Tabuk is the Saudi city closest to Syria, and as a shipping company from Tabuk to Syria, Gulf International Shipping loads your furniture, parcels and goods at your home in Tabuk or its governorates and takes the shortest land route: the Halat Ammar border post, then Mudawwara, Ma’an and Amman in transit through Jordan to the Jaber crossing, and into the Nassib yard, where the consignment is put on a Syrian truck for the final run to your address. Damascus is only about 650 km away, and goods usually arrive in roughly 4–7 working days. A small parcel costs from SAR 73, a washing machine from SAR 410, a full bedroom from SAR 1,100 and a qualifying saloon car costs SAR 3,220 upwards.
From Riyadh or Jeddah a truck covers more than 1,600 km to Damascus; from Tabuk it is less than half that. The difference shows up in two things you care about: fewer days on the road, and a lower price because the truck burns less fuel and driver time. That is why Tabuk has its own place in our price list, and why we also gather loads there from Tayma, Duba, Al-Wajh, Umluj, Haql and Al-Bad’ before the truck heads north to the border.
At a glance
- Closest Saudi city to Damascus: about 650 km from Tabuk via Halat Ammar and Jordan
- Route: out of Tabuk to Halat Ammar, into Jordan at Mudawwara, up past Ma’an and Amman to Jaber, then Nassib and Damascus
- How many days?: Damascus and Daraa in 4–7 working days; add one or two for Homs and Hama, two or three for Aleppo and the coast
- Truck change: in the Nassib customs yard the load goes onto a Syrian truck, and our representative checks every piece
- Lowest prices: small parcel SAR 73, washer SAR 410, bedroom SAR 1,100, eligible car SAR 3,220
- Air: no direct flight from Tabuk; we route via Riyadh or Jeddah from SAR 23 per kg
- Cars: new cars within the permitted model years, or temporary entry for an expatriate’s car; used-car imports are suspended
Tabuk → Halat Ammar → Jaber → Nassib → Damascus · about 650 km · 4–7 working days · book on 0568829975
How far is Tabuk from Syria?
Tabuk is about 650 km from Damascus by road: roughly 452 km to Amman, then around 196 km from Amman to Damascus via Jaber and Nassib. There is no direct Saudi–Syrian border crossing, so the route always runs through Jordanian territory. The table gives the approximate distance from Tabuk to the main Syrian cities and the usual time on a dedicated truck.
Distances are approximate and based on the main roads, and times run from the day the truck leaves Tabuk. The biggest factor in transit time is not the road but waiting at Jaber and Nassib on busy days, plus the time taken by transshipment and customs checks.
The route from Tabuk to the Nassib crossing, stage by stage
- 1Tabuk → Halat Ammar
the truck heads north from the city to the border post, after the export declaration is filed on Fasah and an arrival slot is booked. - 2Halat Ammar → Mudawwara
Saudi exit papers are stamped and the truck enters Jordan at Mudawwara under transit procedures. - 3Mudawwara → Ma’an → Amman
the truck runs north on the Desert Highway, with the cargo sealed and not unloaded in Jordan. - 4Amman → Jaber
the truck reaches the Jaber post in northern Jordan, the last stop before the Syrian border. - 5Jaber → Nassib
it enters the Syrian customs yard at Nassib, where the load is taken off and lifted onto a Syrian truck. - 6Nassib → your door
after checks the Syrian truck heads for Daraa and Damascus, then the other governorates.
Near Mudawwara the truck passes the remains of the old Hejaz Railway, which linked this region with Damascus more than a century ago. Today the modern road covers the same ground by truck, the difference being that the borders impose two procedural stops: leaving the Kingdom at Halat Ammar and entering Syria at Nassib, with the Jordanian transit in between.
Why does the Tabuk truck not carry on to Damascus?
Because Syria currently does not let non-Syrian trucks into its territory, except transit trucks crossing to a third country under customs-police escort. Your shipment is destined for Syria, so it is unloaded at Nassib and put on a licensed Syrian truck. We call this step transshipment and prepare for it from Tabuk: every piece is numbered, fragile items are placed where they are easy to take out, and our representative in the yard makes sure the count that left Tabuk is the count that goes onto the Syrian truck.
