Gulf International Shipping, a shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon, moves furniture, parcels, commercial cargo and cars from any Saudi city by road: our truck runs through Jordan in transit as far as Jaber, the cargo is reloaded at the customs yard in Nassib onto a truck licensed for Syrian transit, it carries on to Jdeidet Yabous, and it crosses into Lebanon at Masnaa before heading to any address in the country, from the Bekaa, Beirut and the mountains to the far North and South. From Tabuk, door-to-door delivery to the Bekaa and Beirut takes about 5–8 working days; from Madinah 7–10; from Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Taif and Dammam 8–12. At Gulf International Shipping a small parcel costs from SAR 92 and a shared road load from SAR 11 a kilo; a bedroom set starts at SAR 920, an entire household at SAR 3,680, a small car up to 8 years old at SAR 2,300, and air freight to Beirut at SAR 32 a kilo.
Lebanon shares no border with Saudi Arabia or with Jordan, so every overland shipment passes through three countries before it reaches Beirut. That one geographic fact explains most of what confuses customers: why transit times vary so much between companies, why furniture is unloaded and reloaded along the way, and why it matters which border post the truck leaves from. This guide walks through the journey as it actually runs today, from your door in Riyadh, Jeddah or Tabuk to the recipient’s door in Achrafieh, Zahle, Tripoli or Sidon, together with the starting price of each service, the paperwork, Lebanese customs rules, and which cars are accepted and which are not.
At a glance
- Road route: your city → Al Haditha for Riyadh, Qassim and the east, or Halat Ammar for Tabuk and western cities → transit across Jordan → Jaber → Nassib → Syria → Jdeidet Yabous → Masnaa → delivery in Lebanon
- Handover point: at the Nassib customs yard our cargo is reloaded onto a truck authorised for Syrian transit, while the Gulf International Shipping team counts every piece
- Distance to Beirut: about 750 km from Tabuk, 1,350–1,400 km from Madinah, 1,650–1,750 km from Riyadh and about 1,850 km from Dammam or Taif, depending on the road
- Road transit: 5–8 working days from Tabuk, 7–10 from Madinah and 8–12 from the other cities to the Bekaa and Beirut, plus up to 2 days for the North and South
- Air freight: Middle East Airlines flies to Beirut from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah, priced from SAR 32 per kg with 3–5 day delivery
- Prices: parcels from SAR 92, a bedroom from SAR 920, a living room from SAR 1,100 and a full household from SAR 3,680
- Cars: Lebanon accepts left-hand-drive passenger cars no more than 8 years old; a small car ships from SAR 2,300
Route: Saudi Arabia → Jordan → Syria → Masnaa → Beirut · Transit: 5–12 working days · Call 0568829975
What is the road route from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon?
The road route from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon starts at one of two Saudi border posts facing Jordan, and our team picks the post according to where the load is collected. Shipments from Riyadh, Qassim, Hail and the Eastern Province usually exit through Al Haditha near Qurayyat and enter Jordan at Al Omari opposite it. For Tabuk, Madinah, Jeddah, Makkah and Taif the shorter road runs through Halat Ammar north of Tabuk, facing Al Mudawwara on the Jordanian side. In both cases Jordan is crossed under transit rules: the truck is neither unloaded nor cleared as an import there, and heads north to the Jaber post on the Jordan–Syria border.
The table below breaks the trip into stages so you know where your shipment is each day, who is responsible for it, and what happens to it at each stop.
Why doesn’t the Saudi truck drive straight to Beirut?
Because Saudi trucks cannot currently enter Syrian territory, and Syrian rules keep haulage inside the country on Syrian trucks, with an exception for trucks merely passing through to another country, which must travel with a customs escort the whole way. So our truck stops at Nassib and the cargo is moved in the customs yard onto a truck that has the right to cross: either a Syrian truck, or a Lebanese truck running in escorted transit to Jdeidet Yabous. On the Syria–Lebanon border a mechanism agreed between the two countries governs how goods pass between their trucks in a shared zone, with certain categories of goods exempt.
In practice this means three things for you. First, your furniture will be loaded and unloaded more than once, so the packing has to be built for several handlings rather than a single trip. Second, a numbered contents list is what protects your shipment from loss or shortage between one truck and the next. Third, the company you choose needs a team or agent who receives the load at Nassib and follows it all the way to Masnaa. At Gulf International Shipping we arrange the sequence that keeps handling to a minimum and tell you the number of the truck completing the journey and when it is expected at the Lebanese border. For the full detail of this stage, read our guide to the Masnaa border crossing and the Nassib crossing guide for the post before it.
