Amman Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Bus

Tickets for private buses should be booked at least one day in advance.

Private coaches

The domestic JETT office (5664146; Al-Malek al-Hussein St, Shmeisani) is about 500m northwest of the Abdali bus station. Services to Petra and Hammat Ma'in have been cut in recent years but it might be worth asking if they've been reinstated. There are currently five buses daily to Aqaba (JD4.300, four hours) between 7am and 5pm and one bus to King Hussein Bridge (JD6.500, one hour, 6.30am), for crossings into Israel & the Palestinian Territories.

Trust International Transport (581 3427) has seven daily buses to Aqaba (JD5, four hours) between 7.30am and 7pm. All buses leave from the office inconveniently located at 7th Circle, near the Safeway shopping centre - it's best to charter a taxi to/from downtown. Trust also has a booking office (4644627) at the Abdali bus station.

Afana (4614611) is a slightly less reliable private company with five departures a day to Aqaba (JD3.500) between 7am and 7pm from its office next to the JETT International office.

Hijazi (4638110) has regular buses to Irbid (870 fils, 1½ hours) from Abdali station.

Car

Listed are some of the more reliable car-rental agencies. Most take major credit cards and offer cars no more than three years old. Most companies have an office at Abdullah Gardens, where there is a collection of around 50 car-rental companies, allowing you to shop around and compare prices. Charges, conditions and insurance costs (and waiver fees in case of accident) can vary considerably; most don't include 16% tax. The smaller companies offer compact cars for as low as JD15 per day but aren't as reliable as the bigger players listed here:

Avis(5699420, 24hr 777-397405; www.avis.com.jo; King Abdullah Gardens) Branches at the airport, Hotel Le Royal and Hotel InterContinental. Daily rate from JD30. Free drop off at King Hussein Bridge or the airport; elsewhere JD25.

Budget (5698131; budget@go.com.jo; 125 Abdul Hameed Sharaf St) Charges from JD25 per day including unlimited kilometres and theft insurance.

Eagle Rent-a-Car (5693399, 24hr 079 5546021; eaglerentacar@wanadoo.jo; Abdul Hameed Sharaf St) Rates start from JD25 per day with unlimited kilometres, plus JD7 Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) per day.

Europcar (5655581; Isam Al-Ajlouni St; www.europcar.jo) Branches at Radisson SAS and Abdullah Gardens. Weekly hire JD140, CDW JD10 per day, free drop in Aqaba. Contact Jeff Abdel Massih.

Firas Car Rental (4612927, 079 5846454; alamo@nets.com.jo; 1st Circle) Rates are JD25 to JD28 per day with unlimited kilometres. CDW is JD7 per day. Firas is the agent for Alamo Car Rental.

Hertz(5624191, 24hr line at airport 4711771; www.hertz.com; King Abdullah Gardens). Offices at the airport, Grand Hyatt & Sheraton. Daily/weekly rates JD35/210. CDW costs JD10 per day with no deductible, or JD7 with a deductible of JD100. Drop off at offices in Aqaba, Petra or Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort cost JD20.

National Car Rental (/fax 5601350, 24hr line 079 5591731; www.1stjordan.net/national) Offices in Amman Marriott, Le Meridien & Shepherd Hotels. Charges are from JD25 per day (including CDW); daily/weekly rates around JD30/200.

Reliable Rent-a-Car (5929676, 079 5521358; www.reliable.com.jo; 19 Fawzi al-Qawoaji St, Abdoun) Cars JD20 to JD25, CDW JD5 extra. Offers free drop off and pick up in Madaba and the airport, will deliver the car to you anywhere in Amman and even drive you to the edge of town if you are nervous about Amman traffic. Baby seats are available. You can reserve online; contact Mohammed Hallak.

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Air

Amman is the main arrival and departure point for international flights, although some touch down in Aqaba as well.

Royal Jordanian Airlines head office (5607300; www.rja.com.jo; Al-Malekah Noor St) is inconveniently located in the Housing Bank Centre (9th floor) in Shmeisani. There are more convenient offices in the Jordan InterContinental(4644267; fax 4642152) and along Al-Malek al-Hussein St (/fax 5663525), up from the Abdali bus station.

The Royal Jordanian subsidiary, Royal Wings(4875201; fax 4875656), has an office at Marka Airport, but it's easier to book and confirm tickets at any Royal Jordanian office in town.

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