Data Capturing and Baggage Claiming
On your arrival at the airport, the immigration officer will capture your basic biometric data (finger print and photograph). Make sure your fingers are dry clean and devoid of waxy or glossy materials before your finger print scanning. Sometimes it might take a while for it to be captured successfully. Do not worry once your fingers remain with you. Afterwards, your face photographs shall be taken and this will be used subsequently as your official photographs for processing your resident permit (a.k.a Iqama). Then, you can proceed to claim your baggage and move to the arrival section of the airport. Welcome to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia!
Between Airport and KFUPM campus
This serves as a brief guide to commute yourself from the airport to the KFUPM campus with minimum discomfort and reasonable transport cost:
Besides being confident and kind-smart, you need to have the minimum of SAR 150 for your transport fare. In case you arrive with USD currency, you can ask for the center for Currency Exchange with the Airport. It is very close to the departure end of the Airport and the current exchange rate is USD 1.0 ≈ SAR 3.75. Note that the actual exchange rate is subject to change.
Then you have two options of transportation: (A.) By Taxi Cab and (B.) By SAPTCO Bus.
Option A.
Ask for the Taxi stands and tell them you will like to reach King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran beside Aramco. You can repeat it as follows: “Jaamiah Malik Faahd biturrool (KFUPM), yahniy (I mean) UPM, Dhahran, Jambi (beside) ARAMCO”.
An average cost is 100-120 SAR per head/taxi. This amount is payable if the taxi driver carries you alone and it is also better to pay him in SAR to avoid confusion or being short-changed. Sometimes, depending on your arrival time, the driver can suggest to transport one or more additional persons alongside with you. You have option to agree or disagree to this suggestion. In case you agree, the amount payable for the taxi will be shared equally. This means that if you are two in the taxi, half of the cost is your portion and the divisibility goes on and on as the number of passengers increases.
Option B
An alternative and cheaper option is to take SAPTCO bus at SAR 20 (just ask for SAPTCO stands at the Airport) to Khobar and take another taxi from Khobar to KFUPM Campus. However, it is noteworthy to prepare for the following challenge in this option B; The SAPTCO has a definite terminals, departure time and bus stops such that from the SAPTCO last terminal in Khobar, you will have to pass through little stress (especially with your luggage) of arranging for another taxi to KFUPM.
Candid Advice
Since the University will refund you the taxi fare, you are strongly advised to go for option A as previously described to save yourself from the likely inconvenience in carrying your baggage here and there. The GPS coordinate of KFUPM is: 26.304755, 50.149797 and in case you have a device equipped with GPRS/GPS, kindly keep it active to know exactly where you are and where you are going. May Allah grant you journey mercy, aamin.