Car Shipping Company from Riyadh to Qatar 0552803439 | Open and Enclosed Transporters, Door to Door via Salwa

Home Safe is a car shipping company from Riyadh to Qatar that moves the car by road on an open or enclosed transporter, from the door of your home or showroom in Riyadh to the address in Doha, Lusail and the other Qatari cities. Doha is about 580 km away through the Salwa border post, the shortest overland distance between the two capitals, and the car arrives in one to 4 days depending on the type of transporter. A saloon on a shared transporter starts from SAR 1,100, a 4×4 from SAR 1,750 and an enclosed transporter from SAR 3,500. To book: 0552803439.

In this guide47ShowHide

1. Who ships a car from Riyadh to Qatar?
2. The car transporter’s route from Riyadh to Qatar and the journey time
3. Crossing from Riyadh to Qatar via the Salwa – Abu Samra crossing
4. Car shipping prices from Riyadh to Qatar
5. What is different about shipping cars from Riyadh?
6. Types of car transporter: open, enclosed and single-car flatbed
7. An open transporter direct from Riyadh to Qatar
8. Types of vehicle we carry to Qatar
9. Preparing the car before loading
10. Protecting and securing the car during transport
11. Exporting a car through the Riyadh traffic department
12. Documents for shipping a car from Riyadh to Qatar
13. Conditions for a car to enter Qatar and be registered
14. Temporary entry on your Saudi plates, or permanent export?
15. Insuring the car during transport
16. Delivering cars in Lusail, The Pearl, Doha and the rest of Qatar
17. Drive it yourself or ship it?
18. Our service for individuals, companies, showrooms and embassies
19. Storing the car in Riyadh before shipping
20. Can a car be shipped from Riyadh to Qatar by sea?
21. Air freight for cars from Riyadh to Qatar
22. Steps for shipping your car from Riyadh to Qatar
23. Tracking the car from Riyadh to delivery
24. Shipping cars from Qatar to Riyadh
25. Do you carry anything other than cars on the same route?
26. Tips before shipping your car to Qatar
27. Common mistakes in shipping cars to Qatar
28. How do you choose a car shipping company to Qatar?
29. Why choose Home Safe to ship your car from Riyadh to Qatar?
30. Related articles and pages
31. Tags
32. Frequently asked questions about shipping cars from Riyadh to Qatar
33. How much does it cost to ship a car from Riyadh to Qatar?
34. How many days does a car take to get from Riyadh to Doha?
35. Which border post does the transporter use to enter Qatar?
36. Do I need export plates to ship my car to Qatar?
37. What is the oldest car Qatar will accept?
38. How much is customs duty on a car in Qatar?
39. Can I ship a car that still has finance on it?
40. May I leave personal belongings inside the car?
41. What is the difference between an open and an enclosed transporter?
42. Do you carry motorcycles and cars that do not run?
43. Can a car be flown from Riyadh to Qatar?
44. Which is better: driving my car to Doha or shipping it?
45. Which cities in Qatar do you deliver cars to?
46. Is the car insured during transport?
47. Do you ship cars from Qatar to Riyadh?

Route: Riyadh → Al-Ahsa → Salwa border post → Abu Samra border post → Doha and Lusail · Distance: about 580 km · Transit time: 1–4 days by road.

Who ships a car from Riyadh to Qatar?

Car owners on this route fall into roughly five groups, and each group asks a different question. An employee moving to Doha asks about registering his car there. A seller asks when it will reach the buyer. A showroom owner asks for a price for five cars together. An event organiser asks for a date that will not slip by an hour. So we open every request with one question: is the car going to Qatar to stay, or to come back? The answer settles the documents, the transporter and the price.

Car owner	What they need	Best transporter
An employee or family moving to live in Qatar	Permanent export and registration on Qatari plates	Shared open, or enclosed for a valuable car
A seller who has sold the car to a buyer in Qatar	Export plates and handover to the buyer against a report	Single-car flatbed or shared, depending on how soon the buyer wants it
A showroom or car dealer	Several cars on one trip at a bulk rate	A full open transporter
The organiser of a motor show or event	A fixed arrival date, temporary entry, then return	Enclosed transporter
Motorcycle and classic car enthusiasts	Special securing and protection from dust	Enclosed transporter or covered flatbed
Someone flying who wants the car with them in Doha	Temporary entry on Saudi plates	Single-car flatbed, door to door

The car transporter’s route from Riyadh to Qatar and the journey time

The transporter leaves Riyadh eastwards on the Dammam motorway and then turns towards Al-Ahsa, its first stop for rest and fuel. From Hofuf it heads for Salwa at the head of the Gulf of Salwa, where the Saudi border post stands. After crossing to Abu Samra, about 100 km remain along the Qatari Salwa Road to Doha. Non-stop, the drive takes six to seven hours, so what decides the transit time is not the road but the time spent gathering cars in Riyadh and the time the formalities take at the two posts.

