hammer28

Hello Guys, I will be moving to Riyadh around first week of July and I need your advice on excess baggage. My company is providing me with a lump sum mobilisation allowance instead of using relocation company. This is my first international move and I am not sure which option is more suitable, sea freight or air?

Please can anyone share his air freight experience? What about custom duty, do I need pay any or just handling charges at Riyadh airport? Any suggestions for good air freight company??? How do people transport excess baggage from airport, I mean is there ‘man with Van’ like service in Riyadh?

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

scot47

When I went to Jeddah with the airline I was given 400kg excess baggage for each member of the family ! Hardly used any of it.

Air freight is common in this part of the world. If you take in household goods, there is no import duty. Make sure that you do not include any idols, graven images, stills or paraphernalia for the consumption of drugs !

You may want to use a shipping company. If you take it as accompanied baggage get a taxi from the airport at Riyadh. Have a few hundred Saudi Riyals in cash with you when you arrive.

Is your accommodation arranged ?

gottheTshirt

No need to take more than a suitcase to Riyadh. You need the company to provide fully furnished accommodation in a compound. Ask them to give you the money instead of the freight allowance.

northbadawi

Very true.
1 piece 23kg checked and 1 piece 10kg hand baggage is enough. Instead of paying for excess baggage use your allowance to buy necessary stuff here.

hammer28

Thank you Scot, northbadawi, gottheTshirt - much appreciated. Our excess baggage mainly includes clothes, shoes, books, small appliances etc no heavy house hold. I am also more inclined to use air freight than sea. Any suggestions for good air freight companies?

Regarding accommodation, I will be staying at hotel until my permanent accommodation is not sorted out. Again its an allowance for housing SAR7000. is it sufficient to secure good accommodation?

weasel decentral

7000 per month might just about get you a one bed studio on a compound if there were any available. Better get your company to provide the accommodation as you will find it nearly impossible to source. Unless you plan to live outside a compound.

hammer28

thanks, I know that this allowance is not sufficient for compound accommodation, I am negotiating see how things unfold, initially they offered me SAR 4000 and then increased it to 7000 but I am pushing them for company accommodation than allowance, total package 30K all in.

By the way how is Parsons standing in Saudi or ME market? Probably I will be working on MOH project.

scot47

If you are happy to live off compund, there are lots of apartments in Jeddah.

hammer28

thanks Scot, living outside compound will be only option if they do not offer me company housing, I am moving to Riyadh. Do they have small apartment compounds, normally comprised of different size apartment, allocated parking, guarded and few communal facilities. what is rent range?? thanks for your time.

scot47

Ah - not sure about Riyadh