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In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about traveling from Amman to Petra in Jordan in 2025. Although this is probably one of the most common travel routes in Jordan, it is not straightforward, and there are some important things that you need to know before you go. Please read this guide carefully to save time, money, and stress.
If you are visiting Jordan, we highly recommend that you take a visit to Petra to see the iconic Treasury, which is one of the new wonders of the world, and we can understand why. We absolutely loved visiting Petra and spending time at the treasury.
In this article, we are going to share detailed advice, tips, and information to help you book and plan your journey from Amman to Petra independently and on a budget. We really hope that recommendations and advice help you to plan your own adventures in Jordan.
Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE – Everything you need to know before you visit Petra
Plan the best ways to get around – Learn more about Transport in Jordan
Summary of the best ways to travel from Amman to Petra
| Summary | Two way trip cost | |
| Bus | The cheapest way to travel to Petra from Amman. No flexibility with timings. Slow journey but great value for money. | £25 – £40 or $30 – $50 or 20JOD – 36JOD |
| Taxi | Fast, efficient & convenient. Expensive for a solo but good if you can share the cost across a group. Make sure your driver is happy with the group numbers and waiting times. | £110 or $130 or 100JOD |
| Tour | Low stress and no bartering. May include a tour guide to help you learn about the history of Petra. Tours can be very expensive. Book as a bigger group to get a cheaper rate per person. Find tours on KLOOK. | £100 – £350 or $120 – $400 |
Why visit Petra?
If you ever visit Jordan, then we highly recommend that you take a trip to Petra. Even if you are only able to visit for one day, it is well worth seeing the Wonder of the World. Petra is a small town located around 236km south of Amman. This area is most famous for the Petra archaeological City (necropolis), which contains the famous Treasury and many other marvelous attractions. If you have come all the way to Jordan, then visiting the treasury is a must-do experience.
Three main ways to travel from Amman to Petra
1 Travel by bus (Jett)
Don’t miss our helpful guide to booking buses in Jordan
The best, affordable, and budget-friendly way to travel from Amman to Petra is to take the bus. It is important to recognize that there are no local buses that operate on this route. Furthermore, there is only one bus company that runs between Amman and Petra.
If you want to travel by bus, you will need to book a ticket with the Jett bus company. One-way ticket costs 10JOD for an adult (around £11 or $13). It is the same price for children (2 – 10 years old). If you are not in Jordan at the time of booking, you may need to book this journey as a tour with Jett, in which case the ticket costs 18JOD each way (around £20 or $25). Children (6 – 12 years old) are free of charge. It is worth noting that when you book your ticket as a tour, nothing else is included. It really is just a bus ticket from Amman to Petra. If you take a Jett bus to Petra, it drops you off at the car park straight outside the Petra Archaeological Site.
TOP TIP: If you book a tour (and kids are free) make sure you enter kids on the booking. Drop Jett a direct email and ask them to confirm whether your kids will be assigned seats on the bus. Keep a record of your emails to show when you get to the bus on the day of departure.
Jett has two pick-up points in Amman
- The Abdali station: Located at the intersection of King Hussein street and Omar Hekmat street. This is the most convenient location if you’re staying in the Amman Old City area. A taxi from the old city to the Abdali station is likely to cost around 2JOD (around £2 or $2.50). The Petra bus starts here before going to the 7th Circle office.
- The 7th Circle office: Located in the cosmopolitan shopping district. This is the second pick-up, so it will be a little later. There are some bigger and more expensive hotels in the region. Once the bus has picked up here, it travels south to Petra.
Top tip: If you’re traveling as a family with young children, it may actually be better value for money to book a tour (rather than booking a bus ticket on their homepage). Although an adult ticket is more expensive, children being included for free will lower the cost of your group price.
The bus from Amman to Petra departs at 6.30am each day. The bus from Petra to Amman departs at 5pm each day. The journey takes around 4 – 5 hours each way. There may be slight changes in this schedule so always go with the timings that are published on your tickets.
2 Book a tour
Another way to visit Petra from Amman is to book a tour. A good Petra tour should include two-way transport and a guide to show you around Petra. In some cases, tours may only include two-way transport and not include much else, so it is important to work out exactly what is included in your tour. We also recommend that you check your timings. If possible, we recommend looking for a tour that has a nice early start time to maximize your time in Petra. Tours range in price depending on what is included. Expect to pay £100 – £350 (or $120 – $400) per person (depending on the group size).
