Getting to Wadi Rum: A Quick Travel Guide
Getting to Wadi Rum can often be a bit complicated if it is your first time visiting us there. Your options are getting to Wadi Rum by bus, taxi, or rental car. Here is a brief explanation for each and a few tips to take note of before heading out.
When booking your experience with Rakan Wadi Rum Tours or any other guides, please make sure to let your guide know your expected arrival times, by which means you will be arriving, and if you have a mobile number that is always a bonus.
- From Amman to Wadi Rum: There is only one bus operator, called JETT, with direct daily buses heading from Amman’s Abdali Station to Aqaba, but they do a dropoff near Wadi Rum at a town called Rashidiyah.
The bus station is not at the airport, so you will need to make your way to the JETT bus terminal yourself. Just take one of the Airport Express Bus, these run between the airport and the central bus station in Amman all day long. From that point on you can catch a cheap taxi if need be.
Please Note: If you plan for getting to Wadi Rum with the JETT bus, you have to tell the driver that you want to get off at Wadi Rum AND keep your luggage with you during the trip as they do a drop off on the main road and will not open the cargo hold to let you get your bags. ALSO always make sure to let your guide know what time you will be there as the Wadi Rum Village is still 28km from the place where the bus drops you off.
- From Petra to Wadi Rum (Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum): Generally there is a morning bus that departs early from Wadi Musa, usually around 6:00–6:30 AM. The trip to Wadi Rum Village takes around 3 hours and you get dropped off at the visitors centre. This is the budget version, but for those willing to pay a bit extra there are some private bus services running between the two.
- From Aqaba to Wadi Rum: JETT normally has a morning bus from Aqaba to the Wadi Rum Visitor Center. Travel time is roughly an hour and a half..
Please Note: The Visitor Center is about 7 km from Wadi Rum Village; arrangements should be made for pickup.
Renting a car in Jordan for getting to Wadi Rum is easy. safe, petrol prices are cheap, and good roads make this a great option.
So driving to Wadi Rum is no issue if you just follow the so-called “Desert Highway” (Highway 15). From Amman to Wadi Rum expect to spend around 3 and a half hours on the road. The turnoff will be at a small town called Rashidiyah. Once you turn off the highway its just a few minute drive to the Wadi Rum Visitor Center, where you will need to pay a small fee for entering the Wadi Rum Protected Area.
From there, you can drive all the way to the Wadi Rum Village (around 20km) where you can park your car. No private vehicles are allowed to enter the desert beyond the village
With Amman to Wadi Rum and Petra to Wadi Rum being a bit too far for a taxi ride, 300 km and 100 km respectively, Aqaba to Wadi Rum Village is your best bet for arriving by taxi.
You might have to speak to a few taxi drivers in order to find one willing to take you for a reasonable rate. Just ask your Wadi Rum tour guide how much this trip might cost these day and also make sure to organize with the taxi to drop you in Wadi Rum Village or with your guide to pick you up form the visitors centre. The drive takes around 1 hour.
Alwsys make sure that you have an understanding with the taxi driver as to the price for getting to Wadi Rum and were they will drop you off before heading back.
Come and Join Us for the Best Wadi Rum Tours
These Wadi Rum tours are to give you an idea of what we offer, but if you would like to tailor make your tour, just contact us and we will help to put the perfect package together.
If you would like to get some more info on the places to see in Wadi Rum, the movies that have been made here, or getting to grips with getting to Wadi Rum, please check out our info section as it is jam packed with useful info about Wadi Rum.
Also check out our Wadi Rum Rock Climbing experiences and our overnight packages where you can even book a night Sleeping Under the Stars.