Syria Transportation

Damascus International Airport (DAM) is about 18 mi/30 km southeast of the city. Aleppo also has an international airport (ALP). A bus connects the Damascus airport with downtown: It leaves every hour from the main post office. A taxi to the airport should cost around US$10, but expect to haggle. Travelers can enter Syria by ferry from Cyprus; by bus or ferry from Turkey; and by bus or taxi from Jordan. Limited (though improving) international and domestic rail service is available, but we recommend it only for those who love trains.

Many first-time visitors may want to go on escorted tours, but independent travel is relatively easy and free of hassles. Within the country, taxis and buses are the most common forms of transportation. Most (if not all) taxis are metered, with fares set by the government. (Be sure to have taxi drivers use their meters unless you've agreed upon a price before entering the cab.) There are also shared taxis (tipping not expected) that ply specific routes; try them at least once, for the experience. There are two types of public buses connecting towns: Karnak buses are more comfortable and require one-day advance reservation. Microbuses, which serve the smaller towns, have no timetables -- buses generally leave when they're full. Make sure you're at the right intercity bus station in Damascus: The city has two -- one for the northern part of the country and one for the south. Rental cars are readily available, though not particularly advisable as the road signs are infrequent and mostly in Arabic; international driver's licenses are required.