Job Discussion Forums

[Paris teacher]

So, I am thinking about working in KSA starting in August or September of 2017. I am a male, so I am permitted to drive in Saudi, but the thought frightens me, and I really don't want the expense of a car.


Would you say that it is easy to work for a school without a car, or is public transport truly non existent in KSA? I have heard stories of cities with neither pavement nor public transport and housing for teachers located many, many kilometers from the institution.

[currentaffairs]

I have never had a car in Saudi.. The argument could be made for having one in the big cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Elsewhere you can get by no problem. Taxis are everywhere in Riyadh and not so expensive although you do need to barter at times.

[Paris teacher]

Actually, I thought the opposite was true. I was under the impression in the smaller cities you needed a car and that in the big cities there would be marginal public transport.

I understand that some schools place their teachers very close to the institution for which they work. Is this mostly true? I would love to live within walking distance or, if it is possible, have a bus service that transports teachers from the housing to the school.


As you can probably guess, I detest driving!

[nomad soul]

You can get by fine without needing to purchase or lease a vehicle. As mentioned, taxis are everywhere in KSA, with most concentrated in the major cities. There are also private drivers for hire.

Employers provide either daily bus transport to/from work, or they include a transportation allowance in the benefits package. Some employers provide both.

[currentaffairs]

As an example, Riyadh is very big so getting anywhere is often a 30-40 minute ride each way. Going out to get a taxi can make it longer.. Universities and companies almost always provide transport to work but some don't. With my last job in Riyadh I got a transport allowance but 600 riyals a month won't cover you if you are using taxis everyday.

In the smaller towns you can walk everywhere.. It may take 30 minutes to walk to work but a lot of the guys I know do it for the exercise. There is no big hassle crossing highways in the smaller towns.

Public transport (as in local buses) is pretty non-existent in Saudi. Several smaller towns in the north and in the east have zero taxis.

[jaffa]

Yes. I was in Jubail for 6 years and never drove other than on official business in the afternoons when my boss lent me his car but that was just to go a mile down the road to HQ. I hired a Bangladeshi taxi bloke (hopeless driver) to take me in and bring me home. It was only a 10 minute trip and he was always punctual. My travel allowance of 900SR covered that. The Saudis couldn't believe I didn't have a vehicle other than the bike I bought to get around town.

[1chunk]

The typical Saudi weather does not allow one to walk for very long! Unless you are in the Southern region or Taif etc, then you should forget about walking.

There is no public transport so you can also rule that out.

I have found Careem and Uber to be great and inexpensive. Although for regular and longer trips, they can be expensive. Hailing a cab on the street everyday can be very draining. Remember the temperature! Especially since you always have to haggle with someone who doesn't understand you and vice versa!

The next option is to hire a car for a month, after you have settled. The experience may not be as bad as you think and you actually might enjoy the lack of law enforcement! You can then purchase a car.

[currentaffairs]

I don't think walking is that bad.. We are not only talking about the summer months. In the north you can get some snow in Dec/Jan. Remember, most guys start work at 8am so walking at 7am is very doable for a good part of the year. Last winter was pretty cold actually, and seemed to go on for awhile!

[cnthaiksarok]

I vote for car regardless of the region, personally. I've lived without and felt a lot more confined and/or couldn't be asked to deal with the taxi situation more often than not.

[RedLightning]

You definitely need a car in Riyadh. Cabs are everywhere, but the meter starts at 5 SAR and climbs.
Also, while the city never 'stops', there are good distances between the major areas where you'll most likely want to go.

Try getting in touch with expats several months before you go, and see if you can find a good deal on rental cars. It's not unheard of to find a decent car for under 1000SAR/month

[D. Merit]

So, in conclusion, some people feel you definitely need a car, others feel you definitely do not.

In the entire region it is really just down to personal preference. Btw if you are 'bartering' with a taxi driver you are offering him fish or something to pay for the ride.

[bigdurian]

Depends on your needs, location etc. I'm here with my family so car is a must.

Plus, who wants to be walking in seriously high temperatures in summer.

After the initial purchase, a car is way cheaper to run than anything else because petrol is so cheap.

Lastly, and most importantly for me, you have the option to go anywhere at any time whenever you feel like it.

A freedom that many in Saudi do not have, not to be undervalued.

[RustyShackleford]

[bigdurian]

[bigdurian]