How to Call Saudi Arabia from the US? A Complete Guide

To call Saudi Arabia from the US, enter the US exit code ‘011’ or “+”, the Saudi Arabia country code ‘966’, the mobile carrier prefix or area code, and the seven-digit subscriber’s number.

• Step 1: Dial the exit code for the US, i.e., 011 (from a landline) or “+” (from a mobile).
• Step 2: Dial the country code of Saudi Arabia, 966.
• Step 3: Dial the mobile carrier prefix (for cell phone numbers) or area code (for landline numbers).
• Step 4: Dial the seven-digit subscriber’s number.

Examples:

The best time to call Saudi Arabia from the US is between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM Saudi Standard Time (SAST), which corresponds to the country's official business hours. For personal calls, you can call during a convenient time for your recipient, considering the time difference.

The US has multiple time zones, with Eastern, Central, Mountain, and Pacific Time being the four major ones.

Here is a table showing the time zone differences between the US and Saudi Arabia, alongside the best time to call.

The cost of dialing Saudi Arabia from the US typically ranges from 10 cents to 80 cents per minute. The exact cost, however, depends on the service provider. For instance, AT&T (WorldConnect plan) charges $0.48 and $0.55 per minute for landline and mobile calls, respectively. Similarly, T-Mobile (Stateside International plan) charges $0.30 for both landline and mobile calls.

To make cheap calls from the US to Saudi Arabia, consider using a virtual phone number, a calling card, or social media platforms like WhatsApp.

• Virtual Phone Number: Different VoIP providers typically provide cheaper international call rates using a virtual number. These numbers operate on the internet for making calls and provide a cost-effective alternative to traditional carriers.
• Calling Card: Compared to traditional carriers, using a calling card for international calls is a significantly cheaper option.​ To call using a calling card, simply dial the card’s access number, enter the PIN, and dial the number. It works on both landline and mobile phones, and the calls are charged per minute.
• Social Media Platforms: Apps like WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger allow free or low-cost calls to Saudi Arabia from the US over the internet. However, both you and the person you're calling must be registered users of the respective platform.

Phone numbers in Saudi Arabia are categorized into mobile, landline, and toll-free numbers.

A Saudi mobile number consists of 10 digits and typically begins with the number 05. The first three digits of the mobile number represent a mobile carrier code, and the remaining seven digits are a subscriber’s number.

Here are the common mobile prefixes by carrier:

Similar to mobile numbers, Saudi Arabia’s landline numbers are also 10 digits long (a three-digit area code + a seven-digit subscriber’s number). They, too, include a trunk prefix ‘0’ at the beginning, which must be removed when dialing from abroad.

Here’s a table listing the area codes of major cities in Saudi Arabia.

Like in many other countries, Saudi Arabia’s toll-free numbers begin with the prefix 800. These numbers are designed for customer service, support, or inquiries and are free to call. The format of a Saudi toll-free number is 800-XX-XXXX.

Calling Saudi Arabia from the United States is easy with the correct dialing format. For low-cost international calls, consider using a virtual phone number, calling cards, or social media apps like WhatsApp. While all three are cost-effective options, a virtual phone number is an ideal option, especially for business calls, as it often comes with added telephony features. Get a virtual phone number from Calilio today to make affordable calls to Saudi Arabia from the US.

To make a free call to Saudi Arabia from the US, use internet-based services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Voice, or Viber. These apps allow zero-cost calls over Wi-Fi or mobile data, as long as both parties are registered users.

To dial a Saudi phone number, for domestic calls, simply enter the local area code or mobile carrier prefix followed by the subscriber's number. For international calls, dial your country’s exit code, the Saudi country code (966), followed by the area or carrier code, and the subscriber's number.

The 011 is the area code of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. You must include this code when calling the landline number in Riyadh.