Aqaba and Petra are the two great drawcards of southern Jordan, and they are often visited together on the same itinerary. The distance between them is 130 km along the Desert Highway and the winding road up to Wadi Musa — a journey of about 2 hours in good conditions.
The good news: the roads are well-paved, the drive is straightforward, and there are several transport options. The slightly annoying reality: JETT’s bus network does not directly connect these two cities. You have to solve the Aqaba–Petra link yourself.
The route
Aqaba to Petra follows Highway 15 (Desert Highway) north from Aqaba toward Ma’an, then takes Highway 35 west through Wadi Musa up to the Petra gateway town. The Desert Highway stretch is fast and largely featureless; the last 30 km into Wadi Musa involves some climbing and winding, but nothing technically demanding.
Total distance: approximately 130 km Typical driving time: 1h45 to 2h15 depending on traffic and how quickly you ascend to Wadi Musa
There are no significant tolls on this route. Petrol stations exist at intervals on the Desert Highway — fill up before heading to Wadi Musa as fuel options thin once you turn off toward Petra.
Option 1: private taxi
A private taxi from Aqaba to Petra is the most common tourist solution.
Cost: 80–100 JOD one-way for the car (not per person)
How to arrange:
- Through your Aqaba hotel — most hotels can arrange this easily with a trusted driver
- At the taxi stand near Aqaba’s main waterfront or near the JETT terminal
- Negotiate the price in JOD before departure, confirm it is the total price (not per person), and confirm it covers Wadi Musa arrival at Petra visitor centre gate rather than dropping you somewhere in town
What to clarify before booking:
- Price is for the car, not per person
- Driver waits if you need to stop (e.g., at a viewpoint or petrol station)
- Drop-off point is Petra visitor centre, not just “Wadi Musa”
- Whether the driver will return you (if you need a round trip) — add 70–90 JOD more, or arrange a separate vehicle in Wadi Musa
Timing: Most private taxis for this route depart Aqaba in the morning. If you book through a hotel, confirm departure time — most Petra days start early and you want to arrive by 8–9 AM to beat the midday heat on the trails.
Option 2: pre-booked private transfer
A booked private transfer is similar to a taxi but typically includes a confirmed vehicle, a named driver, and sometimes Wi-Fi or water. Prices run 100–120 JOD all-in.
Aqaba: private transfer to Petra with Wi-Fi and waterAdvantage: Predictability — the vehicle and driver are confirmed in advance, eliminating on-the-day negotiation. Suitable for early morning departures when taxi availability in Aqaba may be limited.
Option 3: one-way transfer with Petra by Night evening
If you plan to attend the Petra by Night experience (held Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings at 20:30, approximately 17 JOD), some operators offer a transfer from Aqaba that includes the night show and returns you to Aqaba late in the evening. This is a long day but combines transport with the most atmospheric Petra experience.
Aqaba: Petra by Night tour with private transferThis option makes sense if you only have one Jordan day and want the Petra experience without an overnight in Wadi Musa.
Option 4: self-drive rental car
If you have a rental car already (from Aqaba or from earlier in your Jordan trip), driving yourself from Aqaba to Petra is straightforward and flexible.
The Desert Highway is well-signed and fast. The Wadi Musa road — turn off at the Ma’an junction — climbs steadily for about 30 km. Navigation via Google Maps is reliable throughout. Parking at Petra is free in the large visitor centre car park.
If you are renting specifically for this journey: Aqaba Airport has car rental desks (Avis, Hertz, Europcar). Renting in Aqaba and dropping in Wadi Musa is possible but incurs a one-way drop fee with most operators (varies by company, typically 20–40 JOD). Confirm one-way policies when booking. See our Jordan car rental guide for full details.
What does NOT work: JETT bus
JETT does not operate a direct Aqaba–Petra service. The JETT network from Aqaba connects to Amman only (4–5 hours north). Petra is reached from Aqaba by taxi, private transfer, or self-drive — not by any scheduled bus service.
If you want to use JETT for your southern Jordan travel, the most practical approach is:
- JETT Amman → Aqaba (arrive in Aqaba, see Red Sea)
- Private taxi or transfer Aqaba → Petra
- JETT Petra (Wadi Musa) → Amman (return bus)
This covers the three main tourist cities using JETT for the long-haul sections and a taxi for the Aqaba–Petra link.
Aqaba to Wadi Rum, then Petra
If your itinerary includes Wadi Rum — which is between Aqaba and Petra geographically — the logical sequence is:
Aqaba → Wadi Rum (1 hour, 70 km) → Petra (1h45 from Wadi Rum, 80 km)
This way you see both Wadi Rum and Petra in one directional journey north, without backtracking. Wadi Rum village to Petra (Wadi Musa) by private taxi costs approximately 35–55 JOD.
There is also a specific transfer option for this Petra–Wadi Rum segment if you need to travel between them separately:
Petra/Wadi Musa: 1-way private transfer to/from Wadi RumTiming and planning tips
Morning departure recommended: Arrive at Petra by 8–9 AM. The Siq and Treasury before 10 AM — before the large tour groups arrive — are a different (and better) experience than midday. The first hour inside Petra is invariably the most peaceful.
