The Al Hada cable car links the summit of al-Hada, west of Taif, with the al-Kar tourist village further down the mountain, and the easiest way to plan it from a Taif hotel is as an outing with two booked car journeys: one to the station where you will board, and one back from the station where you will finish. The cable car ticket, the operator’s opening hours and the ride itself sit outside the car booking, so confirm those with the operator first, then set the car times around them.
This guide is for visitors staying in Taif, or arriving there from Jeddah, who want to add the cable car to their trip without leaving the return to chance. It explains what the attraction is according to official sources, which station to start from, how the car journeys fit around the ride, how to set a realistic return time, and how an Al Hada day trip looks when it is booked properly. If you are still deciding whether to stop on the mountain road during your arrival from Jeddah, read our guide to stops on the road to Taif first: it explains why a longer visit usually works better as a separate outing, which is what this article plans.
What the Al Hada cable car is
The Saudi Press Agency described the line in July 2026 as a major summer attraction in Taif Governorate. According to that SPA report on the Al-Hada cable cars:
- the line spans 4,200 metres in each direction;
- the journey takes about 17 minutes and connects the summit of al-Hada with Al-Kar tourist village;
- it runs 52 cabins, each holding eight passengers, and can move up to 1,000 people an hour in either direction.
Saudipedia’s entry on Jabal Kara adds the geography. Jabal Kara rises to about 2,177 metres, separates the Taif highlands from the Tihama lowlands of Makkah Province, and the cable cars ascend from the tourist village of al-Kurr in Wadi an-Nu’man to al-Hada Park, a journey of about 4.2 km. Transliterations vary, so you will see Al-Kar and al-Kurr, and Al Hada written as Al-Hada.
Two points follow. The line has two ends at very different heights, so where you board shapes the whole outing. And the 17-minute figure is the ride, not the visit: it says nothing about queues, tickets or time at either end.
We do not publish opening hours or ticket prices for the Al Hada cable car, and we cannot tell you whether it is running on a particular date. Check with the operator before you book any transport around it, and check again a day or two before you go.
Which station should you start from?
Most visitors staying in Taif start at the top, at al-Hada Park, because it is on the Taif side of the mountain. Saudipedia’s page on Taif Governorate places the al-Hada Center about 20 km west of Taif City. The lower station at the tourist village is down the escarpment, reached by the mountain road that continues towards Makkah.
Starting at the upper station, al-Hada Park
This is the natural choice from a Taif hotel. The car journey is shorter, it stays on the Taif side of the mountain, and you can ride down to the village and back up again before meeting your car at the same place.
Starting at the lower station, the tourist village
This suits people who are already on the lower side of the mountain, or who want to spend most of their time at the village. From Taif, it means a longer car journey down the mountain road.
Saudipedia’s entry on Aqabat al-Kurr, also called al-Hada Road, records that it runs 87 km between Makkah and Taif, that the section from al-Hada to Taif is about 20 km, and that it is the only road in Makkah Province on which trucks and large buses are prohibited throughout the year. A group travelling by coach should therefore not plan on reaching either station by that road. Ask the booking team what is possible for a large vehicle.
If anyone in your party is not Muslim
Saudi law prohibits non-Muslims from entering Makkah. The Saudi Press Agency, reporting a Makkah Police statement, referred to a path dedicated for Muslims only and said that everyone coming to the Kingdom must respect the laws on the holy sites. Because the lower station lies on the Tihama side of the mountain, below the escarpment and towards Makkah, say in the booking notes if anyone travelling is not Muslim. The driver can then plan a lawful route, and the booking team can advise whether the upper station is the better place to start.
Taxi to Al Hada from Taif: the journeys you actually book
A taxi to Al Hada from Taif is not one booking. In the Jeddah Cabs system, each journey has one pickup place and one destination, and the two must differ. So a there-and-back outing is two journeys, each with its own time:
- Hotel to the station. Your Taif hotel to the station where you will board.
- Station to the hotel. From the station where you finish, back to the hotel or on to your next place.
Type each place into the planner, then read the route summary to check it shows the place you mean. If the station does not appear as you expect, choose the closest named place you can confirm and describe the station in the booking notes.
We do not promise where a car may stop at either station. Stopping places are managed on the day. Agree a clear meeting point, such as the station entrance or a named car park, and be ready to send a live location to the driver.