Crossing hours and waiting
Jaber–Nassib runs around the clock. Queues still build up in travel seasons and while yards are being enlarged, which can hold a crossing back by a day, sometimes longer. We track the truck closely and tell you when it has crossed and when transshipment has started.
Approximate shipping prices from Tabuk to Syria
Tabuk is one of the few cities where carriers publish Syria-specific prices, and we have set ours below them. Because Tabuk is closer than Madinah, Jeddah and Riyadh, no item costs more here than it does from those cities. The first figure in each cell is our starting price, the second a typical upper level.
Note: from Tabuk to Damascus takes 4–7 working days by dedicated truck, 3–5 days more by shared truck, and 6–10 days to Aleppo and Latakia; air via Riyadh or Jeddah takes about 3–5 days.
Price per item from Tabuk
Why are Tabuk prices lower than Jeddah and Riyadh?
The road itself. A Riyadh or Jeddah truck covers about 1,600–1,700 km to Damascus; a Tabuk truck about 650 km. Fuel, road costs, driver pay and truck days are all lower, so a bedroom starts from SAR 1,100 in Tabuk against SAR 1,380 from Jeddah. But transshipment at Nassib, clearance and distribution inside Syria cost much the same from every city, so the price does not fall exactly in proportion to distance. For a full city-by-city comparison: shipping prices from Saudi Arabia to Syria.
Crating furniture in wood before shipping to Syria
The road is short, but the load is lifted twice. So we suggest a wooden crate for any piece that would be hard to replace: a dining table with a marble or glass top, a sideboard with glass doors, antiques, and large screens over 65 inches. The crate is built at your home to the size of the piece, from wooden boards fixed with screws and lined with foam, so nothing rubs against the surface during the trip.
The rest of the furniture gets two layers: a fabric blanket that absorbs knocks, then stretch film that keeps out dust and moisture. Beds and wardrobes are taken apart and their screws collected in numbered bags taped to the piece itself, and each box is marked with its room and piece number. In Tabuk’s winter cold we take extra care with screens, because the gap between night temperatures in the north and the mild Syrian coast can cause condensation inside fully sealed wrapping unless it is left a little room to breathe.
When is a crate worth it?
When the piece is worth more than a thousand riyals or would be hard to buy again in Syria. Ordinary wooden furniture is fine with double wrapping.
Collection from Tabuk’s districts and governorates
We collect from every district of Tabuk, including Al-Muruj, Al-Rayyan, Al-Sulaimaniyah, Al-Faisaliyah, Al-Wurud, Al-Nakheel, Al-Akhdar, Al-Masif, Al-Qadisiyah and Al-Rajhi, and from the governorates: Tayma on the Jouf road, Duba, Al-Wajh and Umluj on the coast, and Haql and Al-Bad’ near the Gulf of Aqaba. Coastal consignments are gathered in Tabuk first and then travel with the load to Halat Ammar, so you do not have to make the trip yourself.
Many of our Tabuk customers work on projects in the north-west or have lived in the region for years, and want to move a whole home in one go. For them we arrange a survey visit or a video call to measure the furniture in cubic metres and suggest a dedicated truck if the volume justifies it.
Duty relief for returnees shipping from Tabuk to Syria
A Syrian returning home for good can bring in used furniture and personal effects without customs duty, once only, under the latest published rules. They must have lived outside Syria for at least six months, carry a list of their belongings stamped by a Syrian embassy or consulate, be present at clearance, and ship from the country where they were living.
The goods are limited to one family’s needs: three bedrooms at most, two lounge suites, a dining set, three carpets, a single machine of every kind and a dozen kitchen sets, with an undertaking not to sell them for three years. Cars are not covered, and any excess pays duty. From Tabuk, returnees deal with the Syrian embassy in Riyadh. We prepare the inventory from the same packing list and check with you before shipping whether anything has changed since Syria’s new customs law was issued. Full reference: Syria used household goods customs.
