Visiting Saudi Arabia? Here are five government mobile apps every tourist must download

Dubai: In 2022, Saudi Arabia saw over 16.5 million tourists, according to the country’s Ministry of Tourism.

If you wish to visit Saudi Arabia and want to know more about visa requirements, flight or accommodation bookings and transportation services, Saudi Arabia has official mobile applications that help tourists plan a smoother and hassle-free experience.

Whether you are visiting the country for Umrah, leisure purposes, or to spend time with family and friends, here are five apps you should download.

1. Visit Saudi

Explore Saudi Arabia’s most popular tourist destinations, and plan your entire trip through one app - ‘Visit Saudi’. This app is operated by the Saudi Tourism Authority and provides guides for tourists. Through the app, you can find out Saudi visa requirements, book tour packages and view the latest activities and events happening in the country.

The ‘Visit Saudi’ app also includes an interactive map that helps visitors search for accommodation, museums, events, restaurants, parks and historical landmarks in major cities in Saudi Arabia.

Visitors can download the app from the Apple iOS Store or Google Play Store.

2. Absher

The easiest way to access most commonly used Saudi government services is through the Absher mobile application, which is available on Apple, Android and Huawei app stores.

The Absher app is developed and operated by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Interior (MOI). The app allows users to access several government services, including visa applications and extensions, dispute traffic violations or get a police clearance certificate.

The app is not exclusively for Saudi citizens and residents but also citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states, dependents of residents and visitors holding valid tourist visas.

On the app, visitors can find their border number, which is issued by the Saudi General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) to every passport holder who enters on a new visa to Saudi Arabia. As a visitor, you can also search for traffic fines registered against your vehicle, if you are planning to drive when you are in Saudi Arabia.

3. Nusuk

If you are visiting Saudi Arabia for Umrah, having the Nusuk app on your phone is essential because it is the official planning and booking platform for creating your itinerary for Mecca and Medina.

Through the app, travellers from all over the world can easily organise their entire Umrah journey, from applying for an eVisa to booking flights and hotels. The app also provide guides related to Umrah rituals for pilgrims. International pilgrims can also book Umrah packages from licenced providers on the app.

Hajj is expected to start around June 26 this year, and Nusuk has launched a separate platform - hajj.nusuk.sa/, which is specifically for booking and managing the Hajj pilgrimage for travellers from Europe, Australia and North and South America. 

The app is available for Apple, Android and Huawei users.

4. ‘riyadh bus’ app

Riyadh’s new bus service was launched on March 19 this year by the Royal Commission of Riyadh City. Along with the introduction of the new bus network, a new mobile application for public transportation was also launched, ‘riyadh bus’.

The app is available for Apple and Android devices. It allows public bus passengers to buy tickets, purchase a bus card, and get the bus schedule and routes.

5. Najm app

If you get into an accident in Saudi Arabia, the ‘Najm’ app enables drivers to report traffic accidents and speeds up the process for insurance claims. The app detects the location of the accidents and notifies the nearest Najm agent to investigate the accident.

‘Najm’ is an insurance provider operated by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) and the MOI General Department of Traffic. The app is available for Apple and Android devices.