Transportation
in Jordan
Taxis are available from Queen Alia International
Airport to take you into Amman. The trip takes
around 30 minutes, depending on traffic, and will
cost you around 10 JD. The airport also has a
bus service which arrives at Abdali bus station
every hour and costs 0.500 JD. Passengers using
Queen Alia airport for international flights are
requested to check in two hours before departure.
Driving
Driving in Jordan presents few problems. While
an international driving license is preferred,
generally a national driving license is sufficient
as long as it has a photograph of the holder.
Foreigners who plan to live in Jordan must obtain
a Jordanian driving license, but this is not necessary
for tourists. Local vehicle insurance is also
required.
Jordanians drive on the right-hand side of the
road. Road signs are in Arabic and often English
as well, so this should pose no problem. Jordan
has an excellent road system, and can be crossed
by car in approximately four hours. Be careful
while driving in cities, as roundabouts are common
and potentially dangerous. If you choose to drive
in the desert, be sure to take a four-wheel drive
with the appropriate tires and an extra container
of gasoline. It is wise to bring extra water,
as well.
There are numerous gasoline (petrol) stations
in Amman and in major towns, but take care if
you are driving to southern Jordan, as they are
more sparsely spaced there. Gasoline or petrol
is called benzene, and super is called khas.
Taxi Services
Regular yellow private taxis are a fast and relatively
inexpensive way of getting around Amman, Aqaba
and other cities. They are found in abundance
in most areas, and you will rarely have to wait
long to get one. Taxi drivers are obliged to use
their meter, which starts at 0.150 JD.
A cheaper option to a private taxi is known as
a servees, or a communal taxi. These are usually
white Mercedes or Peugeot 504s which take preordained
routes around Amman. Servees taxis will stop to
let you out anywhere along their route, although
there are registered points where they begin and
end their circuit. Like buses, servees taxis post
their destinations and route numbers in Arabic,
so you may find it difficult to familiarize yourself
with their routes. If you cannot read Arabic,
hail a passing servees, shout your destination,
and it may stop to pick you up. Most servees routes
pass through either downtown Amman or Abdali bus
station. Servees fares run between 80 and 120
fils.
Buses
There are several types of bus service operating
in Jordan. The enormous blue-and-white buses belonging
to the JETT bus company run on limited routes
within the country and run charter tours. JETT
connects Amman to Aqaba, the King Hussein Bridge,
Petra, and Hammamat Ma’een. You should book
in advance for JETT buses. The JETT station is
located on King Hussein Street about 500 meters
from the Abdali bus station.
Large private buses, usually air-conditioned,
run north from Amman to Irbid and south to Aqaba.
There are two main bus stations in Amman: Abdali
and Wahdat. Buses from Abdali go to Ajloun, Beqa’a,
Deir Alla, Fuheis, Jerash, Irbid, Sweileh, Wadi
Seer and the King Hussein Bridge. Most of these
fares cost less than half a dinar. Buses from
Wahdat station go south of Amman to Aqaba, Madaba,
Petra, Ma’an, Wadi Mousa, Karak and Hammamat
Ma’een. Fares for these routes are usually
below 2 JD. Destinations are shown on the front
of public buses in Arabic, so if you do not read
Arabic ask to be shown the bus you need.
All smaller towns are connected by 20-seat minibuses.
These leave when full and on some routes operate
infrequently. The Dead Sea is one destination
that is difficult to get to without private transport,
as there are no JETT or public buses operating
there |
