The Hyundai Staria is a 7-seater premium passenger van that has become the most popular vehicle for Umrah families travelling between Jeddah Airport, Makkah, and Madinah. Its wide sliding rear door, low boarding step, panoramic roof windows, and generous boot space make it particularly well-suited for families with young children, elderly passengers, and pilgrims carrying large amounts of luggage. Private taxi fares from Jeddah Airport to Makkah start at SAR 300 per vehicle.
When a group of eleven pilgrims from New York and Toronto described their Makkah to Madinah transfer, they singled out one detail: "three seats, then three, then four in the back — everyone was comfortable." That is the Hyundai Staria. It is the vehicle our pilgrims mention by name more than any other in their reviews, and it is not a coincidence.
The Staria was designed as a premium passenger vehicle for family and business transport. For Umrah pilgrim use, it hits a point that other vehicles in its class miss: it is genuinely spacious for seven adults with luggage, genuinely easy to board for older passengers, and genuinely comfortable on a 4.5-hour intercity journey.
The door. The Staria has a wide power-sliding rear door — wider than any competing 7-seater in our fleet — that opens flush with the body and creates a step height lower than a standard saloon. For a grandmother who had a recent hip replacement, this difference matters enormously. She boards without crouching or stepping up. One family who travelled with us specifically had their vehicle upgraded from a smaller van to a Staria for this reason alone.
The headroom. Passengers sit upright inside the Staria, not hunched. On a 90-minute journey from Jeddah Airport to Makkah or a 4.5-hour intercity route, that postural difference affects fatigue significantly — particularly for elderly pilgrims who already arrived exhausted from an international flight.
The boot space. 8 to 10 large suitcases fit in the Staria's rear cargo area without occupying passenger seating. A family of five travelling with five large bags, a pushchair, and a folded wheelchair boards as a group and does not need to hold bags on laps.
The windows. The Staria's panoramic roof windows give rear passengers natural light and a wider field of view than most vans — meaningful on a desert journey between the holy cities.
Between May and September, we pre-cool all Staria vehicles to 20°C before collection and hold them in shaded bays where available. For families arriving in Makkah or Madinah with young children during summer, this is the difference between 90 seconds of heat exposure between terminal and vehicle versus four minutes of it.
The Hyundai Staria is the right vehicle when:
If you are a single traveller or a couple with minimal luggage, a Toyota Camry at SAR 250 is more economical. If you need to accommodate 8 to 11 passengers, a Toyota HiAce is the correct vehicle.
All fares are per vehicle. You pay the driver in cash on arrival. Zero advance deposit.
| Route | Staria Fare (SAR) |
|---|---|
| Jeddah Airport (JED) → Makkah | SAR 300 |
| Makkah → Jeddah Airport | SAR 250 |
| Jeddah Airport → Madinah | SAR 550 |
| Madinah Airport (MED) → Madinah hotels | SAR 200 |
| Makkah → Madinah | SAR 500 |
| Madinah → Makkah (free Miqat stop included) | SAR 500 |
| Madinah → Jeddah Airport | SAR 500 |
| Makkah Ziyarat tour (3–4 hrs) | SAR 300 |
| Madinah Ziyarat tour (3–4 hrs) | SAR 250 |
| Makkah → Taif (return) | SAR 500 |
| Miqat stop — Masjid Aisha round trip | SAR 150 |
| Hourly rate (minimum 2 hours) | SAR 100/hr |
Seasonal surcharge of 15–25% during Ramadan and Hajj season.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Seats | 7 passengers |
| Luggage | 8–10 large suitcases |
| Door type | Wide power-sliding rear door |
| Air conditioning | Dual-zone climate control |
| Model year | 2023–2025 (no vehicle older than 3 years) |
| Child seats | Available on request (confirm at booking) |
| Wheelchair storage | Folded wheelchair fits flat in boot |
"Very large, very clean, felt like riding in a lounge."
— Pilgrim group, New York & Toronto | Makkah → Madinah"The sliding door made it so much easier for my mother to get in — she has knee pain and can't manage a step up. We were very relieved."
— Pilgrim family, Birmingham, UK | Jeddah Airport → Makkah"We did not have to worry about our children even for one moment. The driver had already cooled the car and was waiting inside the terminal. The children were asleep within 20 minutes."
— Indonesian pilgrim family | Jeddah Airport → Makkah (July, 43°C)Up to 7 passengers plus 8–10 large suitcases in the boot. For 8 to 11 passengers, the Toyota HiAce is the correct vehicle.
Yes — it is our most recommended vehicle for families travelling with elderly passengers. The wide sliding door and low boarding step eliminate the crouching required to enter a standard saloon. For passengers using a walking frame, we recommend informing us when booking so the driver can be briefed in advance.
Yes, full dual-zone climate control. For summer arrivals (May to September), vehicles are pre-cooled to 20°C before pickup. This is standard, not an upgrade.
Yes. The Staria is our most booked vehicle for the Makkah–Madinah route at SAR 500 per vehicle. The journey takes 4.5 to 5 hours. A free Miqat stop at Masjid Dhul Hulayfah (Bir Ali) is included on the Madinah-to-Makkah direction.
SAR 300 per vehicle (not per person). This covers up to 7 passengers and 8–10 large bags, door-to-door, fixed fare, zero deposit.