Stage	Approximate distance	What happens to the car
From your home to the assembly yard in Riyadh	Within the city	Photographed inspection, collection report, then loading
Riyadh → Al-Ahsa	About 330 km	Motorway driving, with the straps re-checked at the first stop
Al-Ahsa → Salwa border post	About 150 km	The export is completed or the temporary exit is recorded
Abu Samra border post	—	Chassis number matched, car inspected, duty assessed
Abu Samra → Doha and Lusail	100–125 km	The car is unloaded and delivered to the address

Type of transporter	Door-to-door time	Why it takes this long
Covered single-car flatbed	1–2 days	It sets off as soon as your car is loaded and waits for no other
Enclosed transporter	2–3 days	It carries two to six cars and is booked for a set date
Shared open transporter	2–4 days	It waits for its load to fill, then drives straight through
Air freight	1–3 days after the space is booked	The flight is an hour and a quarter; the rest is preparation and clearance

What makes it take longer? Usually four things, and three of them can be sorted out before loading day:

• An unpaid traffic fine that blocks the cancellation of the plates or the recording of the exit.
• A late letter from the finance provider for a car still being paid off.
• A letter or digit that differs between the stamped chassis number and the one on the registration card.
• Queues at the border post at weekends, on public holidays and in school holidays, which we avoid by choosing the crossing day.

Crossing from Riyadh to Qatar via the Salwa – Abu Samra crossing

Qatar has a land border with the Kingdom alone, so every car that enters it by road passes from Salwa to Abu Samra. A car carried on a transporter is treated as cargo, not as a traveller: it has a declaration, its chassis number is inspected and its ownership document is examined. The match is made against the number stamped into the chassis itself, not the sticker, and if it differs from the registration card the car stops until the traffic department corrects the document. That is why we photograph the number in Riyadh and compare it with the papers before the car goes up onto the transporter.

On the Saudi side the permanent export is completed or the temporary exit is recorded. On the Qatari side the car is inspected and customs duty is assessed if it is being imported, or a temporary entry is opened for it if it is visiting. We handle these formalities through our clearing agent at both posts, so you need not be there if you issue the required authorisation before shipping. The general procedure is explained on the customs clearance page.

Car shipping prices from Riyadh to Qatar

The price of moving a car follows two things before anything else: how much room it takes on the back of the transporter, and whether it shares the trip or travels alone. A saloon takes one slot, while a large 4×4 takes a slot and a half and adds weight. The prices below are the transport charge from Riyadh to the address in Qatar and do not include government fees in either country:

Car	Transporter	Price starts from
Saloon or hatchback	Shared open	SAR 1,100
4×4 or large family car	Shared open	SAR 1,750
Any car on a covered single-car flatbed	A flatbed that sets off for your car alone	SAR 2,575
Luxury or sports car	Enclosed transporter	SAR 3,500
Pickup or van	Shared open	Set on request, by length and height
Classic car	Enclosed with a hydraulic lift	Set on request
Motorcycle	On a base inside an enclosed transporter or on a flatbed	Set on request
Car that does not run	Flatbed with a winch	Set on request
Car by air freight	Cargo aircraft from King Khalid Airport	Set on request

The prices quoted in the market for this route are higher than that: a saloon on a shared transporter between SAR 1,800 and 2,200, a 4×4 between SAR 2,200 and 2,800, a private express flatbed between SAR 2,800 and 3,500, and an enclosed transporter between SAR 3,800 and 6,500. Some offers start from SAR 4,500 for a small car and SAR 5,800 for a luxury one, and add SAR 400 for insurance and SAR 500 for wrapping. So ask about every figure you are given: is it for a shared or a private transporter, and does it include the formalities at both border posts and delivery to the address?

Factor	Effect on the price
Size and weight of the car	The longer and taller the car, the more room it takes on the transporter
Type of transporter	Shared is cheaper; single-car and enclosed cost more because the trip is divided among fewer cars
Condition of the car	A car that does not run needs a winch and longer to load
Collection and delivery address	Dropping the car at the assembly yard and collecting it from our yard in Doha is cheaper than door to door
Number of cars	Two or more cars for one owner bring down the price of each
Season	Demand for transporters rises before holidays and major events

How do you bring the cost down? Book a week ahead so that you catch a full shared transporter. Drop the car at the assembly yard yourself if your home is near it. Put your car together with that of a relative or colleague moving with you. And avoid holiday week. The factors are set out in detail on the pricing factors page.

