Dialing Code for Saudi Arabia: Why People Keep Getting It Wrong and How to Fix It

You're standing in a bustling airport or maybe just sitting at your desk in London, trying to reach a business partner in Riyadh. You punch in the numbers. It fails. You try again, adding a zero here or removing one there. Still nothing but a fast busy signal or a "number not recognized" recording. Honestly, getting the dialing code for Saudi Arabia right shouldn't feel like cracking an Enigma code, but between mobile prefixes and internal trunk codes, it happens to the best of us.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) uses a telecommunications system that is actually pretty logical once you strip away the confusion.

The magic number is +966.

That is the country code assigned by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). If you are calling from outside the country, that is your starting point. No exceptions. But knowing the number is only half the battle because Saudi Arabia’s internal numbering plan has some quirks that catch people off guard, especially since the massive infrastructure shifts led by the Saudi Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST).

The Anatomy of a Saudi Phone Number

When you look at a Saudi number, it usually looks like a jumble of ten digits. If you’re calling locally within the country, you’ll see something like 011 123 4567.

Here is the thing.

That leading "0" is what we call a trunk prefix. It's strictly for domestic use. If you are sitting in a hotel in Jeddah and calling a restaurant in Riyadh, you need that zero. But the second you step across an international border—or even just try to dial out using a foreign SIM card—that zero has to go.

To call that same Riyadh number from the US, UK, or UAE, you’d dial:
+966 11 123 4567

Notice how the zero vanished? If you keep it, the call won't go through. It's the most common mistake people make when using the dialing code for Saudi Arabia. It sounds simple, but when you're rushing to a meeting or trying to reach family, it's easy to forget.

Regional Area Codes You Actually Need to Know

Saudi Arabia is huge. Because of that, the landline system is split into specific zones. While mobile phones are taking over, government offices, big corporations, and older households still rely heavily on these fixed lines.

• 011 covers the Riyadh Region. This is the heart of the country's business and government.
• 012 is for the Makkah Region, which includes the massive port city of Jeddah and the holy city of Makkah.
• 013 serves the Eastern Province. Think Dammam, Khobar, and Dhahran—basically the oil and gas hub of the world.
• 014 handles the Madinah, Tabuk, and Northern Borders regions.
• 016 is for Qassim and Majma'ah.
• 017 covers the southern areas like Asir, Najran, and Jazan.

If you see a number starting with 011, you know you're calling the capital. If it's 013, you're likely talking to someone in the energy sector. Just remember: drop the 0 when adding the dialing code for Saudi Arabia (+966).

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Mobile Networks: The "5" Factor

Most people you deal with in KSA won't give you a landline. They’ll give you a mobile number. All mobile numbers in Saudi Arabia start with the digit 5.

When dialed locally, they look like 05X XXX XXXX.
When dialed internationally, they become +966 5X XXX XXXX.

The major players here are STC (Saudi Arabian Telecommunications Company), Mobily, and Zain. There are also MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) like Virgin Mobile and Lebara. It used to be that you could tell which network someone was on by the second digit (e.g., 050 was always STC), but with mobile number portability now being a standard thing in the Kingdom, that’s no longer a guarantee. Someone might have an 055 prefix but have moved their service to Mobily years ago.

The WhatsApp Trap

This is where it gets really annoying for travelers and expats. WhatsApp is the primary mode of communication in Saudi Arabia. If you save a contact's number as 050... in your phone, WhatsApp might not recognize them if your own account is registered to a non-Saudi number.

You must save the contact using the full international format: +966 5...

Without that plus sign and the dialing code for Saudi Arabia, the app often fails to sync the contact correctly. I've seen people spend hours wondering why their new business contact isn't showing up in their chat list, only to realize they left the local "0" in the contact card.

Emergency Numbers (The Numbers You Hope You Don't Need)

If you are actually in Saudi Arabia, you don't use the +966 code for emergencies. You use short codes.

1. 911 is the unified emergency number. It’s being rolled out across the regions (starting with Makkah and Riyadh) to consolidate police, fire, and ambulance services.
2. 999 is the traditional police number.
3. 997 is for the Red Crescent (Ambulance).
4. 998 is for Civil Defense (Fire).

Interestingly, if you’re using a foreign mobile phone and dial 112 or 911, the local networks are usually programmed to redirect you to the appropriate emergency dispatcher regardless of your SIM card's origin.

Toll-Free and Special Numbers

Saudi Arabia uses 800 for toll-free numbers, much like the US. However, these are often restricted. Most 800 numbers in the Kingdom can only be dialed from within the country. If you're abroad and trying to call a Saudi bank's toll-free line, it likely won't work. You'll need to look for their "International" number, which usually starts with +966 11... or +966 12...

There are also 9200 numbers. These are "unified numbers" used by businesses so they can have one number for multiple branches. Unlike 800 numbers, you can call these from abroad by dialing +966 9200 XXXXX. Note that these aren't free; you'll be charged at standard rates or whatever your international plan dictates.

Why Your Call Might Be Failing

Sometimes you have the dialing code for Saudi Arabia right, but the call still drops. Why?

First, check the exit code of the country you are in. If you are calling from a landline in the United States, you often have to dial 011 before the country code. So it would be 011 966.... In the UK and most of Europe, the exit code is 00.

Modern smartphones handle this for you if you just hold down the "0" key to get the + symbol. Honestly, just use the +. It’s universal and saves you the headache of looking up exit codes for every country you visit.

Second, check for "Call Barring" or international restrictions on your own phone plan. Some prepaid SIM cards don't allow international dialing by default.

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Third, consider the time zone. Saudi Arabia is at GMT+3. They don't do Daylight Savings Time. If it’s 9:00 AM in New York, it’s 4:00 PM in Riyadh (or 5:00 PM depending on the time of year in the US). If you’re calling an office, they might have already closed for the day or headed out for prayer break.

The Cultural Nuance of the Phone Call

In Saudi Arabia, business is personal. While you might be focused on getting the dialing code for Saudi Arabia right just to check a task off your list, the person on the other end values the connection.

Phone calls are often preferred over emails for urgent matters. If you've been emailing someone in Dammam for three days with no response, try a direct call. You'll likely get an answer immediately.

Also, be aware of prayer times. Five times a day, shops and many offices pause for about 15-30 minutes. If you call and nobody picks up, wait twenty minutes and try again. It’s not that they’re ignoring you; they’re just away from the desk.

Actionable Steps for Flawless Connectivity

To make sure you never have an issue with the dialing code for Saudi Arabia again, follow this checklist:

1. Format your contacts correctly now. Go through your phone and change any Saudi numbers from 05... to +966 5.... This ensures they work for both voice calls and WhatsApp regardless of where you are in the world.
2. Strip the Zero. If you are outside KSA, the leading zero of the area code or mobile prefix must be deleted.
3. Use the Plus. Forget exit codes like 00 or 011. Use the + symbol on your mobile to ensure the network knows you’re dialing internationally.
4. Verify the Region. If you're calling a landline, double-check if the person is in Riyadh (11), Jeddah (12), or the East (13).
5. Check Local Time. Ensure it is between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM AST (Arabia Standard Time) for business calls, keeping in mind that the Saudi work week typically runs from Sunday to Thursday.

By following these specific steps, you bypass the technical hurdles that trip up most travelers and business professionals. The system is reliable, the 5G penetration in Saudi cities is among the best in the world, and once you have the +966 prefix sorted, you're essentially one click away from the largest economy in the Middle East.