UAE to Bahrain by Bus via Dammam and the King Fahd Causeway

Can you travel from the UAE to Bahrain by bus?

Yes, in two parts. Our coach takes you from the UAE to Dammam, operated with our Saudi partner SAT, and a SAT coach takes you from Dammam to Manama, the capital of Bahrain, over the King Fahd Causeway. Each part is its own ticket, and you can book both on beladelsham.com. A SAT coach also runs from Riyadh to Manama, if your trip starts in Riyadh.

Because the road crosses Saudi Arabia before it reaches Bahrain, the trip involves two sets of entry rules. Start with your documents, then read on for the connection in Dammam, the causeway, luggage and booking.

What is the route from Dubai to Manama?

Our coach leaves the UAE at the Al Ghuwaifat border post near Al Sila, enters Saudi Arabia at Al Batha, passes Al Hofuf and arrives at the SAT station in Dammam. From Dammam, the SAT coach crosses the King Fahd Causeway to Bahrain and on into Manama.

Trips run subject to border and authority schedules, which can change around public holidays.

How do you plan the connection in Dammam?

The two tickets are separate, so the coach to Manama does not wait for the coach from the UAE. Choose a Dammam to Manama departure that leaves well after your first coach is due in Dammam, because border crossings can take longer than planned; if the dates suit you, plan a night in Dammam and continue the next day.

Your coach from the UAE arrives at the SAT station in Dammam, and your Dammam to Manama ticket shows where the SAT coach leaves from. If your plans change on the way, message us on WhatsApp and our team will look at the options with you.

What documents do you need for the bus to Bahrain?

You must meet the entry rules of both Saudi Arabia, where you travel to Dammam and on to the causeway, and Bahrain. GCC citizens normally travel on their national ID card or passport for both. Everyone else needs a Saudi visa that allows entry by land, plus a Bahraini visa or eVisa wherever their nationality or status requires one.

For Saudi Arabia we follow the Saudi system: nationalities on the Saudi eVisa list can apply for an eVisa online, and everyone else needs a valid Saudi visa or iqama before the day. For Bahrain, residents of GCC countries may be eligible for an eVisa, depending on their profession and residence, through Bahrain's official portal, evisa.gov.bh, which also lists the nationalities that can apply online or on arrival.

Rules change, and the officers at each border have the final word. Check both official portals before you pay, and carry your passport and Emirates ID the whole way.

Where do you board?

The first coach boards at our offices in Dubai (Al Murar, Deira), Sharjah (Al Soor, near King Faisal Mosque) and Abu Dhabi (Al Nahhat Street, New Shahamah), and your e-ticket names your boarding office. Our Ajman office sells tickets, but Dammam coaches do not board there.

Arrive early with your QR pass open: our team scans each passenger at the door and checks passports and visas before boarding, and your luggage goes into the hold. In Dammam, the SAT coach to Manama leaves from the point shown on that ticket.

What happens on the King Fahd Causeway?

The King Fahd Causeway is the road link between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain: a chain of bridges and embankments across the sea from the Al Khobar area, open to traffic since 1986. Saudi exit and Bahraini entry procedures both take place on the causeway, with passport control and customs for each country.

Keep your passport and visas in your hand bag, have them ready when asked and follow the driver's guidance. The time at the crossing varies with traffic, and it is usually busier around weekends and public holidays.

Where does the bus arrive in Manama?

The arrival point in Manama is shown on your Dammam to Manama ticket. Check it before you travel and save the arrival point and your final address on your phone.

Taxis and ride-hailing apps are the simplest way to continue, so make sure you have data in Bahrain, through roaming or a local SIM, and tell whoever is meeting you which coach you are on.

How much luggage can you take to Bahrain?

On our coach from the UAE to Dammam each passenger has 40 kg, as two bags of 20 kg, plus a hand bag. The SAT ticket from Dammam to Manama shows its own allowance, so check it before you pack, and tell us about anything extra or bulky when you book.

Customs may inspect bags at the Saudi border and again on the causeway, so pack neatly, keep medication with its prescription in your hand bag, and never carry a bag or parcel for anyone else.

How do you book the bus to Bahrain, and the trip back?

Book both tickets on beladelsham.com: search Dubai to Dammam (or start from Sharjah or Abu Dhabi), then Dammam to Manama. Every passenger gets their own QR pass with each ticket. Our team on WhatsApp, at any hour, or at any of our offices can help you plan the dates.

For the way back, the SAT coach runs from Manama to Dammam, and a coach runs from Dammam back to Dubai; each is its own ticket. Check that your Saudi visa is still valid and allows another entry for the return crossing.

Questions travellers ask

Is there a bus from Dubai to Bahrain? — Yes, in two parts: our coach from the UAE to Dammam, then a separate SAT ticket from Dammam to Manama over the King Fahd Causeway.

Where do I book the Dammam to Manama coach? — On beladelsham.com: search Dammam to Manama. It is a SAT coach, sold as its own ticket. A SAT coach also runs from Riyadh to Manama.

Do I need a Saudi visa to go to Bahrain by bus? — Yes, unless you are a GCC citizen, because the road crosses Saudi Arabia. Nationalities on the Saudi eVisa list can apply online; everyone else needs a Saudi visa before travel.

Can UAE residents get a Bahrain visa online? — Residents of GCC countries may be eligible for a Bahrain eVisa, depending on their profession and residence. Check evisa.gov.bh before you book.

Where does the bus to Bahrain leave from in the UAE? — Our coach to Dammam boards at our Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi offices; the SAT coach to Manama leaves Dammam from the point shown on its ticket.

Where does the bus arrive in Manama? — At the arrival point shown on your Dammam to Manama ticket.