Aqaba Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Bus

From Aqaba to Amman it's worth paying for the comfort, speed and air-conditioning of a JETT or Trust private bus. Try to book tickets for these at least a day in advance. Buses for both companies leave from outside their respective offices.

From the JETT bus office (2015223; King Hussein St), next to the Mövenpick Hotel, buses run five times daily to Amman (JD4.300, four hours), between 7am and 5pm. The office is a 10-minute walk from the centre.

Trust International Transport (2039480; Just off An-Nahda St) has six daily buses to Amman (JD5, four hours), the first at 7.30am and the last at 6pm. There are also buses to Irbid (JD8, 5½ hours) at 8.30am, 10.30am and 3.30pm.

Ordinary public buses travel between the main bus/minibus station in Aqaba and Amman's Wahadat station (JD3.500, five hours) about every hour between 7am and 3pm, sometimes later. Afana has services about every hour between 7am and 10pm from Aqaba bus station to Abdali station in Amman.

There is talk of moving the bus station to the northern outskirts of Aqaba.

Car

Aqaba has branches of all the major car-hire agencies. Most charge a 'drop fee' (JD25) if you wish to leave the car in Amman or at Queen Alia International Airport. Hiring in Aqaba makes some sense as public transport in the south of the country is less frequent and requires more connections than in the north. Aqaba is also far easier to drive around than Amman.

If you are a nervous driver it's worth paying the 'collision damage waiver' (CDW) where available, which means you pay nothing additional in the case of an accident.

Al-Cazar Car Rental (2014131; alcsea@alcazar.com.jo; An-Nahda St) Reliable agency that charges from JD35 per day with unlimited kilometres, plus JD5 for CDW.

Avis (2022883; avis@go.com.jo; King Hussein St) Charges from JD30 per day for a couple of days' hire, with unlimited kilometres; 4WDs cost JD90. CDW costs JD7 per day. Located inside the Housing Bank Centre.

Europcar (2019988; An-Nahda St) From JD25 to JD30 per day, plus JD7 for CDW.

Hertz (2016206; hertz@go.com.jo; An-Nahda St) From JD35 per day with unlimited kilometres. Strangely, paying the JD10 per day CDW still leaves you with US$100 to pay in the event of an accident.

Thrifty (2030313; An-Nahda St) Opposite the Al-Cazar Hotel.

You may be faced with a brief customs check as you enter the Aqaba Special Economic Zone by road from the north.

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Boat

There are two daily boat services to Nuweiba in Egypt.

There is no real need to buy your ticket in advance as they never sell out (except perhaps during the haj; just purchase the ticket at the ferry terminal when departing.

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Air

Aqaba has Jordan's only commercial airport (2012111) outside Amman, although it only awakes from its slumber when a flight is about to leave or arrive. There are weekly international flights to Paris and Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt. Located 10km north of town.

Royal Jordanian(2014477; www.rja.com.jo; Ash-Sherif al-Hussein bin Ali St; 9am-5pm Sun-Thu) Operates flights to Amman's Queen Alia International Airport on Friday and Saturday. This is the place to buy, confirm or change Royal Jordanian or Royal Wings air tickets. Tickets to Amman cost JD39 one way.

Royal Wings (www.royalwings.com.jo) A subsidiary of Royal Jordanian, flies between Aqaba and Amman's Marka airport twice daily.

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