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Post by scaustan on Aug 11, 2022 13:50:03 GMT
First week here in the camp and so far I feel handicapped without a vehicle. I tried both cab services (Samara and Limousina), either the waiting time was crazy or they weren't available at all (maybe I need to book them half-day in advance?). I haven't had a chance to try the circuit buses yet because I am not able to figure out their schedule yet. I guess the purpose of this post is to figure out how to commute till I get the car? Any car hire/rental recommendations?
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arcticengineer
Senior Member
Posts: 180
Job Status: Accepted Aramco Job
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Post by arcticengineer on Aug 12, 2022 5:11:52 GMT
I used a bicycle until I had a car. Not great in the summer, but much better than walking. Talk to your co workers and find one that can explain the bus schedule to you.
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Post by scaustan on Aug 12, 2022 10:52:39 GMT
Ended up renting a car for a month from the city. Cycle is nice suggestion and I am thinking to get one around Oct, I am told weather gets pleasant from Oct to April.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2022 19:47:59 GMT
Ended up renting a car for a month from the city. Cycle is nice suggestion and I am thinking to get one around Oct, I am told weather gets pleasant from Oct to April. Yeah you must hire a car from day one. The buses are a joke and the timetables…unreliable. Forget cycling for the next 3 months! |
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Post by kennyshtia on Aug 31, 2022 2:04:07 GMT
why Do I see the prices of new cars in saudi is way much higher than in Emirates and Oman? and is anybody has experience of buying from Emirates and driving to saudi?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 31, 2022 6:16:54 GMT
why Do I see the prices of new cars in saudi is way much higher than in Emirates and Oman? and is anybody has experience of buying from Emirates and driving to saudi? By and large everything costs more here…good luck importing a car, there’s 15% VAT to pay and a 6% duty to pay at the border. Plus a lifetimes amount of paperwork, but that’s to be expected. |
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Post by imogenep on Dec 12, 2022 8:23:19 GMT
Can you get an e-scooter?
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Post by djs7777 on Dec 24, 2022 19:48:08 GMT
People use e-scooters yes. And mopeds. Don’t see many people cycling. The circular buses were not reinstated after covid. So it’s Samira app (like Uber) but can be difficult to get one, taxi (ditto) or walk. Ubers can be used to come back to the camp from outside but you can’t get picked up in the camp.
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Post by kennyshtia on Jan 1, 2023 1:39:32 GMT
Ended up renting a car for a month from the city. Cycle is nice suggestion and I am thinking to get one around Oct, I am told weather gets pleasant from Oct to April. Can we drive car outside camp without saudi driving licence? |
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jrs
Senior Member
Posts: 379
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Post by jrs on Jan 1, 2023 6:45:38 GMT
Technically not suppose to but people do. Could be issues if you were involved in an accident off camp w/o a saudi DL.
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Post by absvis on Jan 1, 2023 8:16:47 GMT
Ended up renting a car for a month from the city. Cycle is nice suggestion and I am thinking to get one around Oct, I am told weather gets pleasant from Oct to April. Can we drive car outside camp without saudi driving licence? Renting vehicle from outside camp or going to get your saudi driving license from driving school require driving outside camp. So eventually people have to but it is not recommended. |
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tamsin
Senior VIP Expat
Posts: 655
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Post by tamsin on Jan 1, 2023 15:41:23 GMT
Ended up renting a car for a month from the city. Cycle is nice suggestion and I am thinking to get one around Oct, I am told weather gets pleasant from Oct to April. Can we drive car outside camp without saudi driving licence? Yes and no. You can drive outside on your home licence for 3 months, but once you get an iqama it’s void and you need a Saudi licence. On camp, people could drive indefinitely on their home licence, but now that women can legally drive here, it has changed. Regardless of company rules, insurance will not let you exceed the 3 months and you’d be driving uninsured. |
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Post by starchief on Feb 9, 2023 17:09:04 GMT
Can you tell me more about buses? I'll be coming over fairly soon and would like to avoid a car - initially at least. Do the work buses run at multiple times? So, if I sleep in or work late, can I catch one?
Also, for recreation / entertainment / restaurants, are there evening and weekend buses to the centres?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2023 17:43:25 GMT
Can you tell me more about buses? I'll be coming over fairly soon and would like to avoid a car - initially at least. Do the work buses run at multiple times? So, if I sleep in or work late, can I catch one? Also, for recreation / entertainment / restaurants, are there evening and weekend buses to the centres? No, buses only run once on the way in to work (6:25am for me), back at lunch (11:30 -12:15) and back at 4:10. There is a bus or two to IKEA and the other Mall at weekends. They are not reliable. You will be using cabs. You’re going to need a car. Budget for it. Double so when the weather turns and walking anywhere becomes impossible. |
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jrs
Senior Member
Posts: 379
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Post by jrs on Feb 11, 2023 13:25:51 GMT
Let me add, you can rent a car until you buy one. There are several car rental places in Khobar and few of them will rent to new hires w/ just your passport and DL from your home country. They may not accept all foreign DLs for the rental but know they do for US, Brit and Canada.
There are also private drivers, which are cheaper and more reliable than taxis.
As Mcshane said you cannot rely on bus to get around.
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