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If you’re trying to figure out the best way to travel from Amman to the Dead Sea, you’ve come to the perfect place. In this article, we’ll provide a step-by-step guide on how to travel from Amman to the Dead Sea in Jordan.
This article is a super helpful and practical guide. We have included prices, booking methods, and specific details to help you plan your trip. We really enjoyed visiting the Dead Sea in Jordan. It was genuinely one of the highlights of our trip to Jordan. The Dead Sea is a very unique and special destination, and it’s well worth a visit.
Traveling in Jordan is not always straightforward, and there are some important things you need to know to plan your trip. As a full-time travel family, we have many years of travel experience, working out how to do things the best way.
We love sharing our experiences, information, and top tips to help you plan your own adventures.
THE BEST RESORTS FOR DEAD SEA DAY PASSES – Dead Sea Day Passes
THE BEST RESORTS TO STAY BY THE DEAD SEA – Dead Sea Resorts to stay
Also – don’t miss our in-depth guide – Visiting the Dead Sea with kids
Summary of the best ways to travel from Amman to the Dead Sea
| Transport | Summary | Two way price |
| Bus | Affordable for solo or couple but lacks flexibility. | 15JOD (£15 or $18) |
| Taxi | Flexible but need to organize with a driver and agree a price, location & waiting times. | 40-50 JOD (£40 – £50 or $50 – $60) |
| Tour | Not flexible, but fun and sociable. Expensive option but low stress. Check out Dead Sea tours on Klook. | 50JOD – 150JOD (£50 – £150 or $60 – $180) |
| Car Rental | If you get a good deal this may be the cheapest option, especially for a family. Can be safer too. But parking in Amman could be tricky. | 35JOD (£35 or $40) |
Is it possible to take a day trip to the Dead Sea from Amman?
Yes, the great news is that it is possible to take a day trip to the Dead Sea from Amman. The journey from Amman is around 56 km and only takes around 1 hour, depending on traffic and the speed of your driver, so it’s possible to head out early in the morning and have a full day at the Dead Sea, returning in the evening. There are lots of different ways to plan a Dead Sea day trip from Amman.
1 Take a bus
Don’t miss our full guide to booking long distance buses in Jordan AND our full guide to transport in Jordan
If you’re traveling solo or as a couple, one of the cheapest ways to get to the Dead Sea from Amman is likely to be traveling by bus. There is only one bus company that runs between Amman and the Dead Sea, and the bus company is called JETT. You can book your bus tickets online in advance.
The buses are reasonably comfortable and have a toilet on board. There is only a small amount of storage space on the bus itself, but there is a space underneath the bus to store larger bags. The bus departs at 8:30 am from Amman (You can opt to be picked up at the Abdali Office or the 7th Circle office). The return bus departs from the Dead Sea at 5:00 pm.
The JETT bus drops you off at the main Resort and Hotel district of the Dead Sea, around 6 km South of Swemeh on the east side of the Dead Sea. For a bus ticket to the Dead Sea, it costs 10 JOD one way (£10 or $12) or 15 JOD return (£15 or $18). Children under 6 are free of charge. This journey needs to be booked as a Jett Day Tour. This is a transport-only tour.
Is bus the best value for money?
If two people use the bus, it will cost 30 JOD return, which is cheaper than a taxi that is likely to cost 40 – 50 JOD for a return trip. If three people use the bus, it will cost 45 JOD, around the same price as a taxi. Before you book your trip, we also recommend checking the day pass ticket prices for your preferred hotel or resort. Bear in mind that these day passes can be quite expensive, so it may be a false economy to save money on a bus and end up at an expensive resort.
Don’t miss our FULL guide comparing Day Pass Prices at the BEST Dead Sea Resorts
One of the cheapest Dead Sea resorts in Jordan is called O Beach, situated around 2.6 km south of the JETT drop-off area.
Day pass prices at O Beach: Adults 20 JOD, kids are free. Pool and changing rooms are included. 10 JOD to include a buffet lunch.