Petra by Night option: If you have two evenings near Petra, the Petra by Night experience on a Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday evening is genuinely worth attending. You do not need to arrive from Aqaba on the same day as the show — stay in Wadi Musa and go.
Book your Wadi Musa hotel before departure: Petra hotels fill up during high season (March–May and September–November). Book in advance if travelling in those months. Last-minute arrivals in Wadi Musa without a reservation can struggle during peak periods.
From Petra to Amman: After Petra, most travellers continue north to Amman. JETT runs from Wadi Musa back to Amman (approximately 11 JOD, 3.5 hours). Alternatively, rent a car in Wadi Musa and drive the King’s Highway north through Karak and Madaba — one of the great road journeys in Jordan. See our King’s Highway itinerary for details.
Frequently asked questions
Is a shared taxi available from Aqaba to Petra?
Shared service taxis (servis) occasionally operate this route, but they are not reliable or predictably available. Wait times can be very long, the vehicles are older and less comfortable, and the shared-taxi route may involve changing vehicles in Ma’an or other stops. The small price saving is not worth the uncertainty for most travellers. A private taxi at 80–100 JOD for the car — often 20–25 JOD per person in a group of four — is much more practical.
Is there a ferry connection as an alternative?
No. There is no ferry between Aqaba and Petra — that is a land journey. The Aqaba ferry goes to Egypt (Nuweiba). See our Egypt–Jordan crossing guide for that option.
Can I take a day trip from Aqaba to Petra?
Yes, but it is a long day. 2 hours each way means you spend 4+ hours travelling, leaving 5–6 hours in Petra — enough to reach the Treasury, walk to the Monastery (Ad Deir), and see the main valley, but not enough for a relaxed full day. If you can, stay in Wadi Musa at least one night. Petra rewards those who arrive early and stay late.
What to see between Aqaba and Petra
The direct Aqaba–Petra route on Highway 15 is fast but scenically unremarkable — the desert plateau of the Hisma is beautiful in its own arid way, but there are limited stops that most tourists will want to make.
However, with a rental car or a cooperative private driver, two stops are worth considering:
Wadi Rum: Geographically between Aqaba and Petra (70 km from Aqaba, 80 km from Petra). If your Wadi Rum visit is on the way from Aqaba to Petra, the sequence makes natural geographic sense. Arrive from Aqaba in the morning, do a jeep tour, stay overnight in a Bedouin camp, and continue to Petra the following morning. The Wadi Rum → Petra segment (1h45) is shorter than the Aqaba → Petra direct route.
Rum Village viewpoint: Even if you are not stopping for a full Wadi Rum visit, the turnoff to Wadi Rum village offers a brief glimpse of the entry landscape — the sandstone jebels visible from the road give a preview of the desert. Worth a 10-minute stop.
Little Petra (Siq Al-Barid): About 8 km north of the main Petra visitor centre, Little Petra is a smaller version of the carved rock architecture — free to enter, significantly less crowded, and surprisingly impressive. If you arrive in the afternoon and want a taster before the full Petra visit the next morning, Little Petra is an excellent warm-up.
Travelling with luggage
The Aqaba–Petra route by taxi or private car allows normal luggage. Most taxis and transfer vehicles have adequate boot space for standard travel luggage. If you have very large bags (60L+ backpacks or multiple large suitcases), confirm luggage capacity when booking your private transfer.
If you are taking the JETT bus from Aqaba to Amman (and not going directly to Petra), luggage goes in the bus hold — standard suitcases and backpacks are handled normally.
Hotels in Wadi Musa: booking ahead
After the transfer from Aqaba, you arrive in Wadi Musa — the town directly adjacent to the Petra visitor centre. The town has hotels across all price points, from budget guesthouses (Cleopetra Hotel, Al-Anbat Hotel, Valentine Inn) to mid-range (Rocky Mountain Hotel, Petra Moon) to the single 5-star option (Mövenpick Resort Petra).
Book your hotel before leaving Aqaba during March–May and September–November. Wadi Musa hotels, particularly the mid-range options closest to the Petra entrance, fill up during these peak months. Last-minute arrivals without a reservation have been turned away from their first-choice hotels during busy periods.
Hotel location matters: Hotels in the upper Wadi Musa area (near the main road through town) are a 5–15 minute walk from the Petra visitor centre. Some hotels offer shuttle services. The Mövenpick is the closest major hotel to the entrance gate — a significant convenience when you want to be first through the gate at 7 AM.
Returning from Petra to Aqaba
The same options apply in reverse. Most visitors who travel Petra → Aqaba do so either to fly out of Aqaba Airport (Royal Jordanian connects to Amman, and some charter/regional flights exist) or to spend a final night in Aqaba before an early Nuweiba ferry or Wadi Araba crossing to Israel.
For the Petra → Aqaba taxi, you will typically find taxis at the Wadi Musa bus station area and at your hotel. Your hotel reception can arrange a driver for you — convenient for early morning departures when taxis may not be waiting outside.
Petra → Aqaba by JETT (indirect): JETT runs from Wadi Musa back to Amman. If you need to get to Aqaba from Petra using public transport, you would take JETT to Amman (3.5 hours) and then a separate JETT Amman → Aqaba (4.5 hours) — an 8-hour journey for what a direct taxi does in 2 hours. Not recommended.