Claims in adverts that don’t match the current route
If someone promises that “the same truck delivers in Beirut”, they are leaving out the handover at Nassib. Jaber is a Jordanian post, not a Syrian one; Nassib and Jdeidet Yabous are Syrian; Masnaa is the Lebanese crossing. Lebanon has no land border with Saudi Arabia or Jordan. Before you book, find out who takes charge of your cargo at Nassib and who will present it to Lebanese customs.
How long does shipping from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon take?
Road shipping from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon takes 5 to 12 working days to the Bekaa and Beirut, and almost all of the difference comes from the loading city. Tabuk is the closest because its road to Halat Ammar and on through Amman to Jaber is short, while loads from the Eastern Province and Taif cover the longest distances. The total breaks down into four parts: driving to the Saudi exit post, the Jordanian transit, waiting and handover at Nassib, and then the Syrian crossing plus Masnaa customs. Driving time is fairly fixed; the borders are the variable part. Jaber and Nassib work around the clock, but queues build at busy times, and Masnaa operates daily for long hours. That is why we quote a range, and these distances are estimates that shift with the road and crossing used.
These times apply to a shipment moving on a scheduled departure or on a dedicated truck. A small parcel or part-load may sit 3–5 extra days until a shared truck is full and leaves. Transit is counted from the actual loading day and excludes public holidays in all four countries, as well as any time the recipient needs to prepare exemption papers.
How many days does each Lebanese region add?
Approximate prices for shipping from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon
We gathered the prices that shipping companies publish for Lebanon from Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Taif, Tabuk and Dammam, and priced our starting point under the cheapest published figure for every item. Most rows below show two numbers: the first is the Gulf International Shipping starting price, and the second is what the item typically reaches when the volume grows, the loading city is farther away, or the Lebanese destination is in the far North or South.
Note: road transit is 5 to 8 working days from Tabuk and 8 to 12 days from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to the Bekaa and Beirut; air freight is 3 to 5 days door to door. Insurance cost follows the value you declare; message us on WhatsApp for a figure.
Starting price for single items
If you only need a few pieces moved rather than an entire home, here is where each item starts in a shared road load:
Our lowest figures mostly reflect loads from Tabuk and Madinah, the two shortest runs to Lebanon; every city beyond them is priced up in line with the extra distance, and delivering to Tripoli, Akkar, Tyre or Nabatieh costs slightly more than Zahle or Beirut. Each city has its own table in its own guide: shipping from Riyadh to Lebanon, from Jeddah and from Tabuk, all collected on our Saudi Arabia to Lebanon shipping prices page.
What does Gulf International Shipping send to Lebanon?
Household furniture
Bedrooms, majlis seating, sofas, kitchens, rugs, antiques, appliances and AC units, with dismantling, packing and reassembly.
Parcels and family packages
Cartons, suitcases, family gifts and documents, by weight on a shared weekly departure.
Students’ belongings
Books, laptops and clothing for university students heading to Beirut or coming home from it.
Cars
Left-hand-drive cars aged 8 years or less, carried on open or enclosed transporters.
Commercial cargo
Shared loads or full trucks of building materials, packaged food, spare parts and e-commerce stock.
Offices and equipment
Office furniture, devices, and light or heavy industrial equipment, priced by weight and volume.
Furniture moving from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon
Furniture moving from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon is our most requested service, and most of the customers are Lebanese families going home after years of work in the Kingdom. The job starts with a survey, at home or over video, to count the pieces, then the packing crew arrives on the agreed day. Beds and wardrobes are dismantled and their screws bagged under the piece’s number; wood is wrapped in several layers, from paper to bubble wrap to heavy board to stretch film, and corners get dedicated guards. Glass, marble and antiques go into wooden crates built to size.
What makes Lebanon different from a move inside the Kingdom is that your furniture will be handled at Nassib, possibly again at the Lebanese border, and then inspected by a customs officer at Masnaa. So we pack cartons in a way that lets the inspector open what he wants to see and close it again easily, we photograph each piece before loading, and we send you a numbered list that matches the labels. Appliances are drained, fridge doors are secured, and AC units are dismantled after the gas is recovered properly. If your home in Lebanon isn’t ready yet, we offer temporary storage at our warehouse in the Kingdom before shipping.
