Getting around in Kuwait - by Taxi

A typical taxi-cab














The most common form of transportation in Kuwait is by private car. But if you don't drive, or don't want to look bad driving a Toyota next to your friend's BMW, taxis are the only viable alternative. Buses are infrequent, slow, and the routes they go are very limited. Usually only blue-collar expatriate workers take them

Here are some tips that may help you improve your experience with Kuwaiti taxis

1. Call taxi (241-3414) instead of waiting for street cabs
When I am in Kuwait City, this is the number that I call the most: 241-3414. It is the phone number of one of the larger taxi companies. It is probably the most important number for visitors. I use them for the following reasons
- After you call, they usually come pick you up within 5 minutes
- Cabs are coordinated centrally and are connected to a radio system. They have some English-speaking operators in their call centers. So when I want to go somewhere, as long as I have the address, the driver will find a way to get there through radio

Alternatively, you can wait for street cabs, but you have to believe that you're lucky. Sometimes they come within 5 minutes, while sometimes they never appear

2. Negotiate the fare before going anywhere
Taxis have meters, but the drivers don't charge by the meters. At the end of the journey, they'll just tell you what the fare is. It is EXTREMELY important that you and the driver agree on the fare before you start moving, or you'll probably pay more than you have to

Here are the going rates, based on my personal experience
- Kuwait International Airport - Kuwait City, 5 KD
- Short distance within Kuwait City - 2 KD
- Long distance within Kuwait City and vicinity - 3 - 4 KD

If they charge you more than that, bargaining helps. Street taxis are usually cheaper than the call-in taxis


Licenses of a taxi driver, photo taken from the back seat
Taxis are heavily regulated in Kuwait. Drivers are required to apply for various licenses (I counted 4) before he can carry passengers in a taxi. This red tape has driven up the price. Comparing journeys of similar distances, fares in Kuwait are up to 50% higher than fares in Dubai. For short-distance journeys, the difference may be even higher

Speed up travel at Kuwait Airport - Hala Services

One of the most frustrating things that can happen to travelers is delay at the airport. The issue has been particularly serious in Kuwait for arriving visitors who're non-GCC Nationals. There have been times when I had to wait more than 2 hours at the airport before being allowed to enter the country. So I decide to find out and share some tips to help other people save time. Hope this is useful for you

The problem - lengthy visa procedure at Kuwait International Airport

Kuwait has a visa process that is restrictive by international standard. Every non-GCC visitor has to apply for visa in advance before entering Kuwait. In 2004, the Ministry of Interior has adopted a policy to open up its borders. Nationals of the following countries can apply for visa at the airport

1. USA.
2. UK.
3. France.
4. Italy.
5. Germany.
6. Canada.
7. Australia.
8. New Zealand.
9. Japan.
10. The Netherlands.
11. Belgium.
12. Luxembourg.
13. Switzerland.
14. Austria.
15. Sweden.
16. Norway.
17. Denmark.
18. Portugal.
19. Ireland.
20. Greece.
21. Finland.
22. Spain.
23. Monaco.
24. the Vatican.
25. Iceland.
26. Andorra.
27. San Marino.
28. Liechtenstein.
29. Brunei.
30. Singapore.
31. Malaysia.
32. Hong Kong.
33. South Korea.
34. China.*

*They recently excluded China, but the decision was not publicized. Customs officials told me they originally did not plan to restrict Chinese visitors. However, thousands of prostitutes and criminals flock to the country and stay there using the loophole. Therefore, when you arrive at Kuwait International Airport today, you will see notice boards stating people from these 34 countries can obtain visa there, with big crosses covering the word "China". Moreover, Nationals of Malaysia, Singapore, and Hong Kong were screened in extra caution (that means extra wait time!), because Kuwaiti officials are concerned that Chinese may try using fake passports of these 3 countries to enter Kuwait. They have no way to tell from the look, whether someone is from Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong or China

Usually people need to wait for 1 - 1.5 hour to have a visa issued. If you don't want to wait, here is a good service to use

Solution - Hala (Meet-and-greet) Services
Realizing this problem, entrepreneurs have found a way to speed up the visa process. This is a service run by a private company called Hala Services Kuwait. User can register online or call them at +965-842-842 (Ext. 304) to ask for help. Of all the services they provide (from welcoming you by flowers and dates at the gate to wheelchair assistance), I recommend the airport visa service

I tried it myself. As soon as I stepped out of the plane, I saw a lady holding up a cardboard with my name on it. Then she escorted me directly to the visa counter. Instead of waiting in line with the other ~100 travelers, we bypassed the whole process by using a special counter. 15 minutes later, I was already outside the airport

It costs 1 KD (~3.5 USD), but it's worth it as I don't have to worry about waiting. Now I don't have to worry about arriving after a 747-400 from Amsterdam, and how long I have to wait until they give you a visa

For more information,

Hala Services in Kuwait's International Airport

Kuwaitah website on Kuwait visa procedure

Kuwait's oil dependency

Kuwait is a major oil exporting country, and it's economy is highly dependent on the oil sector.

Here is a piece of interesting statistic that I'd like to share. Below is a list of the 10 largest industrial and service sectors in Kuwait, and their contribution to GDP. Oil is the largest sector, bigger than all the 9 other top 10 sectors combined

While the economy is booming now due to high oil price, this situation should not be taken for granted. If oil price plummets, the economy will face big problems. It should diversity its economy away from oil to better react to oil price fluctuations

GDP contribution from each sector
2005 figures, in USD millions

1. Energy, Mining and Quarrying (24)
2. Public Administration, Sanitary and Personal Services (8)
3. Business Services (3)
4. Real Estate & Dwelling (2)
5. Petroleum Refineries (2)
6. Financial Institutions (2)
7. Retail Trade (2)
8. Wholesale Trade (1)
9. Communications (1)
10. Transportation & Storage (1)

The data can be obtained from the Central Bank for free, or international data vendors, e.g. Global Insight, at a cost

Central Bank of Kuwait

Ministry of Planning