How to get to Petra

Petra at a glance: distances and times

From Amman by JETT bus

JETT (Jordan Express Tourist Transport) runs a tourist coach from Amman to Wadi Musa early in the morning, returning in the late afternoon, which also allows a long day trip. Seats can be booked on the JETT website or at its Abdali office; arrive early. Schedules have changed in recent years, so check the current departure time on jett.com.jo.

From Amman by minibus

Public minibuses to Wadi Musa leave from the South Bus Station (Mujamma al-Janoub) in the morning and depart when full. They are cheap and slower than JETT, and the last ones leave by early afternoon. In Wadi Musa they usually stop at the central bus station up the hill; a taxi down to the gate is a few dinars.

By car: Desert Highway or King's Highway

The fast route is Highway 15, the Desert Highway, via Qatraneh and Ma'an, then west to Wadi Musa. It is a busy truck road: the UK FCDO notes fatal accidents on this highway, so avoid driving it at night. The slow, beautiful route is the King's Highway via Madaba, Wadi Mujib, Karak, Tafileh and Shobak — a full day with stops.

Car hire is easy at the airport and in Amman. Parking is available near the Petra Visitor Centre. You need your national licence and, for UK drivers per FCDO advice, a 1949 International Driving Permit.

From Aqaba and Wadi Rum

From Aqaba, minibuses leave the main bus station in the morning; taxis and private drivers are straightforward to arrange. From Wadi Rum, camps can book you onto the morning minibus or arrange a taxi. Many travellers do a loop: Amman → Petra → Wadi Rum → Aqaba, or the reverse after flying into Aqaba's King Hussein International Airport.

Taxis, private drivers and transfers

A taxi or driver from Amman to Petra is the most comfortable option for two or more people, and can include stops at Karak or Shobak. Agree the price in advance. Pre-booked transfers are available online.

Transfer

Airport transfer to and from Petra

≈ 3–3.5 h

Private transfer between Queen Alia Airport (or Aqaba) and your Wadi Musa hotel.

Check availabilityBook via GetYourGuide

Transfer

Queen Alia Airport (AMM) to Amman transfer

≈ 40–50 min

Pre-booked private transfer between the airport and your Amman hotel — useful after a late arrival when taxis and buses are thin.

Check availabilityBook via GetYourGuide

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Getting around Wadi Musa

Wadi Musa is built on a slope: the bus station and many cheaper hotels are at the top, the Visitor Centre at the bottom, about 2–3 km apart. Taxis wait near the gate in the evening. Little Petra is a 15-minute taxi ride north.

Arriving from Israel or Egypt

Travellers coming from Eilat cross at Wadi Araba (Yitzhak Rabin) near Aqaba and continue to Petra by taxi or tour (about 2 hours); at this crossing you need a visa arranged in advance unless you hold a Jordan Pass — see our visa page. From Egypt, ferries link Nuweiba and Taba with Aqaba. Note that Petra's JD 90 day-visitor ticket applies if you do not spend a night in Jordan.

Accessibility at the gate

The path from the Visitor Centre to the Treasury is about 2 km, downhill on the way in and uphill on the way out. Electric vehicles for visitors with reduced mobility operate along part of the route for a fee (ask at the Visitor Centre), and horse-drawn carriages have also been used on this stretch. Beyond the Treasury the terrain is sand, rock and steps.