What is different about shipping cars from Riyadh?

Riyadh is the largest car market in the Kingdom, with clusters of showrooms in Al-Naseem in the east and Al-Shifa in the south, and a used-car market where many cars are sold to buyers from outside the city. It is also the closest of the big cities to Qatar after those of the Eastern Province, so a transporter leaves it in the morning and either spends the night at the border post or crosses the same day. That closeness keeps departures on the route frequent and makes the wait for a shared transporter shorter than it is in the cities of the west.

The city has its own constraint, though: a long two-deck transporter does not enter residential districts, and truck movement on Riyadh’s main roads is confined to hours set by the traffic department. So the car is collected from your home on a small flatbed and taken to the assembly yard on the edge of the city, where it goes up onto the large transporter. We confirm the flatbed’s time with you the day before. These are the areas we collect from most:

Area	Examples	Collection note
North Riyadh	Al-Malqa, Hittin, Al-Yasmin, Al-Narjis, Al-Sahafa	Villas and compounds; collection outside the house by flatbed
Central Riyadh	Al-Olaya, Al-Sulaimaniyah, Al-Malaz	Towers and underground car parks, so the car is brought out to the street
East Riyadh	Al-Naseem, Al-Rawdah, Al-Khaleej, Al-Yarmouk	The Al-Naseem showrooms, where several cars are collected together
South and west Riyadh	Al-Shifa, Al-Aziziyah, Al-Suwaidi, Dhahrat Laban	The Al-Shifa showrooms and the industrial-area workshops
Diriyah, Al-Muzahimiyah and Al-Kharj	Up to 80 km	Collected before loading day and added to the Riyadh trip
Qassim	About 350 km	Brought to Riyadh, then continues on the transporter

A car in Al-Ahsa does not come to Riyadh at all: the transporter passes through Hofuf on its way, so it is loaded there. Our other services in the capital are covered in the article international shipping company in Riyadh.

Types of car transporter: open, enclosed and single-car flatbed

The road to Qatar is flat and fast, so the choice of transporter does not depend on rough terrain; it depends on the value of the car and how urgent things are for you. An everyday car is not harmed by the dust of five hundred kilometres, which one wash removes. A car whose paintwork cost a great deal is another matter. Here is a comparison of the three types:

Transporter	How it works	Suits	Drawback
Shared open	A two-deck frame carrying six to eight cars	Saloons, family cars and showroom stock	It waits for a full load, and the car is exposed to dust
Covered single-car flatbed	A flatbed carrying one car under a cover, door to door	Urgent moves, sold cars, and districts a large transporter cannot enter	Dearer than shared, because the trip is for one car
Enclosed	A sealed box with a hydraulic lift and a securing floor	Low sports cars, luxury cars, classics and motorcycles	Booked in advance, and the highest price

If you cannot decide, the practical rule is this: if the car is valuable enough for you to keep it under a cover in your own driveway, move it in an enclosed transporter. The fuller comparison is in the car shipping guide.

An open transporter direct from Riyadh to Qatar

The open transporter is what most saloon owners choose, and the reason it is cheap is simple: the cost of the journey is split between several cars on one trip. The cars are gathered at our yard in Riyadh and arranged on the two decks according to their delivery addresses, so the one that comes off first in Qatar goes on last. The transporter then drives straight to Salwa with no change of vehicle and no reloading on the way, which cuts the handling of the car to just two moments: going up and coming down.

The car is secured at all four wheels with straps that wrap round the tyre itself, not round the suspension arms or the alloys. That leaves the car free on its springs to absorb the vibration of the road, and no strap touches a painted part. The gearbox is put in park, the handbrake is applied, and the straps are checked again at Al-Ahsa. We do not put a very low car on an open transporter, because the angle of the ramp to the upper deck could scrape its nose.

Types of vehicle we carry to Qatar

Every vehicle has its own way of being loaded. The difference between a saloon weighing a tonne and a quarter and a 4×4 of nearly three tonnes is not only in the price but in where it sits on the transporter and in the number and type of straps. The table sums up what we allow for with each type:

Vehicle	What we allow for in loading	Suggested transporter
Saloon and hatchback	Goes in any slot; the easiest to load	Shared open
4×4 and family cars	On the lower deck, because of weight and height	Shared open
Luxury and low sports cars	A level hydraulic lift and soft straps over the tyres	Enclosed
Classic	Started only with the owner’s permission, and kept under a cotton cover	Enclosed
Pickup and van	Height is measured with the rack or box before booking	Open, on the lower deck
Motorcycle	Fixed upright on a base, never resting on its side stand	Enclosed or flatbed
Car that does not run	A winch, provided the wheels and steering turn	Single-car flatbed

Heavy equipment and yachts have their own carriers and permits, described on the heavy equipment shipping and yacht shipping pages.

