The King Fahd Causeway spans long stretches of sea and reclaimed land.

The idea of constructing the causeway was based on improving the links and bonds between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Maritime surveying began in 1968, construction began in 1981 and continued until the official opening to the public in 1986. Since its completion in 1986, the causeway has streamlined commerce and strengthened cultural and social bonds between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

The idea of building a bridge linking Bahrain to the Eastern region Saudi Arabia had been enticing the two kingdoms for generations. The idea was born during an official visit to Bahrain in 1954 and King Saud's wish to nurture and further solidify the bond between the two.

In 1965, plans to construct the causeway began to take form officially when Sheikh Khalifah ibn Sulman Al Khalifah, the Prime Minister of Bahrain, paid a courtesy visit to King Faisal at which time the king expressed his wish to move forward.

Subsequently, Bahrain, which drove on the left, changed to driving on the right in 1967. This was to bring it into line with neighbouring countries.

In 1968, a joint committee was formed to assess the finances required for undertaking the task. As a result, the committee requested the World Bank contribute assistance to implement the mammoth-sized project including environmental and geographical aspects of the region.

In the summer of 1973, King Faisal, in a meeting which included Emir Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa as well as prince Fahd bin Abdul Aziz and Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, suggested the committee overlook economic and financial issues with the project instead concentrating on the actual construction.

In 1975, the World Bank submitted its study and advice after seeking assistance from specialist international expertise in studying the geographic, environmental factors and maritime currents.

In the spring of 1976, during a visit by King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz to Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the two monarchs agreed to set up a ministerial committee to work on implementation of the project.

The causeway from the Bahrain side.
On 8 July 1981, Mohammed Aba Al-Khail, minister for Finance and National Economy of Saudi Arabia and Yousuf Ahmed Al-Shirawi, minister of Industrial Development in Bahrain signed an agreement to start construction on the maritime causeway.

On 11 November 1982, King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz and Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa unveiled the curtain on the Memorial Plaque during a formal ceremony attended by leaders of the GCC states marking the beginning of the project.

On 11 April 1985, Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister of Bahrain, pressed the button to install the final part of the box bridges thereby finally linking Saudi mainland with the island of Bahrain.

On 26 November 1986, the causeway was officially inaugurated in the presence of King Fahd and Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, with the latter consenting to naming the bridge King Fahd Causeway.

As of 2010, an estimated 25,104 vehicles use the causeway daily. The 2010 total number of travelers across the causeway from both countries was 19.1 million passengers, or an average of 52,450 passengers per day.