Jordan is compact. The distance from Amman to Aqaba — the full length of the country — is roughly 330 km and takes about 3.5 hours on the Desert Highway. There is no domestic train service worth mentioning for tourists, no metro system outside Amman, and intercity coach services are limited to a handful of useful routes. What you have instead is a menu of transport options with genuinely different trade-offs in cost, comfort, and flexibility.
This guide covers every realistic option for tourist travel in Jordan — self-drive rental, JETT buses, Careem, taxis, and private drivers — with honest assessments of each and typical prices verified in 2026.
The Jordan transport reality
Jordan has no rail network for tourists. The Hejaz Railway — the historic Ottoman-era line — runs a very limited tourist excursion service out of Amman on select Fridays, but it is a heritage attraction, not a way to get from A to B. For practical purposes, Jordan is a road-travel country.
The good news is that roads are generally well-maintained. The Desert Highway (Highway 15) runs straight and fast from Amman to Aqaba with good signage and periodic fuel stops. The King’s Highway — the scenic alternative along the ridge of the Jordanian highlands — is slower but spectacular. Signage throughout the country includes both Arabic and Latin script, so navigation is manageable even without Arabic.
Traffic in Amman can be significant, particularly during morning and evening rush hours and on Friday afternoons when families are on the move. Outside the capital, traffic thins quickly except in Wadi Musa (the town adjacent to Petra) during peak tourist season.
Option 1: renting a car
Renting a car is the most popular choice for independent travellers in Jordan, and for good reason. With a car you can set your own schedule, stop at roadside viewpoints along the King’s Highway, explore the desert castles of the east without negotiating prices, and arrive at Petra or Wadi Rum whenever suits you.
Costs: Standard rental rates in 2026 run from about 50 JOD per day for a compact car to 80 JOD for a mid-size SUV, before insurance. Comprehensive insurance — strongly recommended — adds 20–30 JOD per day. Budget for fuel: a full trip from Amman to Petra, Wadi Rum, and back will use about 60–80 litres in a standard car.
Operators: All major international operators — Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Europcar — have desks at Queen Alia International Airport and offices in Amman. Local operators (Reliable, Oryx, Rent-a-Reliable) tend to be cheaper but with less predictable service quality if something goes wrong.
Licence requirements: An International Driving Permit (IDP) is technically required to rent and drive in Jordan alongside your home licence. In practice, rental companies and police checkpoints rarely enforce this strictly, but you should have one — the risk of a fine without it exists. IDPs are cheap and easy to obtain from your national automobile association before travel.
Road conditions: The Desert Highway and King’s Highway are both paved and well-maintained. Some roads to desert castles (Qasr Amra, Qasr Kharana) require a short stretch of rough tarmac or flat desert track but are passable in a standard car. Wadi Rum village is paved; the desert itself is Jeep territory.
Parking: Amman city parking is frustrating. The old downtown (Al-Balad) has almost no dedicated parking; expect to use metered on-street spaces or pay car parks. Petra (Wadi Musa) and Wadi Rum have large free parking areas. Aqaba has ample parking throughout.
Avoid driving at night on rural roads if possible. Animals — sheep, camels, and donkeys — wander onto unlit roads, and the lack of roadside lighting makes this a genuine hazard.
Option 2: JETT intercity bus
JETT — Jordan Express Tourist Transport — is the country’s main long-distance bus operator and the best budget option for the two most-travelled tourist routes.
Routes that work for tourists:
- Amman (7th Circle terminal) → Petra (Wadi Musa): approximately 3.5 hours, 11 JOD one-way
- Amman (7th Circle terminal) → Aqaba: approximately 4–5 hours, 11 JOD one-way
- Amman → Eilat border crossing (Sheikh Hussein / King Hussein Bridge): available but less frequent
How to book: via jett.com.jo up to 24 hours before departure. You can also buy tickets in person at the Amman terminal (7th Circle) or at the Wadi Musa Visitor Center area terminal. Booking ahead is advisable in high season (March–May, September–November) as buses fill.