Why the car does not wait for you
A booked journey ends when you are set down. Each vehicle class has a small included waiting allowance at pickup, but it is not a product for waiting during a visit and it is not currently shown in search results. If you want anything beyond a normal pickup, ask the booking team to confirm it in writing. For most visitors, two separate journeys give more certainty than hoping a car can wait.
Our guide to giving a Taif outing one anchor place explains why an outing built around one fixed destination is simpler to book and easier to enjoy.
The ticket, the reservation and the car are three separate things
Cable car outings most often go wrong here. Treat the outing as three confirmations:
| What you need | Who confirms it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The cable car ride | The operator | Whether it runs on your date, how tickets are sold, last ride times, any age or health rules |
| Any other reservation at the top or bottom | The venue, such as a restaurant or activity | The booking time and the exact meeting place |
| The car journeys | Jeddah Cabs booking team | Both journeys read Confirmed, with the right places and times |
A car booking does not include a ticket or show that the attraction is open. Our note on reading the transport line in an experience booking covers the reverse case, where an activity package claims to include transport and you need to know exactly what that covers.
If you have a fixed reservation, such as a timed ride or a table booked at a restaurant near one of the stations, put that time at the centre of the plan and build the car times out from it.
Setting the return time
The return is the journey that decides whether an Al Hada cable car outing feels relaxed or rushed. Because online bookings need at least 48 hours’ notice before each pickup, you cannot book the car back from the mountain once you are there. Set the return when you book the outward journey.
Work it out in this order:
- The ride. SPA gives about 17 minutes each way. A return ride with no time at the bottom is therefore over half an hour in the cabin alone.
- Getting on. Allow for buying or collecting tickets and for queues. In summer, when the line is at its busiest, queues may be longer. We cannot tell you how long they will be.
- Time at the other end. An earlier SPA report on cable cars and ziplines in Taif mentions restaurants, cafés and photo points along the line. Decide whether you want a drink, a meal or a short walk.
- Regrouping. Families take time to gather and walk back to the meeting point.
- Margin. Add a comfortable buffer. It is easier to sit in a café for a quarter of an hour than to hurry a tired child.
If you need longer, an approved change to the pickup time can be requested from your account before the original pickup time. It stays pending until the booking team approves it, and an approved new time carries a £5 rescheduling fee, converted into your booking currency and added to the cash you pay the driver. On the day itself, a request may not be approved in time, which is another reason to set the time generously.
One ride or both ways: how it changes the booking
| Plan | Outward car journey | Return car journey | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Down and back up, starting at the top | Hotel to al-Hada Park | al-Hada Park to hotel | Most visitors staying in Taif |
| Down only, finishing at the village | Hotel to al-Hada Park | Tourist village to hotel, or onward | People who want time at the village and a longer car journey back |
| Up and back down, starting at the village | Hotel to the tourist village | Tourist village to hotel | People already on the lower side of the mountain |
| Up only, finishing at the top | Somewhere below to the tourist village | al-Hada Park to your Taif hotel | Travellers moving up to Taif that day who can manage luggage separately |
The one-way options are the most error-prone. If you ride down and finish at the village, the return journey starts at a different place from where you were dropped, so its pickup place must say so. Only the pickup time can be changed online. A different pickup place needs the booking team, or a new booking and a cancellation request, and bookings are subject to our cancellation terms (free cancellation with a full refund up to 48 hours before pickup; inside 48 hours the deposit element of the price is kept) if you cancel. Decide the direction before you pay.
Check with the operator whether one-way tickets are sold. If the line stopped while you were at the far end, you would need to reach your car by road.
Planning an Al Hada day trip around weather and altitude
An Al Hada day trip feels different from a day in Jeddah. Taif sits at about 1,800 metres according to Saudipedia, and the summit is higher still. Saudipedia’s guide to road trips describes the al-Hada route moving from hot desert climate to cold, foggy weather, which is part of its appeal.
For planning, that means:
- Visibility. Mist or fog can hide the views that are the point of the trip. If the view matters, check the forecast and consider keeping another day free.
- Clothing. It can be cooler at the top than in the city below. Bring a layer, even in summer.
- Seasons. SPA describes the cable car as a summer attraction. Summer brings more visitors and possibly longer queues, which affects your return time.