The furniture moving from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon page has the full detail on rooms, kitchens and whole-home pricing.
Are a returning Lebanese citizen’s belongings exempt from customs?
Yes. Lebanese nationals moving back to settle may bring their used furniture and household effects in without customs duty, but only once in their lives, and only if they spent more than three consecutive years abroad, had the Lebanese embassy in Riyadh endorse the contents list and issue a residence statement, get the goods to Lebanon within three months of their own arrival, and keep them unsold for three years. New or unused items pay duty and VAT; cars fall outside this exemption. It is worth double-checking the conditions with Lebanese customs before loading; our step-by-step guide, Lebanon used household goods customs, walks through each one.
Car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon: what is allowed?
Any left-hand-drive passenger car up to 8 years old can travel with us to Lebanon on an enclosed or open transporter, and we turn down any car Lebanese law will not admit. Lebanon does not allow the import of passenger cars more than eight years old, transport vehicles more than five years old, or right-hand-drive vehicles. Saudi cars are left-hand drive to begin with, so the deciding factor is usually the model year.
In the Kingdom we complete the car’s export through Absher and then Fasah, and it must be handed to us empty of personal belongings, because Lebanese customs will not accept a car packed with luggage. The car crosses Jordan and Syria on the carrier as transit cargo; at Masnaa, customs duty, excise and VAT are charged based on what Lebanese customs judges the car to be worth and how old it is. Lebanese nationals living abroad may also bring a car in temporarily under the temporary-entry provisions of the Lebanese customs law, and we will explain which option suits you before shipping. A small car starts from SAR 2,300 and a large one from SAR 3,680; papers and carrier types for cars are explained at car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon before you book.
Shipping boxes, parcels and family packages to Lebanon
Cartons, suitcases and family packages travel by weight on a shared road load that leaves roughly every week. Parcels up to 5 kg begin at SAR 92, a parcel up to 20 kg from SAR 184, and larger consignments from SAR 11 per kg. This suits someone sending clothes and gifts to family, a student moving books and devices to a university in Beirut, or a family sending a few cartons ahead of their furniture. We need the recipient’s name, an active Lebanese mobile number and a precise address with a landmark nearby, and we mark every carton with its number on the list.
A practical tip: keep each carton under 25–30 kg so it survives repeated handling, put heavy things at the bottom, and seal every side with wide tape. Packaged food is fine in personal quantities, but don’t send fresh meat or cheese on the road load. Weight bands and box sizes are listed on the cartons and parcels shipping to Lebanon page for anyone who needs them.
Commercial freight to Lebanon: full truck or shared load
Traders have two options. A shared load (LTL) suits anything from a pallet to several cubic metres and is priced by weight or volume, whichever is greater; consignments over 100 kg start from SAR 2,300. A full truckload (FTL) suits large quantities and goods that must arrive on a set date, with a 40 ft load from SAR 7,360. We carry building materials, spare parts, packaged consumer goods, plastics and paper products, and e-commerce stock, and we prepare with you a packing list, a commercial invoice and a certificate of origin that match what is on the truck.
Traders gain one clear benefit: both countries belong to GAFTA, the pan-Arab free trade zone, under which Arab-origin goods enter Lebanon without customs duty, so a consignment carrying a valid Saudi certificate of origin pays only the 11% VAT. Goods made outside the Arab countries pay the duty set for their tariff line, which can range from zero to 30% depending on the product.
Lebanese customs: duty and VAT
Every road shipment to Lebanon clears Lebanese customs at Masnaa, where goods are inspected, X-ray scanned and assessed for duty where applicable. In terms of charges, shipments fall into four cases:
- Used furniture of a permanent returnee: exempt once in a lifetime when the conditions are met, with no duty or VAT on used items.
- Goods of Saudi or Arab origin: with a certificate of origin these pay no customs duty, only 11% VAT.
- New items and non-Arab goods: customs duty by tariff line from about zero to 30%, then 11% VAT on the value plus duty.
- Cars: customs duty, excise and VAT, calculated by Lebanese customs on the vehicle’s assessed value and age.
