Saudi Express is a shipping company from Riyadh to Qatar that sends parcels, boxes, furniture, cars and cargo by road through the Salwa crossing, the only land border between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, facing Qatar’s Abu Samra crossing. We collect from your door in Riyadh, clear customs on both sides and deliver to Doha, Lusail, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Al Khor and the rest of Qatar in two to five days depending on the shipment. Parcels start from SAR 145, furniture from SAR 920 and cars from SAR 1,100. Call or WhatsApp 0560533140.
- Crossing: Salwa on the Saudi side, Abu Samra on the Qatari side
- Distance: about 460 km from Riyadh to Salwa, then roughly 90 km to Doha
- Parcels: a parcel up to 20 kg from SAR 145; per-kilo shipping from SAR 7.5
- Furniture & cars: furniture from SAR 920, a sedan from SAR 1,100
- Car age: Qatar accepts light vehicles up to 5 years from manufacture
- Transit: two to three days by dedicated truck, three to five days shared
Because Qatar connects to the Kingdom by one road only, every overland shipment from Riyadh passes through the same gate, which makes paperwork prepared before departure more important than anything else. This guide explains how parcel prices are worked out by weight and size, when air is worth it, what Qatari customs asks of residents and citizens, the rules for a car you want to register in Qatar, and the areas we deliver to.
How much does shipping from Riyadh to Qatar cost?
Shipping from Riyadh to Qatar starts from SAR 120 for a box up to 30 kg, SAR 145 for a parcel up to 20 kg, SAR 920 for furniture and SAR 1,100 for a sedan car.
Small shipments are priced by the kilo or by the piece, large ones by the cubic metre or by the truck. Ten boxes usually cost less when priced per piece; mixed items filling a corner of the truck are fairer by the cubic metre; and a whole home is faster and clearer on a dedicated truck.
Starting prices from Riyadh to Qatar:
| Service | Details | Starts from (SAR) |
|---|---|---|
| Per-kilo shipping | Small parcels on a shared truck | 7.5 per kg |
| Box up to 30 kg | Packed, sealed personal items | 120 |
| Suitcase | Clothes or luggage | 140 |
| Parcel up to 20 kg | Gifts, purchases or supplies | 145 |
| Mixed items | Per cubic metre on a shared truck | 415 per CBM |
| Part load | A group of pieces or many boxes | 880 |
| Furniture | Household pieces with wrapping and loading | 920 |
| Dedicated truck | A dyna for your shipment only | 1,650 |
| Sedan car | Car carrier | 1,100 |
| SUV | Car carrier | 1,380 |
| Luxury car | Enclosed box | 1,850 |
| Air freight | Documents and urgent parcels | Ask for the price by call or WhatsApp |
How is a parcel to Qatar priced by weight and size?
A parcel to Qatar is charged on its actual weight or its size, whichever is greater; a small heavy box is charged by weight, a big light one by size.
Two examples show the difference. First, a box of books measuring 40×30×30 cm and weighing 18 kg is small but heavy, so it is charged on weight. Second, a box of children’s toys measuring 80×60×60 cm but weighing only 7 kg takes the truck space of four boxes of books, so it is charged on size. Hence our standing advice: never use a box bigger than its contents, and fill gaps with clothes rather than air.
On shared road transport, size is measured in cubic metres and starts from SAR 415 per CBM. The sum is easy: multiply length by width by height in metres. A box one metre by half a metre by half a metre is a quarter of a cubic metre. Air freight uses a different calculation, explained in the air section below.
Group small parcels going to the same receiver in Qatar into one shipment, so clearance and delivery are charged once instead of on every parcel.
Transit time from Riyadh to Doha
Riyadh to Doha takes two to three days by dedicated truck, three to five days on a shared truck and one to two days by air; northern areas such as Al Khor add a few hours.
