Booking Terms & Conditions

SeeMadinah.com is an online technology and booking platform operated by SIMAK LABS LTD ("SeeMadinah", "we", "us", or "the Company").

• Company name: SIMAK LABS LTD
• Company registration number: 17449816 (registered in England and Wales)
• Registered office address: 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom
• Contact email: support@seemadinah.com

In accordance with Section 82 of the UK Companies Act 2006 and Regulation 6 of the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002, our company details and registered office address are provided above.

SeeMadinah acts solely as a disclosed commercial booking agent on behalf of independent, third-party commercial transport companies operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ("Transport Operators" or "Carriers").

Every Transport Operator in our network is an independent Saudi commercial entity holding a valid Saudi Commercial Registration (CR) and licensed by the Transport General Authority (TGA - الهيئة العامة للنقل) to provide commercial passenger transport, holding active TGA Operating Cards ("بطاقة تشغيل") for all vehicles deployed.

When you submit a booking and payment on SeeMadinah.com:

1. You enter into a Booking Agency Agreement with SIMAK LABS LTD governing our website service, payment collection, and booking facilitation.
2. You enter into a Contract of Carriage directly with the independent, TGA-licensed Transport Operator assigned to perform your journey, subject to these terms and the Carrier Conditions of Carriage (Section 9 below).

SIMAK LABS LTD does not own, lease, or operate commercial passenger vehicles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, nor does it employ drivers. SIMAK LABS LTD has been expressly appointed by the Transport Operators as their non-exclusive commercial collection agent. Payment made by you to SIMAK LABS LTD completely discharges your obligation to pay the Transport Operator for the booked journey.

Bookings must be submitted at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled pickup time in Madinah.

Upon completing payment at checkout, you will receive an immediate electronic booking confirmation via WhatsApp and email displaying your unique booking reference (e.g. SM-XXXXXX).

At the point of checkout, your booking is accepted by SIMAK LABS LTD on behalf of an authorized Transport Operator from our licensed partner network. Prior to your pickup time, the specific assigned Transport Operator, vehicle model, registration number plate, and driver contact details are communicated directly to you via WhatsApp.

All prices shown on SeeMadinah.com are per vehicle for your entire private group, not per person. Prices are inclusive of the private vehicle, licensed driver, fuel, wait time at scheduled stops, and all applicable taxes (including 15% Saudi Value Added Tax accounted for by the Transport Operator).

Payments are securely charged online in your chosen currency (GBP, USD, EUR, or SAR) using credit or debit cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay via our secure payment processor (Stripe).

Nothing is payable in the vehicle: The price paid online is the entire price. Drivers are strictly prohibited from demanding cash payments, extra fuel charges, luggage surcharges, or peak-season supplements. Tipping is entirely at your own discretion.

Free Self-Service Cancellation (Up to 72 Hours Before Pickup):

You may cancel your booking self-service at any time up to 72 hours before the scheduled Madinah pickup time via our Manage booking page using your booking reference and checkout email. When cancelled outside 72 hours, a 100% refund is automatically issued to the original payment card. Most refunds clear within 5 to 10 working days.

Cancellations Inside 72 Hours:

Within 72 hours of pickup, vehicles and drivers are committed. If you need to change plans inside this window, contact us immediately on WhatsApp and our team will liaise with the Transport Operator to accommodate you where feasible.

Our Punctuality Guarantee (The 45-Minute No-Show Rule):

If the assigned driver fails to arrive at the agreed pickup address or hotel lobby within 45 minutes of the scheduled pickup time (Madinah local time) without an advance delay agreed with you, the ride will be classified as an Operator No-Show. We will, on behalf of the Transport Operator, immediately issue a 100% full refund to your original payment card and, where possible, endeavor to arrange alternative transportation.

Exemption from the UK Package Travel Regulations 2018:

Under the UK Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 and European Union Directive (EU) 2015/2302, a "package" requires a combination of travel services covering a period of at least 24 hours or including overnight accommodation. Because all journeys and chauffeur hire services arranged through SeeMadinah.com last less than 24 hours and do not include overnight accommodation, they are single-service transport bookings and are explicitly excluded from the definition of a package under the 2018 Regulations.

