Saudi Arabia is one of the most popular tourist places, drawing millions of tourists from around the globe each year. It offers everything a traveller could possibly need for an enchanting, fulfilling vacation.
Unquestionably, tourists consider Saudi Arabia for a pleasant, revitalising journey packed with novel experiences of its scenic nature, cultural heritage, archaeological sites, vibrant festivals and events and entertaining activities.
After arriving at an international airport in Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, or Madinah, tourists can choose to travel by renting a vehicle to move from one place to another between cities. You can find several reliable companies offering car rental services to enable you to embark on a journey to explore different places in Saudi Arabia.
The Ups of Renting a Car
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Some advantages of using a rental car are:
1. Convenience
With a rental car, you enjoy the convenience of travelling immediately after arriving at your destination. Unlike waiting for public transportation, you do not have to carry your luggage and wait in queues.
You can visit various places such as the Great Mosque of Mecca, Al-Masjid, Kaaba, Kingdom Centre Tower, and Black Stone. Meanwhile, you can also ensure that the cleaning standards are maintained by the company you rent the car from.
2. Several vehicle options
If you are engaged with a reputed car-rental company, you can choose from different vehicle options. You can drive your preferred car, for there are options to choose from well-maintained and brand-new vehicles. You can also choose your desired colour during the reservation process from different colours of cars the company has.
3. Flexibility
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By renting a car, you can enjoy the flexibility of travelling to your desired place at any time, not depending on any means of public transportation like a train or bus according to its scheduled service. To get where you want to go, all you have to do is get in your car whenever it is required.
You are not expected to wait for the correct bus and adhere to schedules. Furthermore, GPS technology can be your best guide on the road to make travelling comfortable and easy.
Going for a car rental in Saudi Arabia will enable you to explore a destination at your own pace and leisure.
4. Safety
To help you travel safely on Saudi Arabia’s roads, a reputable and reliable business is renowned for providing well-maintained rental cars. Tourists will find travelling safe due to various modern features like electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, traction control and airbags.
5. Additional services
Most rental companies provide additional services (such as extra equipment, door-to-door delivery, transfers, group tours etc., making your experience even better and more comfortable. When travelling with a group, you can divide the cost of renting a car with other people, which will cost less.
Moreover, you can also enjoy competitive pricing, pick-up and drop at your comfortable place, discounts on rental charges, replacement of the vehicle, and round-the-clock road assistance.
The Downs of Renting a Car
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1. Strict terms & conditions
Since they want you to use the rented vehicle carefully, the majority of car rental businesses have fairly strict terms and conditions. They insist that you return the vehicle undamaged and in a passable condition. Damages or violations of traffic rules will result in penalties and fines.
Tourists need to be familiar with all the rules and regulations stated by a vehicle rental agency.
They should therefore read through the terms of the company to learn about its limitations. The amount of ground a rental vehicle can travel each day may be limited by some companies. Some rental car firms forbid taking their cars outside of a particular Saudi state or to nearby nations.
2. Higher prices
Of course, the cost of renting a car is more expensive than the cost of using a public transportation system. Nevertheless, travellers who want to travel within budget have several alternatives available to travel affordably. For instance, you can take a bus, hire a taxi, use car-sharing or car-pooling service, or rent a bike.
3. Hidden & Extra charges
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Tourists need to be familiar with all the rules and regulations stated by a vehicle rental company. They should therefore read through the terms and conditions to learn about the company’s limitations.
When renting a vehicle in Saudi Arabia, mileage restrictions are the greatest problem. How far a rental car can travel each day for some rental companies may be different. There may be restrictions on the distance the rental vehicles can travel. Most of the prominent rental firms have a daily mileage cap of 200–250 km.
Moreover, some rental car firms are restricted from taking their cars outside of a particular state in Saudi or to nearby nations. When utilising the services offered by rental agencies, you may occasionally find added fees, hidden costs, and other charges.
4. Limitations
Driving a vehicle is not permitted for everyone. You must be of legal driving age, possess a valid driver’s license, and have a foreign driving permit. By the way, Saudi’s legal driving limit is 18 years.
You can commonly find consecutive spots at checkpoints while driving in Saudi Arabia. Speed bumps, particularly in the South, are too high for some cars to travel over without running into them. You need to be careful of vehicles suddenly slowing down at speed bumps on Saudi roads.
To conclude, renting a car is a great option for tourists visiting Saudi Arabia or any other state in the Middle East. With a leading car rental company, you can make sure of convenience, safety, comfort, flexibility, and affordability. The seamless booking of your choice of vehicle, quality, maintenance, and hassle-free experience will help you visit and explore various places and attractions and have memories worth remembering.
Nonetheless, it is essential that you conduct adequate research, ensure insurance coverage, and understand the terms and conditions.