The road from Riyadh to the Salwa crossing is roughly 460 km via Hofuf, and from the crossing to Doha about 90 km. The driving itself takes less than a day, but the truck stops at Salwa for export and at Abu Samra for import and inspection, which can take from hours to a day or more in busy seasons. A shared truck also waits to fill up before leaving.
| Delivery area | Dedicated truck | Shared truck |
|---|---|---|
| Doha and Al Rayyan | Two to three days | Three to five days |
| Lusail and The Pearl | Two to three days | Three to five days |
| Al Wakrah, Al Wukair, Mesaieed | Two to three days | Three to five days |
| Al Khor, Al Thakhira, the north | About three days | Four to six days |
| Dukhan and Al Shahaniya | About three days | Four to six days |
The road to Qatar: Riyadh to Salwa, then Abu Samra
A truck from Riyadh to Qatar takes the Al-Ahsa road east to Hofuf, turns south-east to Salwa, crosses to Abu Samra and continues to Doha and the other cities.
The Salwa crossing lies in Al-Odeid governorate in the Eastern Province, a few kilometres from the border; it was expanded to handle large numbers of vehicles and sees hundreds of thousands of trucks a year. Heavy traffic also means a truck with incomplete papers sits in the yard longer. So we file the declaration electronically before the truck arrives and match the contents to the packing list before the doors close in Riyadh.
Parcels, boxes and suitcases from Riyadh to Qatar
Parcel shipping from Riyadh to Qatar starts from SAR 145 for a parcel up to 20 kg, SAR 120 for a box up to 30 kg and SAR 140 for a suitcase, reaching the receiver’s door on a shared truck in three to five days.
Typical senders are employees who moved to Doha and want their winter clothes and books, families sending supplies to children studying in Education City, and home businesses selling to customers in Qatar. Our advice to all of them: write the receiver’s name and Qatari mobile number on two sides of the box, put a slip with the same name inside just in case, and seal it with wide tape in an H pattern.
- Boxes: new and rigid, filled without gaps, no more than 30 kg each so they are easy to carry.
- Suitcases: locked with a small padlock, name-tagged, no open liquids inside.
- Gifts: in their original boxes inside an outer carton with paper padding.
- Small devices: in their own boxes, with the invoice if new.
Home businesses and online sellers
Many small home businesses in Riyadh sell home fragrances, boxed sweets, clothing and handmade products to customers in Qatar. For them we suggest a weekly consolidated shipment instead of sending each order alone, so clearance is charged once, after which we distribute the parcels to addresses in Doha, Al Rayyan and Al Wakrah. Each parcel needs a slip stating its contents and value, perfume and cosmetics limits must be respected when quantities grow, and food products should be sealed and not quick to spoil.
Air freight from Riyadh to Qatar
Air freight from Riyadh to Qatar flies urgent parcels from King Khalid International Airport to Hamad International Airport in one to two days, charged on volumetric or actual weight, whichever is higher.
The road to Qatar is short, so we only suggest air for what cannot wait two or three days: papers for an official transaction, personal medicine with a prescription, a spare part for a stopped device, or samples for a trade show in Doha. Air volumetric weight differs from road: length, width and height in centimetres are multiplied and the result divided by 6000 in most cases, so a 50×40×30 cm parcel counts as 10 kg and is charged as such if it actually weighs less. Flammables, large batteries and perfume in quantity are restricted on aircraft. More on our air freight page.
Furniture moving from Riyadh to Qatar
Furniture moving from Riyadh to Qatar starts from SAR 920 for household pieces and SAR 1,650 for a dedicated truck, covering wrapping, loading, clearance at Salwa and Abu Samra and delivery, with dismantling and reassembly on request.
Qatari customs treats household furniture specially when it is used and belongs to someone who has moved to live in Qatar, but the exemption is not automatic; it depends on complete papers and customs’ assessment. Papers usually requested for household goods include a passport copy with the Qatari residence or first entry stamp, a no-objection letter for importing household goods typed in Arabic on the employer’s or sponsor’s letterhead and signed by the authorised signatory, and a detailed inventory. Furniture arriving more than six months after its owner took up residence may also be charged 5%.
In your Riyadh home the work runs in stages: the carpenter dismantles beds and wardrobes and keeps their screws, wood is wrapped in blankets then stretch film, glass in bubble wrap and corners, mattresses in sealed bags, and every piece is numbered and logged. In Qatar we unload and reassemble room by room and take the packing away. If your flat is in a tower in Lusail or The Pearl, get the move permit and lift slot from building management before we arrive.