3 Take a private taxi
Another way to travel from Amman to Petra is to arrange a day trip with a local taxi driver. This is not a particularly budget-friendly way to travel; however, it is fast, convenient, and flexible. You can depart when you want and return when you want. Just make sure that you agree on all of your timings with a driver, including the waiting time in Petra. It is likely to cost you around 100JOD to take a taxi for a full day trip to Petra (from Amman).
If you’re planning to do this journey by taxi, we recommend speaking to drivers waiting around the Old City. If possible, try to talk to several different drivers and negotiate a fair price. We recommend doing this the day before you wish to take your trip. It’s important to make sure that you are happy with your driver. Look for someone who has a reasonably good level of English so that your arrangement is well understood, and also check the safety standards of the car, making sure things like seat belts are present and working. Also, make it very clear how many people will be going on the trip and check that the price is for the car rather than the price per person.
Don’t miss our full guide on Jordan taxis for more information and tips
What are the Jett buses like?
These buses are reasonably comfortable; they are not luxurious, but there is a sufficient level of comfort for a three or four-hour journey. The seats are reasonably spacious and do recline a little. The bus has air conditioning, and we found the temperature was fine on the bus. There is also a very basic toilet on board the bus; we do recommend avoiding using the toilet if you can help it on the way to Petra, as the bus just takes one stop at a service station.
At the service station, there is a small restaurant serving hot meals, and there is also a shop selling snacks, drinks, and coffee. There is also a toilet at this stop. The bus waits at this stop for around 30 minutes. If you do leave the bus, remember to keep any valuables on you (don’t leave them on the bus). Also, remember to keep track of the time.
There is plenty of space under the Jett bus to store large backpacks and large luggage. There is no additional overhead bag storage space on the bus. We recommend bringing a small valuables bag on the bus with you (don’t leave valuables in your bag under the bus). However, be aware that space on the bus is relatively limited. What’s more, most bus services tend to be quite full. Remember, Jett is the only company that operates this route.
Amman to Petra – Mistakes to Avoid
Before you read on, we wanted to share some mistakes to avoid if you are planning to travel from Amman to Petra. Please read this section carefully so that we can save you unnecessary stress and hassle.
Firstly, it is important to recognize that there is only one bus company that operates between Amman and Petra. Also, remember that traveling by bus is the most affordable and budget-friendly option. So, if you are wanting to book your bus tickets from Amman to Petra, you need to book early. Jett releases bus tickets 30 days in advance. Ideally, you want to book toward the beginning of this 30-day window to make sure that you get a ticket. If you leave your booking too late, tickets may not be available, and you may need to find a different (and more expensive) travel option.
Secondly, if you’re trying to book a Jett bus ticket outside of Jordan, you may encounter problems when it comes to finalizing your booking. The website will probably let you enter all of your travel details and ticket requirements; however, when it comes to making your final payment, it may not accept your details. If you have trouble booking your ticket from abroad, there is a different option on the Jett website. Instead of booking the bus ticket, you will need to book one of The Daily tours. Although this is called a tour, it is really just a bus ticket.
How much does it cost to visit Petra?
1 Buy a Jordan Pass
70JOD (1-day entry to Petra) 75JOD (2-day entry to Petra) 80JOD (3-day entry to Petra). Visa Waiver (no visa needed) as long as you stay in Jordan for at least 3 nights. The cheapest and best way to get your Jordan Pass is to book directly through the Jordan Pass website. You will then recieve an email with a PDF copy of your pass and QR code. All you need to do is show this pass at immigration when you arrive and then present it at the ticket office in Petra. It really is that simple!
2 Buy a Jordan Visa & Petra ticket
Jordan Visas cost 40JOD for a single entry visa. Entry to Petra costs 50JOD (1 day) 55JOD 60JOD.
Which option is the best value?
So, let’s say you want to visit Petra for 1 day. If you buy your visa and entry ticket separately, this will cost 90JOD (around £100 or $120). However, if you buy the Jordan Pass, it will cost you 70JOD all in (around £80 or $100). If you want to visit Petra for a few consecutive days, it is also cheaper doing it with a Jordan Pass. What’s more, the Jordan Pass also allows access to a wide range of other attractions around Jordan too. So it is definitely worth the money.
