Can I use cards on buses and public transport in Saudi Arabia?

Stayed in Dammam at a new hostel-style property near the corniche and they were completely card-friendly. I used my South African FNB Visa debit card and tapped it at the counter. The staff told me they started using Mada-enabled terminals that accept all major international cards now. They also had the option to pay by link via SMS or email which was super helpful. Another traveler from Malaysia paid using his phone with Google Pay. I wouldn’t worry too much if you’re staying in eastern cities like Dammam or Khobar. Just double-check with the hostel in advance if you're going rural.

Just finished a week-long trip in Dammam and took both intercity and city buses run by SAPTCO. At the bigger terminals like the one near Dammam Station, you can pay with Amex Visa and Mastercard at the ticket counter and also online. I used my Australian Commonwealth Bank Mastercard without issues. But once you’re boarding smaller local buses, it’s usually a pay-in-cash setup. No contactless reader and the driver might not have change. Same situation when I briefly visited Al Khobar. So while long-distance routes are card-friendly, for city buses it’s smart to carry at least 20 to 30 riyals in small notes just to be safe.

I was in Mecca and Madinah last month for pilgrimage and used the Haramain high-speed train and several local buses. The Haramain train tickets were booked online with my French BNP Paribas Mastercard and I also saw others using Apple Pay at the kiosks. For the local Mecca buses I had to pay in cash directly to the driver. No card reader at all. In Madinah, I used a prepaid Madinah Bus card that I bought at the station using cash. From what I experienced, trains and metro systems are card friendly but most regular buses still lean toward cash unless you buy a local transport card in advance.

I traveled through Jeddah this May and took a few of the City Bus routes between Al Balad and the Corniche area. I bought my tickets using a contactless Visa debit card at a vending machine inside the bus station near Al Haramain station. Worked just fine. Some of the buses still show the old signs that say cash only but most have been updated to accept cards. There’s also a Jeddah transport card system but I didn’t bother because my card worked almost everywhere. I still kept some small riyal notes for tipping or if a terminal failed but didn’t really need cash for public transport.

I was in Riyadh in June and used the new Riyadh Metro system which just started opening up some lines. It’s a super modern system and they accept both Visa and Mastercard at the ticket machines. I used my UK Revolut card to buy a single trip ticket from King Abdullah Financial District to Al Olaya and it went through instantly. The stations are equipped with contactless readers and even the local app lets you add international cards. I also rode an SAPTCO bus and paid in cash there since the driver didn’t have a working machine that day. Best advice is to carry a bit of cash but you can definitely use cards in most metro stations.