Comfort: JETT coaches are modern, air-conditioned, and reliable. They run on schedule. There are overhead racks for luggage. You get an assigned seat.
What JETT is not: a comprehensive network. There are no direct JETT services to Wadi Rum, Jerash, Madaba, or the Dead Sea from Amman. For those destinations, you need a taxi, car, or organised tour.
Local buses: Minibuses (servis) connect many Jordanian towns at very low fares (0.5–2 JOD) but are slow, depart when full rather than on schedule, and routes change. They are not recommended for tourists with limited time.
Option 3: Careem
Careem — owned by Uber since 2019 — is the dominant ride-hailing app in the Middle East and operates in Amman, Zarqa, and Aqaba, with limited coverage in some other cities.
How it works: Download the app, register a card or use cash, and book a ride. Prices are calculated upfront. Careem is the most transparent and foreigner-friendly taxi option in Jordan.
Cost in Amman: A typical city ride in Amman (Abdali to Weibdeh, or downtown to 7th Circle) costs 3–6 JOD. Airport to downtown runs about 22–28 JOD. These figures are comparable to metered taxi rates when meters are used correctly — but with Careem you know the price before you get in.
Availability: Careem works reliably in central Amman and Aqaba during daylight hours. Wait times are typically 5–10 minutes. Coverage thins significantly outside these cities. There is no Careem in Petra, Wadi Rum, or Madaba.
Option 4: conventional taxis
Yellow taxis are ubiquitous in Amman and available in most Jordanian towns. They are cheap, but interactions can be complicated for first-time visitors.
Meters: All Amman taxis are legally required to use the meter. In practice, many drivers will offer a fixed price first — often 50–100% above what the meter would show. The correct response is to get in and ask them to start the meter (“ala el-asas” in Arabic, or simply point at the meter). Most will comply. If a driver refuses the meter and the offered price seems unreasonable, get out and flag another.
Airport and tourist routes: At Queen Alia Airport, Petra, and Aqaba, fixed-price taxis are common. Ask the price before you get in and agree in advance. From the airport to central Amman, a reasonable fixed price is 25–30 JOD. At peak times or late at night, you may be quoted 35–40 JOD.
Taxis in smaller towns: In Wadi Musa, Aqaba, and Madaba, taxis typically operate on negotiated fixed prices. Get the price before entering. Have small bills ready — 5 and 10 JOD notes.
Option 5: private driver
Hiring a private driver with a vehicle is the most comfortable and arguably the most practical option for seeing multiple sites in a day, particularly if you are travelling as a couple or small group where the per-person cost becomes reasonable.
What it includes: A typical private driver arrangement (120–150 USD per day) includes the driver, the vehicle (usually a comfortable SUV or saloon), fuel, and the driver’s meal. Entrance fees and the driver’s accommodation (if overnight) are separate.
What you get: A knowledgeable local who knows the roads, can communicate with Bedouin camp hosts and local guides, will wait while you explore, and can adapt the day’s itinerary as you go. Many private drivers in Jordan are also informal guides with good knowledge of the sites.
How to arrange: Through your hotel (simplest, but often 20–30% more expensive), through tour operators in Amman or online, or through GetYourGuide.
From Amman: private driver and car service for 1–8 daysOne-off transfers: For a single journey — airport to Petra, or Aqaba to Wadi Rum — a private transfer is a cost-effective alternative to a full-day driver hire.
Airport transfer to and from AmmanChoosing what’s right for your trip
| Situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| Road-tripping Jordan at your own pace | Rent a car |
| Amman → Petra or Amman → Aqaba on a budget | JETT bus |
| Getting around Amman city | Careem |
| Families or seniors who want comfort without driving | Private driver |
| Solo traveller, flexible budget | Mix: JETT + car hire at destination |
| Short trip, 3–5 days, maximum sites | Private driver |
Getting from Amman to the main destinations
Amman → Petra: 3 hours on the Desert Highway (fastest), 4+ hours via the King’s Highway (scenic). JETT bus: 11 JOD, 3.5 hours. Taxi/transfer: 60–80 JOD.