Car shipping from Riyadh to Qatar
Shipping a car from Riyadh to Qatar starts from SAR 1,100 for a sedan, SAR 1,380 for an SUV and SAR 1,850 for a luxury car in an enclosed box, and Qatar will not register a light vehicle more than 5 years past its manufacture date.
The five-year rule comes from Qatar’s Ministry of Interior and applies to light vehicles; heavy vehicles have a ten-year limit. The years count from the manufacture date, so check it on the chassis plate before getting an export certificate. The steering wheel must be on the left, and converted or unusual models should only be shipped after the Qatari Traffic Department confirms they can be registered.
- Duty: 5% of the car’s customs value, usually its price plus freight and insurance.
- Personal exemption: the used household goods exemption does not cover a private car.
- Papers: purchase invoice or ownership document, export certificate, registration card, and the receiver’s Qatar ID or passport and residence copy.
- Inspection: the car is tested in Qatar before registration, so fix any visible fault before shipping.
An electric car ships with its battery at roughly 30 to 50 percent, transport mode on if available and the spare key handed over; we prefer an enclosed box to protect its paint and sensors from sand blown across the Salwa road.
If you are driving to Qatar for a visit and coming back, that is a temporary crossing needing valid insurance in Qatar and an authorisation if the car is not in your name. Technical details on carriers are on our car shipping page.
Kitchens, AC units and appliances
A split AC needs a technician to pump its gas into the outdoor unit and cap the pipes before removal; fridges and washers are emptied and dried a day before loading; and TVs travel upright in their boxes. A kitchen is worth moving if your Qatar kitchen is a similar size, in which case we dismantle and number its cabinets and protect the stone top with a timber frame. Many towers in Doha and Lusail use central cooling, so ask building management before shipping AC units you may not be able to fit.
Office and exhibition moves to Doha
Offices and exhibition stands move from Riyadh to Doha on a dedicated truck, with desks dismantled and devices wrapped and numbered by department or stand; pricing depends on volume, so ask for the price by call or WhatsApp.
Doha hosts many exhibitions and conferences through the year, and Riyadh companies take part with stands, display units, screens and print material. These shipments have a deadline that cannot slip, so we book a dedicated truck, arrange entry papers before departure and deliver to the venue on time. If the exhibits will come back to Riyadh afterwards, tell us from the start so the papers are prepared as a temporary entry rather than a permanent export.
For companies moving a whole office, we label every desk, chair and cabinet with the department and new room number, photograph device connections before unplugging, and seal files in stamped boxes. We suggest moving over the weekend so staff come back to desks that are ready.
Online-store and company cargo to Qatar
Cargo from Riyadh to Qatar moves as a part load from SAR 880 or a dedicated truck from SAR 1,650, and needs a commercial invoice, packing list and certificate of origin, plus conformity certificates for items Qatar requires them for.
The Qatari market buys a lot of Saudi products: dry food, cleaning products, household goods, clothing, perfume and spare parts. An online store selling to customers in Qatar can group a week’s orders into one shipment that is distributed to addresses inside Qatar, paying clearance once. We remind traders that a wrong tariff code or an invoice value that does not match is the most common cause of delayed release at Abu Samra.
Perfumes and cosmetics in commercial quantities, radio devices and food supplements usually need prior approval in Qatar. Do not ship them until we have confirmed the requirements.
Qatari customs papers for individuals
For personal shipments Qatari customs asks for a copy of the receiver’s passport with the Qatar ID or residence, a detailed inventory and a broker authorisation, plus the sender’s ID or iqama copy from the Riyadh side.
The GCC unified customs law provides that used personal belongings and household furniture of a citizen returning from abroad or a foreigner arriving to reside for the first time are exempt if they arrive within six months of the owner and are for personal use; cars are not included. In Qatar in particular, the receiver should have a Qatari mobile number registered in their name, because the broker authorisation is done online and requires it.
- Copy of the receiver’s passport and residence page or Qatar ID.
- Arabic no-objection letter from the employer for importing household goods.
- An item-by-item inventory, no vague descriptions.
- A Qatari mobile number for the receiver to activate the online authorisation.