Preparing the car before loading

A quarter of an hour of preparation at home saves hours at the border post. These steps have two aims: that the car passes inspection without questions, and that you and the carrier share a clear record of its condition before the journey.

• Fuel: a quarter of a tank is enough for loading, unloading and reaching the nearest filling station in Qatar; a full tank is extra weight for nothing.
• Personal belongings: empty the cabin and the boot completely; the parking permit and the toll tag come off the windscreen too.
• Washing: a clean car shows every old scratch in its photographs, so nobody argues about it later.
• Photographs: take pictures from all four sides and of the interior, and photograph the odometer and the chassis number.
• Odometer: its reading is written in the collection report and compared on delivery.
• Quick check: tyre pressure, battery charge, and no oil leak dripping onto the car underneath.
• Accessories: fold the mirrors, take off a long aerial and any loose roof rack, and switch off the alarm.
• Keys: hand one set to the driver and keep the other.

Protecting and securing the car during transport

A car is not wrapped the way furniture is, but it has protection of its own. On a single-car flatbed we fit a padded cover pulled tight so that it does not flap, because a loose cover rubs the paint in the wind more than it protects it. In an enclosed transporter the box itself is enough, and we add a cotton cover for a classic car and guards on the door edges.

The parts that suffer first are the mirrors, a low front bumper and the rims of the alloys, so that is where we start: the mirrors are folded, extra loading ramps are laid for a low car, and a tyre strap is chosen that does not touch the alloy. Once the car is secured, every strap is checked by hand and the car is photographed in position, and the photograph reaches you before the transporter moves.

Exporting a car through the Riyadh traffic department

Permanent export means that the car leaves the Saudi register so that it can be registered in Qatar. It is a procedure carried out by the owner or their representative with the General Department of Traffic; what we set out here is current practice, and we confirm the details in force with you before you begin:

1. Paying fines: the fines recorded against the car and its owner are checked on the Absher platform and all paid.
2. Clearing encumbrances: a finance lien, or any other restriction on the car, is lifted before the export is requested.
3. Visiting the traffic department: an appointment is booked, and the registration card and the ID or residence permit are presented, plus the passport for a non-Saudi.
4. Matching the car: the chassis number is inspected and matched against the registration card.
5. Handing in the plates: the Saudi plates are surrendered and the cancellation fee is paid, commonly said to be about SAR 100.
6. Export plates and certificate: temporary export plates are issued, with an export certificate naming the owner and the destination of the car.

Export plates are valid for a limited number of days and are not a licence to drive the car round the city. So we time the procedure to the transporter’s date: the plates are issued, and the car is loaded that day or the next. A resident leaving for good should arrange this in good time before the final exit visa. A car registered in a company’s name needs an authorisation from the firm for whoever goes to the traffic department.

Documents for shipping a car from Riyadh to Qatar

The documents differ according to what will become of the car: permanent export or a temporary visit. Most delays at the border post come from one missing paper that could have been prepared in Riyadh within an hour. The table brings together what is needed in both cases:

Document	Permanent export	Temporary entry
The owner’s ID or residence permit and passport	Required	Required
Vehicle registration card	Replaced by the export certificate	Required and valid
Export certificate and export plates	Required	Not required
Authorisation for whoever completes the procedure for the owner	Required if the owner is not present	Required, issued through Absher for a car leaving the country
Letter from the finance provider	Settlement and release of the lien	Permission to leave the Kingdom
Purchase invoice or sale contract	Required to assess the value in Qatar	Not required
The recipient’s details in Qatar	Qatar ID or residence permit	An address and a phone number
Customs document showing duty was paid before	If available; it may exempt the car from duty	Not required

We go through photographs of the documents before booking, so if something is missing you find out while you are in Riyadh, not at Salwa. The general list is on the shipping documents page.