However, it is worth pointing out that the Jordan Pass is not good value for kids under 12 years old. This is because they get free entry to Petra. So for younger kids, we recommend buying a visa. Also, remember if you’re using the Allenby Bridge – King Hussein border crossing, there are no visas available on arrival. So you will need to purchase an e-visa in advance online.
How long does it take to travel from Amman to Petra?
The bus journey from Amman to Petra is advertised to take around 3 hours. However, in reality, this journey often overruns and takes 4 – 5 hours, including a 30-minute stop. The advertised arrival time in Petra is 9.40am. However, 10am to 11am is a more normal and realistic arrival time. It is worth noting that the Treasury is often very hot and busy by this time.
Can you do a day trip from Amman to Petra?
Yes, it is possible to do a day trip from Amman to Petra; however, if your schedule allows, we recommend spending a night or two in Petra rather than trying to squeeze the whole trip into one day. The disadvantage of doing a day trip from Amman to Petra is that you will only have a few hours in Amman, and it will be during the most crowded and hot part of the day.
This will not allow you time to really enjoy the experience and soak it in, and you will be limited to what you can see in this time. If you’re able to afford to stay in Petra for a couple of nights, you will be able to get up nice and early and experience the treasury at the best time of day. So although it is possible to take a day trip from Amman to Petra, we don’t recommend this.
How long should you spend in Petra?
It is possible to visit Petra in a single day from Amman; however, in our opinion, this would be a relatively short and rushed visit, and you may not be able to experience this place fully. We recommend spending at least one night and two days in Petra. If you choose to spend two days and one night here, you will arrive around 11 am on the first day. If you have enough energy, you could visit the treasury, but remember it will be hot and crowded at this time.
After your first visit to the treasury, you can return to your accommodation and get a restful night. This will allow you to get up nice and early and see the treasury first thing in the morning before all of the tour groups arrive. This is a very calm and tranquil time. The treasury area will remain in shadow until around 10 am, allowing you to enjoy this area in the cool of the day. Buses return from Petra to Amman later in the day to allow people to make the most of the time in Petra. The return bus is scheduled for 5 pm and departs from the car park outside the Petra archaeological site (the same place that you are dropped off when you arrive).
Things to prepare before you travel to Petra
If you’re planning a visit to the treasury, it is very important to be well prepared. Here is a packing list of some things that you should consider bringing with you. This is not meant to be a comprehensive packing list; rather, this is just a list of ideas to help you get started and think of some things that you may miss.
- A small day bag for exploring Petra
- An umbrella or sun hat
- SPF 50 Sun cream
- A water bottle with plenty of water
- Snacks for the journey
- Light, loose clothing
- Nice, photogenic clothing if you’re interested in photography at the Treasury
- A printout of your Jordan pass
- Travel documents such as passport and Visa
- Money, including an International Bank card and some cash
What you choose to bring will very much depend on how long you actually plan to stay in Petra. If you’re staying a few nights you will probably want to bring all of your travel bags. If you’re only staying for one day (or maybe two days and one night) you could consider leaving big bags in Amman (assuming you plan to return to Amman rather than travel elsewhere).
What is the best time of year to visit Petra?
The best time of year to visit Petra largely depends on your preferences and tolerance for weather conditions. One of the most popular times to explore this ancient wonder is during the spring, from March to May. During these months, the weather is pleasantly mild, with daytime temperatures ranging from 70°F to 85°F (21°C to 29°C). The desert landscape blooms with colorful wildflowers, creating a picturesque backdrop for your visit. Spring also offers a respite from the scorching heat of summer, making it an ideal time for outdoor activities and exploring Petra’s historic treasures.
Another excellent time to experience Petra is in the autumn, from September to November. During this period, the temperatures begin to cool down after the peak of summer, making it more comfortable to explore the site. Daytime temperatures typically range from 75°F to 95°F (24°C to 35°C), and the crowds are generally thinner than in the spring and summer months. The autumn season allows you to enjoy the architectural wonders of Petra with fewer tourists and provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich history of the region.
If you prefer avoiding the crowds and don’t mind the heat, visiting Petra in the winter, from December to February, can also be an option. While daytime temperatures range from 55°F to 70°F (13°C to 21°C), the nights can be quite chilly. However, the advantage of a winter visit is the peaceful and serene atmosphere, as Petra sees fewer tourists during this time. Just be sure to dress warmly for early morning and late afternoon exploration, as these are the best times to appreciate the beauty of Petra without the midday sun’s intensity.