2 Take a local taxi
If there are more than two people in your group, it may actually be better value for money to take a taxi from Amman to the Dead Sea. The advantage of taking a taxi is that you can choose your specific drop-off location; this means that you can find one of the cheaper resorts and further save money. Another advantage of going by taxi is that you can choose your own timings, rather than having to stick with the scheduled timings of the bus.
We strongly recommend that you agree on the timings with a driver before you agree to go with them. Make sure that they are happy with the destination, waiting time, and agree that the price applies to your whole group. Once you are happy that you have made an agreement with a driver, we recommend swapping phone numbers; many drivers in Amman use WhatsApp. Also, don’t forget to agree on a pickup time and location.
If you’re planning to take a taxi to the Dead Sea, we recommend that you try to organize your taxi at least one day in advance. If you walk around the Amman old city area, you will find plenty of drivers waiting around who will be ready to discuss day trips. A fair price for a day trip to the Dead Sea from Amman is 40-50 JOD round trip (£40 – £50 or $50 – $60). If you are planning to stay for an entire day, the price may be a little higher than this. It is important to recognize that some drivers may try to charge a lot more than this price. For example, we were quoted 100 JOD for this day trip (£100 or $120). In our opinion this is far too expensive.
Can you use Uber to get to the Dead Sea?
Yes, it is also possible to use the Uber taxi app to organize taxis in Amman. You can book journeys from Amman to the Dead Sea using Uber. One advantage of doing it this way is that you get a fixed price and there is more transparency. The journey costs 25 – 30 JOD each way on Uber (around £25 – £30 or $30 – $35).
However, a disadvantage of doing it this way is that you will not be able to book a personalized day trip with an agreed waiting time. There are two ways around this: you could book an Uber and then ask your driver how much they would charge to wait and take you back later. Alternatively, you could book an Uber one way and then use the Uber taxi app to return to Amman; this is slightly more risky because you may not be able to find a return taxi. Another approach could be to use Uber to travel to the Dead Sea and then book a JETT bus for your return journey.
3 Book a tour
Another way to visit the Dead Sea from Amman is to book a tour. This can be a great way to meet new people and just relax into the experience without needing to worry about navigation or bargaining. Also, if you choose to book a tour to visit the Dead Sea in Jordan, you may be able to visit other locations such as the baptism site of Jesus and other local attractions in the area. Depending on how you book and what is included, expect to pay around 50 JOD – 150 JOD for a Dead Sea tour in Jordan (£50 – £150 or $60 – $180).
4 Rent a car
If you’re looking for an independent and convenient way to visit the Dead Sea in Jordan, why not look into car rental? You can rent a car in Jordan for as little as 35 JOD per day (£35 or $40). Renting a car allows you a very convenient experience; you can go when you want and return when you want, and you don’t need to worry about bargaining or relying on a taxi driver. Another advantage of renting a car is safety. Rental cars in Jordan tend to be well-maintained and relatively new; they should have working seat belts in the front and rear. You can also drive at your own speed and allow sensible stopping distances, which makes the journey safer.
If you’re traveling with kids, you can negotiate a child seat in the rental deal; again, this is something that you wouldn’t get with a taxi. The main challenge of renting a car in Jordan is being able to drive on the roads. If you plan to rent a car, remember to bring an international driver’s license. We only recommend attempting the roads in Jordan if you are a confident and experienced driver. Another important thing to consider if you do plan to rent a car is parking spaces; if you are staying in a guest house or hotel in Amman, parking can be relatively limited, so make sure that free parking is included with your accommodation.
A comment about road safety in Jordan
We mentioned that road safety in Jordan can be challenging. Many of the taxis in Jordan do not have functioning seat belts in the rear; in some cases, you may be able to pull the seat belt buckle up from underneath the rear seat. However, in Jordan, taxi drivers don’t seem to be too bothered about rear seat belt safety. We also found the roads to be quite fast and crowded, and in our experience, drivers did not leave a sufficient amount of stopping distance.
If you are concerned about road safety in Jordan, there are a few options. One option is to take a bus, as this is slightly slower and safer than cars. If you are planning to use a taxi, you can book a comfort option on Uber, and this is more likely to be a newer car with functioning seat belts. Alternatively, renting a car allows you to take your safety into your own hands, and car rentals tend to be newer and better-maintained vehicles.