- Operation. Cable cars can pause for weather or maintenance. We cannot predict this, so confirm on the day before you set out if the operator offers updates.
A worked example: a family from Taif
Omar and Nadia Rahman are staying three nights at a hotel in central Taif with Nadia’s mother, Farida, and their two children, aged six and ten. They flew into Jeddah and travelled up on their first day. They want to ride the cable car on their second full day, when everyone has rested.
They check with the operator that the line is running that week and how tickets are sold. They decide to start at al-Hada Park, ride down to the village for lunch and ride back up, keeping walking short for Farida.
They then book two journeys in the Jeddah Cabs transfer finder:
- Journey 1: the hotel to al-Hada Park at 10:00, five passengers including two children, with a child seat for the six-year-old and a booster for the ten-year-old added in the search. The booking note says: “Cable car outing. Please drop us at the upper station entrance. Phone Omar on the number given.”
- Journey 2: al-Hada Park back to the hotel at 15:00, with the same passengers and seats, and a note naming the same meeting point.
The search shows only classes that fit five people, and they pick a Hyundai H1 family van or similar so that Farida has an easy step and there is room for a small cool bag. They book both journeys more than 48 hours ahead, pay the deposit shown at checkout and wait until both read Confirmed. On the day, they carry the cash balance for each driver and send a live location a few minutes before the return pickup.
Choosing the vehicle for the outing
Enter the real party, including children and infants, and the planner shows only vehicle classes that pass the capacity check. An outing needs room for day bags or a pushchair, not suitcases.
| Party | Classes that usually make sense |
|---|---|
| One to three adults | Economy or Business and Executive |
| Four adults, or a family with a pushchair | Business and Executive, or a Premium SUV for more room |
| Five or six people | Hyundai Staria, Premium SUV, or a seven-seat class |
| Seven people | Hyundai H1 family van or GMC Yukon XL |
| Eight to eleven people | Toyota Hiace |
Child seats and a wheelchair requirement can be added in the search, and they are then confirmed for the vehicle. The guide to reading the capacity labels in results explains how seats and bags are counted.
Booking rules that matter for this outing
Notice and confirmation. Online bookings need at least 48 hours’ notice before each pickup. Payment secures a provisional request, the booking team updates the status within 1 to 12 hours, and a journey is booked only when it reads Confirmed.
Payment. Jeddah Cabs may take only a deposit online, with the balance paid in cash to the driver. The checkout shows both amounts. Each journey has a minimum booking value equivalent to £40, shown as a “Minimum booking amount” line if a fare would be lower.
Changes. Only the pickup time can be changed online, with the £5 fee described above if approved. Place, destination, passengers and vehicle cannot be changed online.
Cancellation. Bookings are subject to our cancellation terms (free cancellation with a full refund up to 48 hours before pickup; inside 48 hours the deposit element of the price is kept) if you cancel. If we or the transport partner cancel, or cannot supply the journey and you do not accept a suitable alternative, you receive a full refund for the affected journey. The details are in the network cancellation and refund policy.
Where this fits in a wider Taif trip
The Al Hada cable car is one outing among several. If you have not yet chosen where to stay, our note on choosing a Taif base before an outing explains how your hotel’s location shapes every trip you take from it. If you are arriving from Jeddah, the page on getting from your Jeddah flight to your Taif address covers the arrival journey, which is about 197 km by road from the airport to a central Taif hotel in our live route checks. When the trip ends, the guide to a Taif return to the airport or a Jeddah hotel helps you choose the last journey.
Keep the cable car on a day with no flight.
Checklist before you book
- Confirm with the operator that the Al Hada cable car is running on your date, and how tickets are sold.
- Decide which station you will board at and which station you will finish at.
- Tell the booking team if anyone travelling is not Muslim, or if your group needs a large vehicle.
- Work out the return time from the ride, queues, time at the far end, regrouping and a margin.
- Book both journeys at least 48 hours ahead, with the real passenger count and any child seats.
- Describe each station meeting point in the booking notes and give a phone number that will be answered.
- Wait until both journeys read Confirmed, and note the cash balance due to each driver.
- Check the weather the evening before, bring a warm layer and keep your phone charged for a live location.
When you know your station, your ride plan and your return time, enter both journeys in the Jeddah Cabs transfer finder and book your cable car outing with the ride back already in place.