On the Saudi side no export fees apply to personal belongings; the Fasah authorisation and a crossing slot are enough. Transit through Jordan and Syria carries transit fees that are built into our quote, so the recipient doesn’t pay them separately. Our customs clearance service starts from SAR 276 for customers who want us to handle the formalities until the shipment leaves Masnaa.
Air freight from Saudi Arabia to Beirut
Air freight from Saudi Arabia to Beirut is the option when time matters more than cost: official papers, personal medicines with a prescription, electronics, trade samples, or a suitcase its owner needs before the furniture arrives. Middle East Airlines operates to Beirut from Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam and Madinah, and flights take roughly 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours to reach Rafic Hariri International Airport; timetables are subject to change. From Tabuk and Taif we route air shipments through Riyadh or Jeddah.
Gulf International Shipping air rates start from SAR 32 per kg, arriving door to door within 3–5 days, depending on the flight schedule and how quickly Beirut airport clears it. Volumetric weight applies to large, light parcels, so it pays to pack items tightly in a strong carton. Furniture and cars aren’t realistic by air because the cost exceeds their value; they go by road. For weight bands and flight options, the guide air freight from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon guide is the place to start.
Is a sea route from Jeddah to Beirut available?
Yes. Containers leave Jeddah Islamic Port for the ports of Beirut and Tripoli, and the service between the two countries runs both ways. It is meant for commercial cargo and full containers with no deadline pressure, and a box usually needs about 15–25 days to reach the consignee, depending on sailings and clearance. Household furniture, cars and parcels we send by road through Jordan and Syria, because the land route is faster for them and avoids extra port handling. If you have a full container from the Makkah or Jeddah area, ask us to compare sea and road before you book.
Delivery across the Lebanese governorates
A shipment entering Lebanon is first in the Bekaa, because Masnaa lies in the Zahle district, which is why Zahle, Chtaura and the West Bekaa are served before anywhere else. The truck then climbs the Dahr al-Baidar road into Mount Lebanon and descends to Beirut, and from there loads fan out north and south. We deliver to every governorate:
Older buildings in Beirut and the mountains often have narrow stairs and small lifts, so before delivery our team asks about the floor, the lift and whether the truck can stop outside. If a large piece needs an external lift, we arrange it in advance and tell you the cost.
Documents required for shipping to Lebanon
The paperwork depends on what you are sending. Here is the summary:
What items are prohibited when shipping to Lebanon?
Keep the following out of your shipment; they come from Lebanon’s own list plus the transit and Saudi export rules:
- Prohibited in Lebanon: weapons and ammunition, narcotics, swords and non-kitchen knives, small gas pocket lighters, old 900 MHz cordless phones, used tyres, used medical and radiological equipment, and any goods originating from Israel.
- Restricted, permit needed: food in commercial quantities, medicines without a prescription, communication and satellite equipment, alcohol, and pets, which need a rabies certificate.
- Not accepted on the road load: gas cylinders, flammable materials, large loose batteries, and motorcycles, which we don’t currently ship.
- Barred from Saudi export: antiquities, subsidised goods and weapons of any kind.
Shipping from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon, step by step
- 1Share what you are sending
Send us photos or a list of your belongings, your Saudi city and the Lebanese area, on WhatsApp 0568829975. - 2Get the price and date
We suggest the best method, road or air, and send the quote with the earliest loading date. - 3Get the paperwork ready
Your iqama or ID, the Fasah export authorisation, and the embassy-stamped list for anyone claiming the exemption. - 4Packing and loading
The crew turns up at the agreed hour, takes furniture apart, wraps, labels and photographs it, and loads while you watch. - 5Transit and updates
We update you as the truck leaves the Saudi post, at Jaber, after the Nassib handover and on arrival at Masnaa. - 6Lebanese customs
We submit the papers, attend the inspection, and pay any duty on your behalf after telling you the amount. - 7Unloading and reassembly
The crew unloads at the address, puts the furniture back together, and you sign that everything matches the list.
What decides the cost of shipping to Lebanon?
Eight factors set the price, and their weight varies from one shipment to the next:
- Volume or weight: furniture is usually charged per cubic metre and parcels per kg, whichever is greater.
- Loading city: Tabuk is cheaper than Dammam because the road is about 1,100 km shorter.
- Lebanese region: delivering to Akkar or Bint Jbeil costs more than to Zahle or Beirut.
