Airport
King Khalid International Airport
IATA Code: RUHLocation: The airport is situated 22 miles (35km) from Riyadh city centre.
Time: Local time is GMT +3.
Contacts: Tel: +966 (0)1 221 1000.
Transfer between terminals: The terminals are linked by moving walkways.
Transfer to the city: Prepaid airport taxis are available for transport to the city.
Car rental: Car rental counters are located in the lobby and include Avis, Budget and Hertz (women are not allowed to drive on public roads and may not be a passenger with a man who is not immediate family, unless in a taxi).
Facilities: Facilities include restaurants and cafeterias (no bars as alcohol is illegal), banks in Terminal 2 and ATMs in Terminals 2 and 3, first aid clinics, a post office, various shopping opportunities, and visitor information. A mosque is located in the centre of the passenger terminal. Facilities for the disabled are good.
Parking: Two multi-level garages are located directly in front of the passenger terminals, on either side of the mosque, which are connected to the terminals by walkways.
Departure tax: SR50.
Website: www.kkiairport.8k.com
Visit worldtravels.com for the full guide to Riyadh. Build a complete Riyadh travel guide and email to your clients - sign up for a trial subscription of World Travels Pro.
Riyadh
Rising from the barren desert, its towering skyscrapers glittering in the fierce sun, the Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, is one of the most splendid and affluent cities in the modern world, sprawling across about 600 square miles (1,600 square kilometres) of desert in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula.
Once a small oasis known for its date orchards (hence the origin of its name which in Arabic means 'place of gardens'), Riyadh's phenomenal growth spurt began in 1902 when the desert lord Ibn Saud took over the city determined to turn it into the centre of his Arabic kingdom. Thirty years later it became the capital of the new country of Saudi Arabia, and fuelled by the revenue of the country's abundant oil fields, it has burgeoned into an awesome modern metropolis with a population well in excess of four million.
Modern it may be, but visitors to Riyadh are never likely to forget that they are in the heart of the Arab world. In between the towering, futuristic buildings, glitzy shopping malls and broad, sweeping highways are nestled ancient mosques and other remnants of times gone by, shady trees and date palms line the avenues, and camels sometimes sway between the luxury vehicles. The city is also run on a strictly Islamic moral and cultural code, and visitors should respect the rules while exploring the sights, both ancient and modern, in this fascinating city. Women have restricted access to certain attractions and sites.
The original 'wadis' (dry river beds), where wells were sunk to water the historic infant oasis settlement, have now been supplemented by numerous vast dams and piped in desalinated seawater to adequately quench the thirst of this prosperous capital, quite justly dubbed 'Queen of the Desert'. Travellers can therefore drink deeply of this unique urban landscape, which will not be found wanting in both historic interest and modern wonder.
