Abu Dhabi to Egypt by Land in a BYD Song Plus — An Unforgettable EV Journey

Initial Customs Procedures and Preparations

I imported the car as a first-hand owner from the UAE, not as a trade-in. I prepared the purchase invoice, certificate of origin, and official documentation from the Egyptian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I also coordinated with a customs broker for pre-registration.

Getting the Saudi transit visa was complicated since there's no transit option for Egyptian citizens. I tried applying for a tourist visa myself for 413 AED, but it was rejected without reason and I only got 303 AED refunded. Eventually, I used a travel agency that charged 720 AED with a guarantee, and they issued the visa within 3 days.

I realized the issue was with my adapter, but thanks to the people who helped me and Dr. Ahmed Nabil's support, everything went smoothly after that.

From UAE to Saudi Arabia — The Beginning

I crossed with Abu Dhabi plates instead of export plates because everyone advised that export plates face worse treatment at borders and cost more. I charged the car to 90% at home, then topped up to 100% at the ADNOC station in Brakah before departure. Leaving the UAE at the Ghweifat border cost 30 AED via card—simple and quick while staying in the car.

Just 2 km later, I reached the Al-Batha border on the Saudi side. They checked my car registration and ran it through an X-ray scanner to detect contraband. The whole process took about 20 minutes, and thankfully I had no issues.

First Charging Challenges in Saudi Arabia

I headed to Al-Hasa to charge, and that's when my first real problem hit—the EQIV fast charger refused to work. I tried finding slow chargers but they were all offline. I returned to the fast charger at 4 AM and tried again; it finally worked but only gave me 18 kW. I slept in the car and woke up to a full charge.

Driving to Riyadh, I tried EVIQ at Al-Yarmouk Mall, but it rejected my car too despite being operational for others. I realized the issue was with my adapter. I reached out in a Telegram group, and they pinned a post looking for someone in Saudi Arabia who could help. Brother Talal responded—he'd arrive in 30 minutes—and while waiting, I drained my 12V battery trying repeatedly. Talal jumped it and suggested we try another charger at a SASCO location.

Before moving, I decided to update my adapter in the car at 135 kW—and it worked perfectly. Brother Talal told me to call anytime I needed help, and I have to praise him greatly for his support. I also want to thank Dr. Ahmed Nabil from the UAE who kept checking on me throughout the journey and explained that my adapter needed Update 33 to work on Saudi chargers.

Riyadh to Jeddah — Payment Card Headaches

Deciding to go from Riyadh via Makkah for Umrah, I found only two chargers on the route—both SASCO. I tested them in Riyadh but discovered they only accept Saudi Visa cards. I asked my cousin there to load a SASCO wallet with riyals so I could use it during my journey.

I hit the road and charged to 100% at Tabarah SASCO, then drove 444 km to the next station with only 18% battery remaining. I charged fully at SASCO Zulum, but then realized I'd taken a wrong turn and had to drive an extra 70 km back (35 km each way) to rejoin the main route.

I reached Makkah, parked near the Haram, took a taxi for 30 SAR to the mosque, performed Umrah (may Allah accept it), then took a free shuttle bus back to my car. I charged to 100% at EVIQ in Jeddah Park before heading to my friend's place.

Jeddah to Duba — The Difficult Route

The direct route from Jeddah to Duba was 850 km with no fast chargers, so I chose the alternate route: Jeddah → Madinah → AlUla → Duba. I charged at EVIQ MADINA HIGHWAY, which had 360 kW capacity.

In Madinah, there were no fast chargers available, so I headed to the Hilton hotel, which had a free slow Petromin charger (you just need your cable and their app). The hotel security was very cooperative. I arrived at 60% and charged overnight to 100%.

The next morning I prayed at the Prophet's Mosque and tried booking the Green Chamber (Rawdah) through the Nusuk app, but no slots were available, so I continued my journey toward AlUla.

AlUla Station — A Long Wait

At Al-Drees Fuel Station in AlUla, I found a free 50 kW slow charger. The catch? I had to call the attendant to activate it using cards—and it only delivered 8 kW, basically a regular slow charger. I sat there for hours waiting for a full charge.

I left AlUla at night toward Duba, but I wouldn't recommend anyone taking this route at night—it's genuinely dangerous. The road is narrow, two-lane both directions, with no services. If you break down, you're stranded.

Duba and the Ferry — Miscommunication Nightmare

In Duba, I found a slow Petromin charger at a service center (open 8 AM–11 PM). I slept in the car until they opened at 8 AM and charged to 50%—only 30–35 km to the port anyway.

I went back to Duba to book the ferry. The military port told me to go back to town and book through an office there. I paid 1,890 SAR for the car plus 500 SAR for myself (2,390 total). They said "about two hours," but kept postponing.

I waited at the slow charger, and when they called after two hours, they said the ship still hadn't arrived. Same answer at 8 PM, same at 9 PM. At 9:30 PM I disconnected and went to check—different staff said the ship was there but still unloading.

Fed up, I drove to the port directly and waited there in safety. We departed at 4 AM and reached Safaga port at 2 PM.

Egyptian Customs and Return Home

The Egyptian customs process had its own complications. Since the car was a first-hand import (not a re-import), it had GPS, so I booked a hotel for a day in Safaga. I received the car at 11:30 AM from the customs clearance office after paying 15% VAT (electric cars are exempt from customs duty).

I drove to New Cairo, charging at Al-Gouna station—thanks to my friend Bashy for explaining the Infinity charger app. Next was the Total Zaafarana station (150 kW), and I reached New Cairo with 25% battery.

I arranged to return the car to Abu Dhabi the next day through Al-Wahat dealership. The car is still on Abu Dhabi plates until I register it in Egypt.

Apps and Charging Programs Used

UAE to Egypt: Plug Share

Saudi Arabia: EVIQ, SASCO, and Electromin

Egypt: Infinity and IKARUS Grid

These apps were lifesavers—providing reliable charging maps and detailed station information throughout the journey.