Statutory Distance Selling Cancellation Exemption:

Under Regulation 28(1)(h) of the UK Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, passenger transport contracts providing for a specific date or period of performance are exempt from the statutory 14-day cooling-off/cancellation right. Your cancellation rights are governed exclusively by our 72-hour policy set out in Section 5 above.

Drivers are professional commercial drivers, not licensed tour guides:

Drivers provided by our Transport Operators are professional drivers licensed by the TGA to transport passengers safely. They are not licensed tourist guides, and we do not represent them as such. They will collect you from your lobby, drive you safely to each stop, wait during your visits and prayers, and return you to your hotel.

All historical notes, seerah context, and visitor guidance published on SeeMadinah.com are self-guided educational materials compiled by SeeMadinah for visitor convenience.

Under the laws of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (including the Tourism Law issued by Royal Decree M/48 and the Tourist Guiding Regulations of the Ministry of Tourism), tourist guiding is a regulated profession restricted to licensed Saudi nationals. Where an optional guide add-on is arranged, it is fulfilled exclusively by independent, licensed Saudi tourist guides holding active Tourist Guide Licenses issued by the Saudi Ministry of Tourism.

Agency Scope: SIMAK LABS LTD acts solely as an agent facilitating bookings between you and independent Transport Operators. To the fullest extent permitted by law, SIMAK LABS LTD accepts no liability for the actual operation of the transport, vehicle defects, mechanical breakdowns, traffic delays, driver negligence, personal injury, illness, road accidents, loss of or damage to baggage, or any failure by the Transport Operator to deliver the carriage.

Carrier Liability: Operational liability for the journey, passenger safety, vehicle maintenance, and transit rests exclusively with the Transport Operator in accordance with Saudi commercial transport law and their statutory passenger motor insurance.

Financial Cap: In the event that SIMAK LABS LTD is found liable to you for any reason arising out of its booking agency services, our aggregate liability shall be strictly limited to the total amount paid by you for the specific booking in question.

Nothing in these terms seeks to exclude or limit liability for death or personal injury caused by our proven negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded under applicable English consumer law.

By boarding a vehicle dispatched for your SeeMadinah booking, you agree to the following Conditions of Carriage with the performing Transport Operator:

• Punctuality & Meeting: You must be present in the designated hotel lobby or pickup address at the confirmed pickup time. The driver will wait up to 20 minutes past the pickup time at the start of the trip before contacting dispatch.
• Haram Zone Access: Madinah municipal traffic regulations prohibit or restrict private vehicles from entering pedestrian and immediate perimeter zones surrounding Al-Masjid an-Nabawi during congregational prayer times. Where hotel doors are inside restricted security pedestrian zones, pickup or drop-off will take place at the nearest permitted vehicle access point designated by local police.
• Luggage & Capacity: Passenger count and luggage must not exceed the maximum vehicle capacity booked (Sedan: 3 pax; SUV/MPV: 6 pax; Minivan: 11 pax). Vehicles will not depart overloaded.
• Passenger Conduct & Public Decency: Passengers must adhere to Saudi public decency regulations, dress modestly, wear seatbelts at all times, and refrain from smoking or consuming food inside vehicles. Transport Operators reserve the right to refuse carriage to any individual displaying abusive or disruptive behavior.
• Valuables & Personal Property: Passengers are solely responsible for their personal possessions, phones, and cash. Neither the Operator nor SeeMadinah is liable for items left behind in vehicles, although our support desk will actively assist in coordinating returns.

These Booking Terms and the Agency Agreement between you and SIMAK LABS LTD are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. You agree that the courts of England and Wales have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with our booking agency services.

The Contract of Carriage between you and the Transport Operator, and any claims relating to transportation, transit, or incidents occurring within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, are governed by the laws and transport regulations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.