Conditions for a car to enter Qatar and be registered

Qatar distinguishes between a car that enters to be registered and one that enters as a visitor. The first is subject to the full import conditions, the most important being age and technical condition. These conditions change from time to time, so what the table shows is current practice, and we confirm what applies to your car before its plates are cancelled:

Condition	Current practice
Age of the car	A light vehicle no more than 5 years from its year of manufacture and a heavy one no more than 10; antique cars have an exception with conditions
Customs duty	5% of the value plus transport and insurance, unless it is shown to have been paid before in a Gulf state
Condition of the car	Flood-damaged, burnt or structurally damaged cars are not accepted
Steering	Left-hand drive; a car whose steering has been converted is not accepted
Specification	Gulf-specification cars are easier to register; others may need an extra inspection
Technical inspection	At Fahes centres before registration
Insurance	A valid Qatari policy before the plates are issued
Registration deadline	A matter of days after entry, commonly said to be two weeks

After clearance, the owner completes registration with Qatar’s General Directorate of Traffic, and many of the steps are available through the Metrash app. We hand over the car together with its complete file: the export certificate, the customs declaration and the duty receipt. The destination is described on the shipping to Qatar page.

Temporary entry on your Saudi plates, or permanent export?

Not everyone who ships a car to Qatar needs to cancel its plates. A Saudi car enters Qatar as a visitor on its own plates and registration card as long as it is coming back, and the age rule is not applied to it. Shipping is useful in that case when the owner is flying and wants the car there ahead of him, or simply does not want to drive the road. The comparison below helps you work out which case is yours:

Item	Temporary entry	Permanent export
For whom	A visit, a work assignment or an event, then return	Permanent residence in Qatar, or selling the car there
Plates	Saudi, as they are	Export plates, then Qatari plates
Customs duty	Not paid	5% if not paid before
Age rule	Not applied	Applied
Insurance	Qatari third-party cover for the length of the visit	An annual Qatari policy for registration
Length of stay	Limited; we confirm what is allowed before shipping	Permanent

A car going further than the Gulf needs a different document, the customs carnet, explained on the triptik and carnet page.

Insuring the car during transport

Your Saudi motor insurance covers the car while it is being driven on the road, not while it is carried on a transporter beyond the border. So the car is protected in transit in two ways. The first is the carrier’s liability for any damage that happens between the collection report and the delivery report. The second is a transit insurance policy for anyone who wants cover for the full value; its premium is a percentage of the value you declare, and we show it as a separate line in the quotation.

In both cases the cover is for the car itself: the body, the glass and the tyres. It does not extend to anything left inside, or to a mechanical fault that was there before the journey. That is why we insist on the photographed inspection report: it is what tells an old scratch from a new one. Details are on the cargo insurance page.

Delivering cars in Lusail, The Pearl, Doha and the rest of Qatar

Qatar is small, and its furthest town is no more than two and a half hours from Abu Samra, so the car is delivered on the day it crosses or the following morning. Delivery in modern Doha has its own character, though: the long transporter cannot enter the inner streets or car parks of the towers in Lusail, The Pearl and West Bay. So the car is unloaded at our yard or at the entrance to the district, and then our agent drives it, or a small flatbed carries it, to the door of the tower or the villa, where it is handed to you or to whoever you name against a report.

Area	Where the car is delivered	Distance from Abu Samra
Lusail	At the Marina towers, the waterfront villas and the compound car parks	About 125 km
The Pearl	At the tower entrance or the visitors’ car park, with a permit from the building management	About 115 km
Doha and West Bay	West Bay, Al Sadd, Al Mansoura, Old Airport	About 100 km
Al Rayyan	Al Gharrafa, Muaither, Ain Khaled and their villas	About 90 km
Industrial Area	Car showrooms and repair workshops	About 85 km
Al Wakrah and Mesaieed	Al Wakrah and Al Wukair	About 100 km
Al Khor and the north	Al Khor, Ras Laffan, Madinat ash Shamal	150–200 km

Send us the zone, street and building numbers from the blue plate, and a Qatari phone number for whoever is receiving the car. If the tower requires a permit for a flatbed to enter, or clearance from security, ask for it before delivery day. The address-to-address service is explained on the door-to-door shipping page.

Drive it yourself or ship it?