Amman → Aqaba: 3.5–4 hours via Desert Highway. JETT bus: 11 JOD, 4.5 hours. Flight (Royal Jordanian): about 50 minutes, 50–90 JOD.
Amman → Wadi Rum: No direct public transport. From Aqaba or Wadi Musa by taxi (15–25 JOD from either). From Amman: private transfer or car rental.
Amman → Dead Sea: About 1 hour by car. No reliable public transport from Amman to the resort hotels. Taxi or private transfer, approximately 20–30 JOD.
Amman → Jerash: 50 minutes by car or minibus. Minibuses from Amman’s North Bus Station (Tabarbour): about 1 JOD each way, departing when full.
Aqaba → Petra: 2 hours by car (130 km). No direct JETT service. Taxi: 80–100 JOD. Private transfer: 100–120 JOD. See our dedicated Aqaba to Petra transfer guide.
Internal transport within destinations
At Petra: No motorised vehicles are permitted on the main visitor trail. The 1.2 km walk to the Treasury through the Siq is on foot. A horse carriage runs the entrance road (the “tourist road” before the Siq) for an additional fee — typically 5–20 JOD depending on your negotiating ability. Donkeys are available for steep sections. Electric carts can carry visitors with limited mobility from the visitor centre toward the Treasury for approximately 50 JOD — book in advance at the visitor centre.
At Wadi Rum: All exploration is by 4×4 Jeep with a Bedouin guide. This is the only practical way to reach the main formations. Tours are bookable from the visitor centre or pre-arranged through camps.
In Aqaba: Taxis and Careem operate within the city. Distances are short — most hotels, the waterfront, and the dive centres are within a 3 km radius.
Fuel, tolls, and costs to know
Fuel in Jordan is sold by the litre. Petrol (gasoline) runs approximately 0.85–0.95 JOD/litre; diesel slightly less. Full service is standard at most stations — an attendant pumps the fuel for you.
Tolls exist on the Desert Highway at several points, totalling approximately 1.5–3 JOD for the full Amman–Aqaba run. Keep small change handy.
Roadside services on the Desert Highway include fuel stations every 40–60 km, plus truck stops with basic food. The King’s Highway has fewer services; fill up before heading south from Madaba.
Frequently asked questions
Is public transport good enough for a complete Jordan trip?
It depends on your itinerary. JETT handles the two main tourist corridors efficiently. But Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, Jerash, and the desert castles are all difficult or impossible to reach by public transport. For a complete Jordanian loop — Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba — a rented car or private driver is more practical than cobbling together public options.
Can I use Google Maps or Waze in Jordan?
Yes, both work reliably in Jordan. Google Maps is more complete for smaller roads and destinations. Mobile data coverage is good on the Desert Highway and in cities; more variable on the King’s Highway through Dana and the remote southern plateau. Download offline maps before you travel to the more remote areas.
Is driving in Jordan difficult?
Jordan drives on the right, uses Arabic and Latin road signs, and has relatively light traffic outside Amman. The main difficulty is Amman itself — the city’s hilly topography makes for complex intersections and poor lane discipline. If you are uncomfortable driving in busy Mediterranean or Middle Eastern cities, consider arriving in Amman and immediately leaving by JETT or private driver, then renting a car only in Aqaba or Wadi Musa where driving is simpler.
Are there Jordan rail passes or similar multi-mode passes?
No. Jordan does not have rail passes, bus passes, or tourist transport cards. Each journey is paid separately. The Jordan Pass covers entry to attractions (including Petra) and visa fees, but not transport.
How do I get from Petra to Wadi Rum?
Taxis from Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum village run 35–50 JOD for the journey (about 1h45). Private transfers can be arranged through your Petra hotel or through online platforms. There is no direct JETT service between the two. See our Aqaba to Petra guide for more on southern Jordan transport options.