- Type of haulage: a shared load is cheaper than a dedicated truck but takes a few days longer.
- Packing: crating glass and antiques in wood raises the price but cuts the risk.
- Handling at Nassib: heavy or many-piece loads need more labour and time.
- Lebanese charges: nothing on exempt returnee furniture, 11% VAT on goods of Arab origin, more on other goods.
- Insurance: optional, and it scales with the value you declare.
Worked example
Say a family sends a bedroom set, a fridge, a washing machine and six parcels of up to 20 kg. Starting prices are SAR 920, 550 and 460 respectively, plus 6 × 184 = SAR 1,104 for the parcels. The total starts from about SAR 3,034 to the Bekaa or Beirut from the nearest loading cities, and rises from Riyadh and Dammam or for the North and South. A full household starts from SAR 3,680.
What is the cheapest way to ship from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon?
The cheapest way is a shared road load, where your consignment splits the truck and the transit costs with other shipments, from SAR 11 per kg. To cut costs further, leave heavy old furniture behind: shipping a tired old sofa may cost nearly as much as buying a fresh one in Lebanon. Pack loose small things into uniform cartons rather than sending odd pieces, and book ahead of the busy periods, such as summer when the school year closes, and the Eid holidays. If you have a certificate of origin for Saudi goods, include it so you don’t pay customs duty. The most expensive option is air freight for heavy items, so keep it for what is truly urgent.
Tracking, insurance and payment
Our trucks carry trackers on the road through Saudi Arabia and Jordan, and we report each major stage up to Masnaa. Cargo insurance is optional and covers damage and loss in transit and handling; its cost depends on the value you put on the goods, and we quote it on WhatsApp. You pay in Saudi riyals while in the Kingdom, with a deposit on booking and the balance at loading or as agreed; the recipient in Lebanon pays nothing except customs charges where due, and only after being told the amount.
Common mistakes when shipping to Lebanon
- Certifying the list after shipping: a list not certified by the embassy before you travel loses you the exemption, and certification takes time, so do it first.
- Travelling long after the shipment: if the goods arrive and you haven’t entered Lebanon, or more than three months pass, they are treated as an import.
- Buying new furniture right before the move: new pieces pay duty even inside a returnee’s shipment.
- Shipping a nine-year-old car: it will not be admitted, and the cost of bringing it back is yours.
- Packing items inside the car: customs refuses them and holds up the whole car.
- Overweight or unnumbered cartons: they split during handling and are hard to check at Nassib and Masnaa.
Shipping from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia
Shipping from Lebanon to the Kingdom is running again by road and sea: Lebanese trucks now cross Masnaa heading for Saudi Arabia, and containers sail from Beirut to Jeddah Islamic Port. We also handle the reverse direction for personal effects and goods from Lebanon to Saudi cities; Saudi customs sets its own rules for this direction, such as an invoice, a certificate of origin and Saudi Food and Drug Authority approvals for some food items. Tell us the Lebanese area we collect from and we will send the requirements and the cost.
Why Gulf International Shipping?
A route explained honestly
We name the Saudi exit post, the handover at Nassib and the Lebanese crossing before you pay.
Packing for several handlings
Your furniture is prepared to be loaded and unloaded more than once without a scratch.
Below published prices
Our starting price is lower than what Lebanon shipping companies advertise for the same item.
All of Lebanon
From Zahle and Beirut to Tripoli, Akkar, Sidon, Tyre and Nabatieh.
Straight talk on cars
We don’t accept a car older than 8 years, and we tell you the expected charges.
One number
Calls and WhatsApp on 0568829975 from collection to sign-off.
Get a price for your Lebanon shipment
Send photos of your items, your Saudi city and the Lebanese area, and we reply with a price and the next truck date.
Related Lebanon guides
- Furniture moving from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon and Lebanon used household goods customs
- By city: shipping from Riyadh to Lebanon, from Jeddah, from Dammam, from Makkah
- Shipping from Madinah to Lebanon, from Taif, from Tabuk
- Car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Lebanon, air freight to Lebanon, cartons and parcels to Lebanon
- Saudi Arabia to Lebanon shipping prices and Masnaa border crossing to Lebanon
- Transit route: shipping from Saudi Arabia to Syria and all destinations from Saudi Arabia
- Land freight, international furniture moving, car shipping, air freight, customs clearance
