Jordan Travel Guide

Jordan — Travel Tips

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Social Conventions

Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Jordanians are proud of their Arab culture and hospitality is a matter of great importance. Visitors are made to feel very welcome and Jordanians are happy to act as hosts and guides, keen to inform tourists about their traditions and culture. Islam always plays an important role in society and it is essential that Muslim beliefs are respected. Arabic coffee will normally be served continuously during social occasions. To signal that no more is wanted, slightly tilt the cup when handing it back, otherwise it will be refilled. If invited for dinner, a small gift is customarily given. Women are expected to dress modestly and beachwear must only be worn at the beach or poolside.

Photography: It is polite to ask permission to take photographs of people and livestock; in some places photography is forbidden.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

The national airline is Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) (www.rj.com).

Departure Tax

None - included in ticket. Jordanian nationals need to pay JD20 on international departures.

Main Airports

Queen Alia International (AMM) is 35km (22 miles) southeast of the capital. To/from the airport: The airport is connected by a good highway (journey time - 40 minutes). There is a regular bus service to Amman (journey time - 50 minutes), and taxis are also available. Facilities: Duty-free shops, ATMs, bank/bureau de change, eating and shopping facilities and car hire.

Getting There By Water

The only port is Aqaba (tel: (03) 201 4031; www.aqabaports.com.jo), which is on some cruise itineraries. There is a daily car and passenger ferry between Aqaba and Nuweiba in Egypt, run by AB Maritime (tel: (03) 209 2000; website: www.abmaritime.com.jo); the company also operates a high-speed service to Nuweiba that takes less than one hour.

Departure tax: JD5 for foreigners and JD6 for Jordanian nationals.

Getting There By Rail

The Hejaz Railway (tel: (06) 489 5414; www.jhr.gov.jo) operates twice a week on the old Ottoman track between Amman and Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic). It uses ancient rolling stock and takes about nine hours. It is really only worth making the journey for the experience. The journey by car takes about half the time.

Getting There By Road

There are roads into the Syrian Arab Republic via Ramtha or Jaber. The route to/from the Syrian Arab Republic to Western Europe is through Turkey. Driving time from Amman to Damascus is four hours. From Egypt, there is a ferry connection from Nuweiba to Aqaba, with bus connections from Cairo (visa should be obtained in advance). Multiple-entry visas may be needed.

A coach service runs from Damascus to Irbid or Amman. JETT (tel: (06) 585 4679; www.jett.com.jo) is one of the main operators.

There is a share-taxi service from Amman to Damascus.

Public buses and coaches run from Amman to a number of international destinations, including Cairo, Jeddah, Riyadh, Damascus, Beirut, Baghdad and Istanbul. With a visa, obtained in advance, it's also possible to enter the Palestinian National Authority Region at Allenby Bridge. Border crossings with Israel are at Sheikh Hussein Bridge (Jordan River Crossing) near Lake Tiberias in the north and Wadi Arabah (Arava Crossing) in the south, the latter linking Jordan to the Israeli Red Sea resort of Eilat. Most nationalities can obtain a visa at the border (for information see Passport/Visa).

Road departure tax: JD4.

Duty Free

Overview

The following goods may be imported into Jordan by people 18 years of age and older without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars or 200g of tobacco (a charge of JD3.75 for each additional 200 cigarettes, up to a maximum of 2,000).
• 1L of alcohol (a charge of JD2.91 for each additional liter, up to a maximum of 4l).
• One or two opened bottles of perfume and a reasonable amount of eau-de-cologne or lotion in opened bottles for personal use only.
• Gifts up to the value of JD50 or the equivalent of US$150.

Restricted Items: Firearms, sporting guns and other weapons require prior approval from both country of origin and destination. They may be carried as checked baggage only.

Prohibited Imports

Narcotics.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

Royal Wings (www.royalwings.com.jo) operates regular flights from Amman to Aqaba. It is also possible to hire executive jets and helicopters.

Getting Around By Rail

There is no longer a public railway service to Aqaba.

Getting Around By Road

There are three main arteries: the Desert Highway from Irbid to Aqaba (dual carriageway); the Dead Sea Highway (mostly single carriageway) from the Dead Sea to Aqaba, and the Kings' Highway, from Amman to Wadi Mousa. These roads are reasonable but the traffic is often fast and erratic. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is needed to drive off-road in the Eastern Desert and in the desert surrounding Wadi Rum. All motorists should carry water in the summer and warm clothes in the winter.

Bus: Services are efficient and cheap. JETT (tel: (06) 585 4679; www.jett.com.jo) and Rum Tourist Transport (tel: (06) 429 0333; www.rumtt.com) both operate modern, air-conditioned fleets.

Taxi: All taxis operate a meter and can be hired for the day. Share-taxi service to all towns on fixed routes is also available and can be hired for private use. Share-taxis to Petra should be booked in advance owing to demand. Tips of around 10% are appreciated. Note that taxis often display the fare in fils rather than dinars and if you mistake one for the other, no-one is likely to correct you.

Car hire: Major international car hire companies and a number of local companies operate services in the main towns, including Amman and Aqaba; car hire is also available from hotels and travel agents. Drivers are available for the day.

Emergency breakdown service: In case of breakdown, contact the Royal Automobile Club of Jordan (tel: (06) 585 0626; www.racj.com).

Regulations: Traffic drives on the right. Speed limits are 60kph (38mph) in cities, 80kph (50mph) on country roads and 120kph (75mph) on motorways. There are frequent passport controls along and around the Dead Sea Highway and you are advised to keep your passport with you at all times. The minimum driving age is 18 years. The wearing of seat belts for all car passengers is mandatory.

Documentation: National driving licenses are accepted if they have been issued at least one year before travel. However, an International Driving Permit is recommended. Visitors are not allowed to drive a vehicle with normal Jordanian plates unless they have a Jordanian driving license.

Note: it is advisable to keep your passport to hand when using routes which go near the Israeli border (and even when sailing in the Red Sea without a guide).

Getting Around Towns and Cities

There are conventional buses and extensive fixed-route ‘servis' (share-taxis, most seating up to seven) in Amman and other main cities. The ‘servis' are licensed, with a standard fare scale, but there are no fixed pick-up or set-down points. Vehicles often fill up at central or outer terminal points and then run non-stop.