Car shipping from Tabuk to Syria
Being so close to the border, many people in Tabuk ask about moving their cars. The honest answer: Syria has currently stopped used-car imports, so a used car cannot be brought in for registration there. Three things are allowed: a new car whose model falls within the two years permitted by the import decision in force, paying tariff duty; an expatriate’s car entering temporarily on a passage booklet and leaving with its owner; or a vehicle returning to Saudi Arabia from Syria. Motorbikes, new or used, may not enter at all.
If you read about a “decision” admitting older cars for a flat fee, do not buy a car on the strength of it before checking with the official Syrian authorities; reports like that have been denied more than once. We carry an eligible car from Tabuk on a transporter to Nassib and handle export through Absher and Fasah. Moving it costs at least SAR 3,220 for a saloon, SAR 4,140 for a four-wheel drive and SAR 5,520 for a premium model. Details: car shipping from Saudi Arabia to Syria.
Air freight from Tabuk to Syria
There is no direct flight from Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk to Damascus. Air shipments therefore go first to Riyadh or Jeddah and then fly direct to Damascus, or to Aleppo from Riyadh when that flight is operating. The rate starts from SAR 23 per kg, the minimum shipment is 10 kg, and delivery takes about 3–5 days.
An important point for Tabuk residents: road freight from your city reaches Damascus in 4–7 working days, close to air transit times, at a far lower price. So we recommend air only for original documents, permitted medicines and very urgent small items, and road for everything else. More in air freight from Saudi Arabia to Syria.
Boxes, parcels and family consignments from Tabuk
A small parcel or documents start from SAR 73, and a box or parcel up to 20 kg from SAR 165. We group parcels on our Syria-bound trucks and deliver them in Damascus and the governorates. Put a slip with the receiver’s name and number inside each box, write the same name on the outside, seal liquids firmly, and do not send gold or cash. Everything you need is in cartons and parcels shipping to Syria.
Shipping goods from Tabuk to Syria
Tabuk traders have two options: a full truck with a 20 ft container’s capacity from SAR 5,520, leaving as soon as its papers are ready, or charging by the kilo on a shared truck from SAR 4.6 per kg. Office furniture starts from SAR 735 and tinned food from SAR 460. Business cargo needs the firm’s CR, a sales invoice, an origin certificate and a packing list, and Syrian tariff duty applies on arrival. For chilled food we arrange a refrigerated truck, bearing in mind that transshipment at Nassib means a chilled load has to be moved quickly from one truck to the other.
Delivery to the Syrian coast and the other governorates
From Nassib the Syrian truck reaches Daraa in about an hour, then Damascus and its countryside: Mezzeh, Al-Muhajireen, Al-Midan, Rukn Al-Din and Kafr Souseh, and Jaramana, Sahnaya, Qudsaya, Douma, Al-Tall, Yabroud and Al-Nabk. We carry on to Sweida and Quneitra, north to Homs, Hama, Aleppo and Idlib, and east as far as Qamishli, Hasakah, Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor.
The coast is an important destination for Tabuk shipments. Latakia is about 332 km from Damascus, with Tartus close by, along with Jableh, Baniyas, Qardaha and Safita. In the coastal villages the roads climb and narrow, and the truck may stop at the nearest suitable point while the crew carries boxes to the house, as in the picture. We agree this with the receiver before arrival so there are no surprises.
Documents required to ship from Tabuk to Syria
What cannot be shipped from Tabuk to Syria?
Banned in Syria
Motorcycles of all kinds, weapons and ammunition, narcotics, and goods of Israeli origin.
Radio devices
Two-way radios and remote-controlled planes, cars and boats.
Hazardous materials
Gas cylinders, fuel, chemicals and flammables.
From the Saudi side
Antiquities, subsidised goods, anything needing an export permit, and cash or gold in parcels.