Seven hours on a motorway is not a hard journey, and plenty of people make it. So the question is not whether you can drive it but whether driving suits your situation. Driving costs you fuel, a day of your time and Qatari insurance, and adds 580 km to the odometer. Shipping costs you the transporter’s charge and spares you the road and the border post. The table sets the two options side by side:

Item	Driving it yourself	Shipping it on a transporter
Time	A full day, border post included	Minutes to hand over and minutes to receive
Cost	Fuel, Qatari insurance and a rest stop	From SAR 1,100 for a saloon
Odometer and wear	580 km more, with exposure to stones and sand	Unchanged
Car on export plates	Possible only while they are valid, with special insurance	The simplest and safest way
Car that does not run or is unlicensed	Not possible	Possible on a flatbed
More than one car	You need a driver for each car	All on one transporter
Suits	A holiday or a short visit	Relocation, a sale, and valuable cars

Our service for individuals, companies, showrooms and embassies

The road is the same, but what each customer asks of the carrier differs. An individual wants a clear price and a date. A company wants a contract and invoices. An embassy wants its official correspondence followed to the letter. This is what we provide for each group:

Customer	What we arrange
Individuals	Collection from home, a review of the export documents, and delivery to the address in Qatar
Showrooms and car dealers	A full transporter at a per-trip rate, delivered to the buyer’s showroom in the Industrial Area
Rental firms and company fleets	Scheduled trips, a tax invoice and a single account manager
Show and event organisers	An enclosed transporter with a fixed arrival date, temporary entry and a booked return trip
Embassies and consulates	Transport of official vehicles in line with the mission’s letters, with its exemptions observed
Government bodies	Pricing in line with procurement rules, and delivery against official reports

Storing the car in Riyadh before shipping

Sometimes the car is ready before its owner is: he has gone to Doha and his residence permit has not been issued yet, or he has cancelled the plates and the buyer has not finished his paperwork. In those cases the car stays in our yard in Riyadh until its date comes, rather than sitting in the street on export plates that are running out.

The yard is walled and monitored, and each car has its own bay, so it is not moved to let another out. The battery is disconnected if the stay is long, the car is covered, and the day it came in and its odometer reading are entered in its log. The storage charge is worked out by the day and stated in the quotation before it starts. Details are on the storage page.

Can a car be shipped from Riyadh to Qatar by sea?

We do not use the sea on this route. Riyadh is an inland city, and the nearest port is in Dammam, about 400 km away; the ship then sails to Hamad Port, where the car waits for clearance. That makes the transit a week or more and the price higher, against a road journey completed in a day. Sea suits destinations no road reaches, and it is explained on the RoRo car shipping page.

Air freight for cars from Riyadh to Qatar

Air freight for cars is a real service, even if demand for it is low on a route this short. The car is loaded onto a metal pallet at King Khalid International Airport and secured to it, then lifted into the cargo aircraft, and it lands at Hamad International Airport about an hour and a quarter later. Three kinds of customer usually ask for it: the owner of a luxury or rare car who does not want it on a road, an event organiser whose booking was left late, and a dealer who has to hand a car to a client on a set date.

Item	Air freight for a car
Route	King Khalid International Airport, Riyadh → Hamad International Airport
Transit time	1–3 days after the space is booked, including preparation and clearance
Preparing the car	Very little fuel and the battery secured, as the airline requires
Limitation	The dimensions and weight of the car must suit the aircraft door and its pallet
Delivery	From Hamad Airport to Doha and Lusail on a covered flatbed
Price	Set on request, by weight, dimensions and the flight available

We will tell you frankly when it is not worth it: a single-car flatbed arrives in one to two days for a small fraction of the cost of the aircraft, so air is chosen when hours matter rather than days, or when the car is not to touch the road at all. The car’s documents and spare keys, on the other hand, can be sent by express courier from SAR 83. Details are on the air freight page.

Steps for shipping your car from Riyadh to Qatar

1. Request: you send the make of the car, its year of manufacture and its condition, your district in Riyadh and the delivery address in Qatar.
2. Establishing the case: we ask whether it is a permanent export or a temporary entry, and send you your list of documents.
3. Price: it reaches you itemised: collection, the transporter, formalities at both border posts, delivery, and insurance if you ask for it.
4. Documents: you complete the traffic department procedure if it is an export, and we check the photographs before fixing the date.
5. Collection: the flatbed comes to your home, and the inspection report is written and the photographs taken in your presence.
6. Loading and journey: the car goes up onto the transporter and is secured, and you receive its photograph and the tracking number.
7. Crossing: we complete the formalities at Salwa and Abu Samra and tell you the duty payable, if any.
8. Delivery: the car is handed over at the address and compared with the collection report before signing.

Tracking the car from Riyadh to delivery

On a journey that is over in two days you do not need a dashboard; you need someone who answers. So you have one contact who knows where the transporter is and messages you at four points: when it leaves Riyadh, when it reaches Salwa, when the formalities at Abu Samra are finished, and when it is due at your address, with the name and number of the agent. The transporters are fitted with positioning devices, so whenever you ask you get the actual location, not an estimate.

