Planning my trip to Jordan was incredibly challenging because their transportation system is kind of tricky. Unfortunately, there aren’t many options; be it bus lines, daily rides, or a variety of means of transportation. And as a result, planning my trip and putting my itinerary together before actually traveling was super challenging and confusing. That being said, I wrote the following guide to help you understand transportation in Jordan so you could have a better trip planning experience than mine and travel with ease. 

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How to Get Around in Amman

First things first, let’s talk about Amman, Jordan’s capital city where you’ll be making an inevitable stop that you surely won’t regret. And since it’s a pretty small country, Amman is also going to be your home base where you’ll be taking day trips from, and possibly a pitstop if you’re planning a long road trip. That’s why it’s as equally important to know how to get around in Amman as well.

On foot

One of the best ways to commute in Amman is on foot. The city’s traffic is insane despite its small size, so walking from point A to point B is very convenient since a lot of hot spots are a walking distance from one another. 

Luckily, Amman is a very scenic city with lots of incredible views and wonderful street art. There are also endless hidden gems in every corner of the city. So, if you’re a photographer or an explorer, you’ll definitely enjoy walking around the streets of Amman. The only downside is that Amman is full of hills, so expect endless stairs and steep roads. However, if you look at the full half of the glass, it’s great exercise!

Taxi

If you’re going somewhere far, you can opt for a taxi ride. Just make sure the meter is working before hopping in, and pay attention to it – a ride within Amman should not cost you more than 2-3 JOD. 

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Ride-hailing apps

My preferred means of transportation in Jordan were Uber and Careem, the available ride-hailing apps in the country. Any ride shouldn’t cost you more than 2-3 JOD and you could pay by card if you wish. Just make sure you give yourself enough time to request a ride because captains may not show up or cancel on you frequently – which is, unfortunately, quite common with Uber drivers around the world. 

Renting a car

In my opinion, driving in Amman can be a living hell and I wouldn’t really recommend it. Traffic is too much for such a small city and finding a parking spot isn’t easy either. So, I honestly think it’s less of a hassle to walk or take an Uber or taxi, and it’s also much cheaper. If you’d drive in Jordan, it would only make sense if you’re traveling around the country but not for commuting within the city. I’ll tell you more about renting a car in Jordan in the next section. 

Public buses

Does Amman have public transportation? Yes, of course, the city has its fleet of buses. I’ve heard they’re generally clean and that there are 27 routes around the city. However, I haven’t tried them myself when I was in Amman. 

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Traveling Around Jordan

Transportation in Jordan via Bus

The main company for transportation in Jordan is JETT – this is one of the most convenient and budget-friendly transportation options in Jordan. JETT offers several lines to major cities and touristy towns. The buses are also relatively clean and affordable, but the downside is that there aren’t always many rides during the day – there’s only one bus a day for most of the lines.

An even cheaper option is the local buses, which are mostly microbuses in Jordan. However, the downside to those is that there’s no schedule – buses only move when they’re full. It can be pretty random and may include a long wait. 

Hiring a driver/taxi

Jordan is a very small country, so getting around in a car is easy. If you’re a solo traveler and can put together a group at your hostel, you can hire a private driver with his own car to drive you somewhere. It can be done for a day trip or a one-way ride, and your hostel can easily organize this for you as they probably work with drivers for their group tours. 

Another way to find a driver is to simply hire a taxi or Uber driver – a lot of them offer this service on rides with foreign passengers. If you do opt for this option, just make sure you carefully select a driver that you feel comfortable and safe around. You can ask to see their driver’s license or ID, check their ratings on the ride-hailing app if they’re on one, and of course, follow your gut feeling based on your conversation with them.

Renting a car in Jordan

If you’d like to travel at your own pace, you could consider renting a car. However, if you’re traveling alone and have no one to split the cost with, it can be too pricey for a solo traveler. Car rentals in Jordan are expensive – they’re around 25-40 JOD per day on average – as insurance isn’t optional in Jordan and must be included in the price. As for the cost of gas, it’s around 1.18 JOD a liter for gasoline 95. And generally, the roads are pretty easy to navigate, serviced, and well-constructed. 

In Conclusion…

My advice about transportation in Jordan? Pre-plan your rides with the information you have so you could put together an itinerary if you need to, but DON’T PRE-BOOK! Leave room for spontaneity because winging it can actually lead to better plans. 

For instance, instead of booking a bus from Amman to Wadi Rum and from Wadi Rum to Petra, I ended up planning a road trip with people I met at the hostel. They happened to have the same itinerary as mine, and one of them was a local and he already had a car, so we saved money on that, and we just split the cost of gas among the 4 of us. This was actually a bit cheaper than the bus tickets combined ANDDD was so much fun. 

So, do your research in advance and have plans for each route and trip, but don’t book your bus tickets or hire a driver before actually traveling to Jordan. You never know, you might find a cheaper ride or even a free one.

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Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance!

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You might also like:

• What to Wear in Jordan: Solo Travel Girl FAQ Answered
• Is the Jordan Pass Worth It? Here’s a Breakdown
• Underrated Things to Do in Amman – Full City Guide

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