Medical equipment, binoculars and medicines can sometimes go, but only with approval or after inspection; tell us about them before packing day so we can check.
Steps to ship from Tabuk to Syria
- 1Send photos
photograph your goods or send a list on WhatsApp 0568829975 with your district and the Syrian city. - 2Survey and price
a video call or visit for larger homes, then a price and date. - 3Papers
iqama or ID, Fasah authorisation, and the embassy inventory if you are claiming the exemption. - 4Wrapping and crates
double wrapping, crates for valuable pieces, and every item numbered. - 5Off to Halat Ammar
on the truck’s booked slot, then transit through Jordan. - 6Nassib
transshipment to a Syrian truck with our representative present, and customs checks. - 7Delivery
a call before arrival, then unloading and reassembly at home.
How is the cost of shipping from Tabuk to Syria calculated?
Five things move the figure: how many cubic metres you send, whether the truck is shared or yours alone, the governorate, any crating, and cover; Nassib clearance is then added for the consignment type. A realistic example: a family in Al-Muruj moving to Damascus with a full bedroom, two sofas, a fridge, a washing machine, a dining table and fifteen boxes. Priced per item, the bedroom is SAR 1,100, the two sofas SAR 1,100, the fridge SAR 460, the washer SAR 410, the table SAR 460 and the boxes SAR 2,475 at SAR 165 each, about SAR 6,005 in all.
At that volume a dedicated truck for a whole home, starting from SAR 4,140, is cheaper than adding up item prices, and faster because it does not wait for a shared load. That is exactly what we do when pricing: work out both and offer you the lower one. A crate for the table is added if you want one, and insurance at 0.9% of value.
What is the cheapest way to ship from Tabuk to Syria?
- For a few pieces: shared transport priced per item, with a bedroom from SAR 1,100 and a parcel from SAR 73.
- For a whole home: a dedicated truck is often cheaper than the sum of item prices, as in the example.
- For goods: charging by the kilo from SAR 4.6 when the quantity is less than a truckload.
- Avoid air except for papers and urgent items; road from Tabuk is already quick.
- The returnee exemption removes the duty on used furniture altogether.
Common mistakes when shipping from Tabuk to Syria
- Assuming that being close to the border means a Tabuk truck drives straight into Syria.
- Paying for air freight on goods that road freight would deliver only a few days later.
- Sending a marble or glass table top without a crate.
- Buying a used car in Tabuk on the strength of unofficial news that it can be brought in.
- Not having the inventory certified by the embassy before shipping day, then paying duty that could have been waived.
- Sealing electronics completely airtight in winter cold with no ventilation.
Shipping from Syria to Tabuk
We also handle shipments coming from Syria to Tabuk: personal effects, gifts and products collected in Damascus or the governorates, crossing Nassib, Jaber and Jordan, then entering the Kingdom at Halat Ammar, which makes Tabuk the first Saudi city they reach. These shipments go through Saudi import procedures and Fasah, and the rules differ from product to product. Ask us for a price and we will confirm what is allowed in.
Why Gulf International Shipping in Tabuk?
Shortest road
Straight from Tabuk via Halat Ammar, no detours.
Nearest-city pricing
No item costs more in Tabuk than in cities further away.
Wooden crates
Built at your home to fit valuable pieces.
From the coast too
We collect from Duba, Al-Wajh, Umluj, Haql and Tayma.
What will your Tabuk to Syria shipment cost?
Send photos of your belongings, your Tabuk district and the Syrian city, and we will compare shared and dedicated options for you.
Useful pages on shipping to Syria
- General guide: shipping company from Saudi Arabia to Syria and land freight from Saudi Arabia to Syria
- The crossing: Nassib border crossing guide
- Homes: furniture moving from Saudi Arabia to Syria
- On the same road: shipping from Madinah to Syria, shipping from Jeddah to Syria, shipping from Makkah to Syria and shipping from Taif to Syria
- Central and Eastern regions: shipping from Riyadh to Syria and shipping from Dammam to Syria
- Services: international land freight, car transport, clearance and all destinations