The two moments that matter most in tracking are the exit from the Kingdom and the entry into Qatar, because that is where a delay happens if there is one. If an extra document is asked for, you know that same minute and exactly what is needed from you. The shipment number can also be entered on the track your shipment page.

Shipping cars from Qatar to Riyadh

A transporter that unloads in Doha goes back to Riyadh, so the opposite direction is available in much the same time. We collect the car from its address in Qatar, its export is completed there, it crosses Abu Samra and Salwa, and it is delivered in your district of Riyadh. Those who ask for it most are Saudis returning from work in Qatar, and buyers who found their car in the Doha showrooms.

The Kingdom has conditions of its own: under current practice an imported light vehicle must be no more than 5 years old, it is subject to customs duty and value added tax unless exempt, and proof that it conforms to the standards is required. So go over the year of manufacture and the country of specification with us before you pay for the car, not after.

Do you carry anything other than cars on the same route?

We do, but on different trucks. Someone moving to Qatar usually moves the household along with the car, and we arrange both in one booking: furniture, cartons and appliances in a closed truck and the car on its transporter, arriving within a day or two of each other. Prices and conditions for furniture, parcels and goods are in the article shipping company from Riyadh to Qatar; this article is about cars alone.

Tips before shipping your car to Qatar

• Work out the age of the car from the year of manufacture on the registration card before you decide on permanent export.
• Do not cancel the plates until the transporter’s date is confirmed, so that the export plates do not expire with the car standing still.
• Ask for the bank’s letter early if the car is financed.
• Choose a crossing day in the middle of the week, and stay away from Thursday evening and public holidays.
• Ask the management of your tower in Lusail or The Pearl about its conditions for a flatbed before delivery day.
• Keep a copy of the key and the inspection photographs until you have the car back.
• Do not renew the car’s Saudi insurance for a full year if you are going to cancel its plates within weeks.

Common mistakes in shipping cars to Qatar

• Cancelling the plates of a car older than Qatar allows, so that it can neither be registered there nor easily brought back.
• Leaving a small fine unpaid, to be discovered on the day of the traffic department visit.
• Comparing the price of a shared transporter with that of a private flatbed as though they were one service.
• Filling the boot with suitcases and gifts, so the car is searched and the whole transporter is held up.
• Handing over the car without photographs or a report, then arguing over a scratch nobody can date.
• Forgetting the authorisation when the person receiving the car is not its owner.
• Counting the transport charge alone and forgetting customs duty and the inspection and registration fees in Qatar.

How do you choose a car shipping company to Qatar?

Adverts on this route are plentiful, and most are a mobile number and a picture of a transporter. The difference between an organised carrier and a broker hunting for any flatbed shows in a few questions you ask before paying a deposit:

Sign	What to look for	What should make you wary
Registration	A business with a commercial registration that issues an invoice	A transfer to a personal account with no receipt
Type of transporter	They name the transporter and how many cars are on it	“A transporter”, with no details
Report	A photographed inspection signed by both sides	Collection on a word
Documents	They ask about age, plates and finance before quoting	They promise the crossing whatever your papers
Price	Clear items, with what is not included stated	A single figure that changes at the border post
Delivery	A specific address and a known agent in Qatar	“You collect it from the border”

Why choose Home Safe to ship your car from Riyadh to Qatar?

Because we start with the question many skip: will your car be accepted in Qatar in the capacity you want? Then we choose its transporter, write its condition into a report, complete its crossing and deliver it at your door.

To book: 0552803439 by phone or WhatsApp, from 7 am to 11 pm. Or use the request a quote page.

Related articles and pages

• Car shipping
• Car shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Qatar
• Car shipping company from Jeddah to Qatar
• Car shipping company from Riyadh to the UAE
• Car shipping from Saudi Arabia
• Land freight

Tags

car shipping company from Riyadh to Qatar, car shipping from Riyadh to Qatar, car transport from Riyadh to Doha, car shipping prices from Riyadh to Qatar, car transporter from Riyadh to Qatar, flatbed from Riyadh to Doha, luxury car shipping to Qatar, enclosed car transporter to Qatar, motorcycle shipping from Riyadh to Qatar, export plates to Qatar, Salwa Abu Samra crossing, conditions for cars entering Qatar, car shipping to Lusail and The Pearl, air freight for cars from Riyadh, car shipping from Qatar to Riyadh, Home Safe International Shipping

Frequently asked questions about shipping cars from Riyadh to Qatar

How much does it cost to ship a car from Riyadh to Qatar?

