Driving and parking in Amman

How difficult is it to drive and park in Amman? I'm thinking about hiring a rental for my trip. I'm staying around University of Jordan for one night then driving south for Petra, Wadi Rum, and Aqaba.

I know one's judgment is relative so I'll provide you with a picture of what I'm used to. I'm American but I'm comfortable driving in European and East Asian urban traffic.

Thanks in advance!

No problem driving and parcking a car in Amman.It is a very organised city when it comes to traffic rulles.

Um, yes. Finding one's way about is something else, though! By-passes, underpasses, overpasses.....

Oops im sorry I hv forgotton that not every body can read road signs in Arabic .Its easy for me ,who can read arabic and folloow road map,and knows the city a bit.

I thought driving in Amman was easy, compared to Brussels...

The majority of roads signs ie 90% are in English / Arabic

During the period 0800-1900 hrs you might find the University area
busy with traffic. Other than that its quietish !! Friday is a quiet day
and Saturday half / half.

If you are going from the University area to Petra - it will be easy and
you have a choice . . . either go towards Sweilah/Jerash direction (about
2 kilometre distance and then turn left into Medina Tabiyeh Street (signposted the AIRPORT) probably - you will just keep going straight all the way to the desert road or the dead sea road (whichever route you want to take to
Petra.

Alternatively, you can go through West Amman Al Medina Al Munawara
Street towards the 7th circle and then proceed towards the airport signs
(same road as above) - you might find it a bit tricky to get back on
Medina street depending upon which side of the University you are on.

Parking is relatively easy in most side streets.

You will manage fine - really !

Thank you all for the information! Let me know if anyone ever need help with Washington, DC, New York City, Los Angeles, Taipei, or Santiago de Chile.

I arrive extremely early on a Monday morning and am staying the night with a friend at the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR). I'm told ACOR is right next to the University of Jordan (Which is off route 15 if my reading of google map is correct? But it's hard for me to tell since I'm not used to the Jordanian system of street addresses. Everyone seem to use postal boxes as addresses). From there we're heading to Petra, Rum, and Aqaba.

I have an unplanned day the morning (Monday) I arrive. Is it sensible to have a day trip from QAIA straight to Madaba or Jerash, then return to Amman after 19:00hr when traffic is lighter? It seems to make little sense for me to spend the day in Amman traffic rather than seeing the country.

I've only 6 1/2 days in Jordan so I'm quite torn about places I'd like to be. Up to me I'd spend the whole time in Wadi Rum's desert solitude. But I can't really justify missing Petra while in Jordan.

Will you be picking the car direct from the airport ?
If so - you might need to get your friend to help you
find ACOR (which sits on a hill overlooking the University)
and isn't probably that easy to find for you. Apart from
main roads where the names of the streets are used -
not many people use street names. They kinda use land
marks ie next to MacDonalds, opposite the post office etc.

I don't know about the google thingy but if you ask anyone
in Amman for Route 15 they won't know what the hell you're
on about . . ha haa !

Post Boxes are no indication of where a house is. These PO
boxes are all in the Post Office.

I guess your first day actually depends upon what time you arrive.
If its 3am - then there's no point - everything will be closed.
Jerash is only about 35 minutes from ACOR - as is Madaba.

As you have a car - then you can see many of these places.
Most of them are very quiet - if you want to feel like the guy
in Legend (the last man on the Planet) go to the Panorama
overlooking the Dead Sea - its very l o n e l y !!! Lovely, peaceful
view of the Dead Sea and Palestine and the sun set. If you pass
another car on the road you are lucky.

Jordan is very small by comparison - see as much as you can.
Driving will be a doddle for you - compared to LA - its a piece of cake
at the busiest of times.

You could ask your friend to mark ACOR for you on Google Earth.

Mesha,

Thanks for the clarification. I'm arriving at QAIA at 4am. I am assuming that it'll take me at least an hour to clear immigration, customs, and fetch my pack from the luggage transfer. I requested for the rental agency to meet me at 5am.

