Venue & Schedule

Venue Details:

The conference will take place at the Novotel Dhahran Hotel & Residences, AMAAD Business Park, Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia — adjacent to King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM).

The sessions are hosted in the hotel’s own event space: a 1,000 m² ballroom seating up to 800 guests for the plenary sessions, together with seven further meeting rooms for the parallel tracks and workshops. Delegates staying at the hotel are already at the venue.

Venue Address:

3917, 7443, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, 34463 Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Nearby Airport:

King Fahd International Airport, Dammam 32567, Saudi Arabia - 35 mins drive from the conference venue.

How to reach the Novotel Dhahran Hotel & Residences

• If your flight makes a stop in Riyadh, you can either take a flight from King Khaled Airport, Riyadh to King Fahd International Airport, Dammam, which takes about an hour (highly recommended), or a train from Riyadh Train Station, which will take you there in around 4 hours.
• If your flight makes a stop in Jeddah, you can take a flight from King Abdulaziz Airport, Jeddah to King Fahd International Airport, Dammam, which takes about two hours.

If you are coming from:

Dammam Airport: about 70 km to the venue.

If you drive: Continue to King Fahd Road, Follow King Fahd Road, Al Zahran Al Joubeil/Dhahran Jubail Expressway and Custodian of The Two Holy Mosques Rd to Dhahran, then follow the signs to AMAAD Business Park, where the hotel is located.

Taxi: ~ 130 SAR (35 USD)
Dammam Train Station: about 10 km to the venue.
The hotel sits inside AMAAD Business Park, on the KFUPM side of Dhahran and a short drive from Al Khobar and Dammam. Ride-hailing apps and taxis serve the area, and there is parking on site for delegates who drive.

Location of the Novotel Dhahran Hotel & Residences from Google Maps:

Accommodation:

The Novotel Dhahran is both the conference venue and the recommended place to stay, and the other hotels below are a short drive away. Participants are responsible for arranging their own accommodation and are encouraged to book early. Please mention SUSTAIN 2026 / KFUPM when you contact the hotel.

Apply for Saudi Visa:

• The Saudi visa is just a click away once you fill in the online visa application form, available here.
• If you are a speaker, you will require a business visa and the SUSTAIN 2026 coordination team will assist you in obtaining it.

Please send an e-mail to KIKX-Logistics@kfupm.edu.sa well in advance of the conference, so that we can help you get your visa on time.

About Dhahran and the Eastern Province:

Dhahran sits in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, on the Arabian Gulf coast, and forms part of the Dammam metropolitan area together with Dammam and Al Khobar. It is the cultural and intellectual heart of the region, home to KFUPM, Saudi Aramco and Ithra, and is known for its museums, green spaces and modern architecture.

While you are in the region, you may enjoy:

• King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) — a landmark centre for art, knowledge and innovation in Dhahran.
• Al Khobar Corniche — a palm-lined waterfront promenade with seaside cafés and restaurants.
• Half Moon Bay — a long-standing local favourite for beach days and picnics.
• Heritage Village, Dammam — traditional architecture, crafts and local hospitality.
• Mall of Dhahran — one of the largest shopping complexes in the Eastern Province.
• King Fahd Causeway — the road link connecting Al Khobar with the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Winters are mild and pleasant, which makes the cooler months the most comfortable time to explore the province, while summers are hot and humid. Private cars, ride-hailing apps and taxis are the easiest ways to move between Dhahran, Al Khobar and Dammam.