The least you will pay is SAR 1,100, which is the rate for a saloon on an open transporter shared with other cars. A 4×4 on the same transporter starts from SAR 1,750, a single-car flatbed that sets off for your car alone from SAR 2,575, and an enclosed transporter for luxury cars from SAR 3,500. Qatari customs duty and registration fees are not part of the transport charge. For a final price: 0552803439.

How many days does a car take to get from Riyadh to Doha?

A single-car flatbed delivers in one to two days because it waits for nobody. A shared open transporter needs two to 4 days, and most of that difference is the wait for its load to fill up at the assembly yard in Riyadh. An enclosed transporter takes two to 3 days. The road itself is no more than seven hours of driving.

Which border post does the transporter use to enter Qatar?

It leaves through Salwa in the Eastern Province and enters through Abu Samra opposite it; there is no other land crossing between the two countries. At both posts the chassis number stamped on the car is matched against the one written on the registration card and the export certificate, and then the Qatari duty is worked out if it is due.

Do I need export plates to ship my car to Qatar?

You need them if the car is going to be registered or sold in Qatar. In that case the fines are paid, the Saudi plates are handed in at the traffic department, and you receive export plates and an export certificate. A car that enters Qatar on a visit and comes back stays on its own plates and registration card; it only needs Qatari insurance, and an authorisation if its owner is not with it.

What is the oldest car Qatar will accept?

Under the rules currently applied, a light vehicle imported for registration must be no more than 5 years old counted from its year of manufacture, and a heavy vehicle no more than 10. Very old antique cars have an exception with its own conditions. The rule concerns permanent import, not temporary entry on Saudi plates, and we confirm what applies to your car before its plates are cancelled.

How much is customs duty on a car in Qatar?

It is 5% of the value of the car plus the cost of transport and insurance, which is the unified Gulf tariff. A car whose duty was paid when it first entered a Gulf state may be exempt if the customs document proves it. We look through your papers and tell you what to expect before the transporter moves.

Can I ship a car that still has finance on it?

You can, on one condition: a letter from the finance provider permitting the car to leave the Kingdom. If it is a permanent export, the debt has to be settled and the lien lifted first, because the traffic department will not cancel the plates of a car under lien. Ask for the letter several days before you book, since banks do not issue it on the spot.

May I leave personal belongings inside the car?

We advise against it and do not accept anything in the boot. Whatever is in the car is searched at both border posts and may hold it up, and insurance covers the body of the car, not its contents. Only what belongs to the car stays in it: the spare wheel, the jack, the fire extinguisher and the service book.

What is the difference between an open and an enclosed transporter?

An open transporter is a two-deck frame that carries several cars in the open air; it is the cheapest and suits an everyday car. An enclosed one is a sealed box with a hydraulic lift that keeps out dust, sun, stones and curious eyes, and it suits a low sports car, a classic, or a new car before it is handed to its buyer.

Do you carry motorcycles and cars that do not run?

Yes. A motorcycle is fixed upright on a wooden base with straps from four sides and travels on a flatbed or in an enclosed transporter. A car that does not run is winched onto the flatbed, provided its wheels turn and its steering works. The price in both cases is set on request once we know the details.

Can a car be flown from Riyadh to Qatar?

Yes, from King Khalid International Airport to Hamad International Airport on a cargo aircraft, and the flight itself is about an hour and a quarter. People ask for this option for a luxury car, or for a show car whose date cannot wait. The price is set on request because it follows the weight and dimensions of the car and the space available on the flight.

Which is better: driving my car to Doha or shipping it?

If you are taking it on holiday and coming back, driving is simpler and cheaper. If you are moving for work and flying, or you have sold it to a buyer in Qatar, or it is on export plates, or it is a valuable car and you do not want 580 km added to its odometer, shipping is the answer. Someone with two cars drives one and ships the other.

Which cities in Qatar do you deliver cars to?

To every municipality. Most of what we deliver goes to Lusail, The Pearl and West Bay, into the tower car parks, and to villas in Al Rayyan, Al Gharrafa, Al Wakrah and Al Khor. We also deliver to car showrooms and repair workshops in the Industrial Area, and to event venues on request.

Is the car insured during transport?

The carrier is responsible for the car from the signing of the collection report to the signing of the delivery report. For anyone who wants cover for the full value of the car we arrange a transit insurance policy, and its premium is a percentage of the declared value. Either way, the photographed inspection report remains the reference for any remark.

Do you ship cars from Qatar to Riyadh?

Yes, and the transporters come back along the same route. We collect the car from its address in Qatar, complete its crossing at Abu Samra and Salwa, and deliver it in your district of Riyadh. Under the rules applied in the Kingdom, an imported light vehicle must be no more than 5 years old, so we check that with you before you buy.