Thanks for the suggestion about the Panorama overlooking the Dead Sea. I was trying to figure out a time to see the Dead Sea (I can feel like I'm a little bit closer to home since I grew up camping in Death Valley, the lowest point in the U.S. , during the winter). Perhaps going there for the sunrise would be nice. I was also thinking that if I can negotiate the rental agency to meet me at QAIA that early, I would drive to Madaba and find a good place for tea and breakfast. I'm circumnavigating the world in 14 days. A little food and down time wouldn't hurt! Perhaps my friend can come out to join me outside of Amman a day early.

Thanks also for the suggestion about asking my ACOR friend to meet me. I'm comfortable driving in traffic. But just would hate to get lost in roads I don't know. So far, I found the Jordanian system of identifying locations both charming and challenging.

Also,

Does anybody know the reputation of car rental agencies? I've inquired with Monte Carlo, Reliable, and Omaish. Omaish came out the cheapest but I would hate to break down halfway down the King's Hwy.

Many thanks for all the great advice.

Cheers,

Just would like more info

ACOR have a map that they faxed to me the first time I went theree - and I still got lost! Perhaps your friend could send it to you?

I have a number of recommendations for Reliable and Monte Carlo is also good but sorry, I don't know the other one.

Actually - nothing much moves until around 0700 and maybe most
places don't open until 8 or 9 !! If you are thinking of breakfast before
that time - then it would probably have to be in a hotel. (You can go
and have breakfast in any hotel) - Movepick at the Dead Sea do a very
nice open buffet type breakfast for about $25 US.

The Panorama has a museum and a very nice restaurant (but not sure
if its open that early) because they open until late night. There you
can have an assortment of local breakfast dishes such as hummous,
foul, falafel and bread, tea / coffee for around $10 in excellent like
5* setting. But the problem is the opening time - I'm not sure .

Not many places specialise in breakfast - Madaba you might find a
couple of local falafel places (but I am unable to recommend one as
I haven't found one that good yet! )

In the Madaba / Dead Sea area - you have the following interesting
places to see - The Baptism Site where Jesus was baptised in the
Jordan River - next to the Dead Sea . Madaba churches, mosaics,
Mount Nebo overlooking the promised land - Mukawir where John
the baptist was beheaded - half an hour from Madaba = Panorama
another mountain overlooking the Dead Sea and the Holy Land.
You could say all are about 30 minutes apart. Also nearby Mujib
Valley and the Old Kings Highway going from Madaba to Karak
where there is a Crusader castle. Madaba to Karak along the Kings
Highway is probably going to take about 1.5 hours as the Mujib
Valley part is a little tricky and you need to drive slowly and carefully
on the climb up towards Karak. Beautiful views and places for photos.
Hammamet Main is also not far from Madaba - 30 minutes.

Is the aim to see as much as possible or to chill out ?
Whatever the answer, the best way would be to make a rough itinery
so as not to waste any time of the 6.5 days whether it be relaxing or
sight-seeing.

Car rental - Reliable are . . . reliable and priced OK. Budget are also
very good and priced OK - check online

Thanks Mesha,

The goal is to see as much as possible until my last two days in Aqaba. Then sit by the Red Sea and chill out for two days before returning home.

Is the staged Roman chariot race in Jerash worth seeing or is that touristy in the sense of going to the EuroDisney?

Actually I rather enjoyed it - but then I'm a big fan of Russel Crowe,
Gladiator and all the regalia that goes with it ! aha haa !

No seriously, Its very well re-enacted. All the Roman Soldiers are
ex-special forces guys and its all put together with expert re-construction,
outfits, and all the attention to detail - makes for an enjoyable event .

They have a website - if you care to google appropriately.

I saw the web site. I'm a big Roman history fan and my instinct is to go see the 45 minute display. I've been to Hadrian's Wall on the Tweed and I figure I should see Hadrian's Arch when in Jordan. However, remembering the goofy German tourists trying to dress up as legionnaires outside of the Coliseum in Rome .....

But then how often do I get to Jerash?

Well if you are a Roman history fan - you'd better extend your stay as
Jordan is rich in Roman ruins. You might care to take in Jebel Qala and
the Roman Ampitheatre in the downtown which were built by Marcus Aurilius
= whilst you are in Amman. Both reasonably close to each other.

Don't be expecting a Ben Hur type epic . . . but it is enjoyable and a lot
of effort has gone into authentication.