Yemen: Getting there & around

Yemen is served by flights from most of western Europe, Russia, north, south and east Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The majority of flights arrive and leave from San'a's airport.

Buses travel to Saudi Arabia and to the Oman border (and further afield, but distances are long and journeys are slow).

There are no non-commercial ferry services to/from Yemen, and it's very difficult to hitch a ride on a cargo boat. If you hire a car, you can drive from Oman through Salalah or from Saudi Arabia along the Tihama road, but leave plenty of time for bureaucracy.

Yemenia, the national airline, offers plenty of internal flights in Yemen if you're in a hurry and can spare the cash. Note that flights are considerably cheaper if booked in Yemen and not through an agency or over the internet.

At the time of writing, a travel permit was required by all tourists travelling to any place outside San'a and its immediate environs. Though travel permits are free, there's a catch: they are only issued to tourists travelling with a travel agency (Yemeni or foreign). In other words, independent travel is currently not on the cards. The ban should be lifted in the near future. When it is, buses travel along all major asphalt roads. You need to buy a ticket beforehand at the terminal or at a major stop. Taxis run on predetermined routes but without timetables - when they're full, they leave. Taxis travel most bus routes but also run on unpaved roads. You'll pay up to 50% more than you would on a bus. You can also hire private taxis. Rental cars generally come with their own drivers and are hired at travel agencies.