in my car and go.

The abaya hasn’t really phased me though. I like that I don’t have to think about what I’m wearing each day or even if I’m having a bad hair day. I can throw on a scarf as a hijab, cover with the abaya and be out the door in about 10 minutes.

Prayer times are another adjustment that takes some getting used to. Everything revolves around prayer, so during those times, stores, restaurants, well everything, shuts down. You have to really plan your shopping and outings and watch the time closely if you want to get something to eat or just run an errand. It certainly has made me a more organised person!

See loads more interviews with expats here:

http://www.expatarrivals.com/saudi-arabia/expat-experiences-in-saudi-arabia

Anonymous (not verified) on 23 Mar 2016 - 14:56

Good day, WE will be moving ther efor 2 years for my husbands job opertunity, We have a little one ot one year and we will prob stay in the compound the most of the time. Is there a place or events where expat women get together and use transport togheter?

Anonymous (not verified) on 9 Mar 2016 - 09:30

Hi, as Brenda says above really! Where will you be in Saudi? People employ their own drivers or there are companies like Careem in Riyadh who provide taxis basically but you can book regular slots e.g if it was to take child to nursery or something. But this is Saudi, and things can get unreliable.

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