Lebanon Taxis and Car Rental
Renting a car in Lebanon is possible, but most visitors choose to get one with a local driver. Travelers wanting to go independently will need to make this clear when ordering a vehicle as it is more uncommon. Most of the large cities have international car rental companies such as Avis, Hertz, Budget, and Europcar. While convenient, car rental is the most expensive mode of transportation in Lebanon. Of late, fuel prices have increased dramatically and the condition of the roads is poor, as is the quality of local driving.
Shared taxis are one of the most common modes of getting around and between cities. Intercity taxis operate throughout the country and while most of them have set routes, there are no set prices so negotiate before departure. Shared taxis usually carry a maximum of six passengers on long journeys. Taxis that operate within a city, however, have fixed rates and can simply be flagged down on the side of the road. These can be recognized by their red license plates.
Lebanon Trains and Buses
There is no train network in the country, but the bus system is popular with locals and tourists alike. While buses are frequently used, they are not as popular as the shared taxis. Inter-city buses operate throughout the country, with buses traveling north leaving from Charles Helou Station and those traveling to south departing from Cola Station in Beirut. Inner-city buses outside of Beirut tend to be scarcer and less frequent in more remote areas.
While the lack of train lines may be inconvenient, the country is quite small and many areas can be navigated by bicycle. Many hotels offer bikes for rent, but cyclists should be aware that Lebanon is not a particularly bike-friendly country. Most cities do not have bicycle lanes and traffic conditions, especially in Beirut, can be heavily congested and dangerous.