- Copy of the sender’s Saudi ID or iqama.
What cannot enter Qatar?
Alcohol, narcotics, pork products, weapons, flammables, counterfeit goods and offending publications cannot enter Qatar, and drones, radio transmitters and special medicines are restricted to approval by Qatari authorities.
What happens when the shipment reaches Qatar?
After release at Abu Samra the driver or coordinator calls the receiver to confirm the address and time, then the shipment is unloaded and checked against the inventory, and the receiver signs after inspecting the boxes and pieces.
We suggest the receiver in Qatar sends a map pin in advance, because addresses in newer areas such as Lusail and Al Wukair rely on building and zone numbers more than street names. In towers it helps to have someone waiting at the entrance with the move permit. During unloading the crew leader reads out box and item numbers one by one, and the receiver ticks each number on their copy of the inventory. If a mark is noticed on a box or item, write it on the delivery note and photograph it before signing; that is what any later follow-up relies on. If reassembly is included, the carpenter starts with the bedrooms so the family sleeps in their own beds on the first night, then the majlis and the kitchen.
Qatar cities and areas we deliver to
From Riyadh we deliver to every municipality in Qatar: Doha, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Al Khor and Al Thakhira, Umm Salal, Al Daayen, Al Shahaniya and Al Shamal, including Lusail, The Pearl, Mesaieed and Dukhan.
- Doha: Al Dafna, West Bay, Msheireb, Al Sadd, Old Airport, Industrial Area.
- Al Rayyan: Muaither, Al Gharrafa, Al Aziziya, Al Waab, Bani Hajer, Education City.
- Al Daayen and Lusail: Lusail, Al Wassail, Umm Qarn, and The Pearl nearby.
- Al Wakrah and the south: Al Wakrah, Al Wukair, Mesaieed.
- North and west: Al Khor, Al Thakhira, Umm Salal, Al Shahaniya, Dukhan.
All our Qatar services are on the shipping to Qatar page. If you ship from another Saudi city, all routes are in shipping from Saudi Arabia to Qatar, and from the west of the Kingdom see shipping from Jeddah to Qatar.
Riyadh districts we collect from
We collect shipments for Qatar from every Riyadh district and from Al Kharj and Diriyah, at the time that suits you.
- North Riyadh: An Narjis, Al Yasmin, Al Malqa, Al Aqiq, As Sahafah, Al Qirawan, Hittin.
- East Riyadh: Ishbiliyah, Al Munsiyah, Ar Rimal, Qurtubah, Ar Rawdah, An Naseem, Al Khaleej.
- Central and west: Al Malaz, Al Olaya, Al Wurud, As Sulimaniyah, Al Murabba, Irqah, Laban.
- South Riyadh: Al Aziziyah, Ash Shifa, Ad Dar Al Baida, Badr, Tuwaiq, As Sulay.
For traders and warehouses in the industrial area and As Sulay we send a truck with a hydraulic tail lift for pallets, and we can combine parcels from several Riyadh locations on one trip.
Booking and shipping steps to Qatar
Booking with us is simple and takes five steps:
- Send the details: shipment type, weight or photos, and the area in Qatar to 0560533140.
- Get the price: we send it in writing with transit time and papers needed.
- Prepare the papers: receiver’s passport and Qatar ID copies, and the no-objection letter for furniture.
- Pickup and packing: we arrive on time, wrap, number and load.
- Border and delivery: Salwa then Abu Samra, then delivery and the receiver’s signature.
You can also send your request in writing from our quote request page.
Tips before shipping to Qatar
The key tip: do not ship a car before checking its age, furniture before the no-objection letter is ready, or a parcel with a restricted item before asking us.
- If your receiver has just arrived in Qatar, ship the furniture in the first months of residence so the six-month condition is not missed.
- Combine parcels for one address into one shipment to save on clearance.
- In summer keep candles and perfumes away from clothes inside boxes.
- Photograph every box after sealing and keep its number.
- Do not schedule delivery on the day you land in Doha; leave a day to rest and prepare the place.
For comparison, shipping from Riyadh to Bahrain crosses the King Fahd Causeway and has its own tax and paperwork rules.
