Category: Syria

My Experience end of 2025

With 2025 coming to an end, I decided to take a journey: traveling by bus from Amman (Jordan) to Damascus (Syria). Here’s how it went:

✅ Booking the bus ticket
I booked my ticket on the official JETT website: https://www.jett.com.jo. There’s technically a round-trip option online, but I could only snag a one-way ticket (Amman International → Damascus) for 10 JOD (about 14 USD). The return? That’s where the plot twist happens: the full round trip costs 15 JOD (around 21 USD). Instead, you stroll into the JETT office on the day you’re heading to Damascus, flash your original ticket – they hand you the return for just 5 JOD extra.

The Abdali office opens bright and early at 6 a.m., so even if you skipped buying the ticket online, don’t panic. You can grab one on the day of departure—my bus had a few empty seats,

✅ Getting to the Abdali bus station
I stayed in the city center, and from there, I took an Uber to the JETT Abdali Office for just 1.25 JOD.

✅ Important departure time details
The bus departs every day from the JETT Abdali stop (right here) at 8:00 a.m. and possibly at 1:00 p.m. The website says 7:00 and 12:00 (see below), but in reality, from Abdali, it’s 8:00. I asked at the office, and they confirmed that 7:00 is from a different station (not sure which one). So, the only time I can personally confirm from Abdali is 8:00 a.m. The afternoon departure is likely 13.00, but officially the site still lists 12:00.

Important: the stop is around the corner from the Abdali office here, not where domestic buses to Petra, for example, leave.

The website lists several other stops, but in my experience the bus only made one stop after Abdali, around 8:15 a.m.

The bus was already waiting from 7:30 a.m., and it departed exactly at 8:00 a.m.

✅ Border crossing
This was the most interesting part!

• Passports were checked six times (three times on the Jordanian side, three times on the Syrian side). Two full 30-minute stops to stamp out of Jordan and stamp into Syria.
• I read that leaving Jordan (exit tax) by land costs 10 JOD, but I paid nothing.
• On the Syrian side, my visa was supposed to cost 75 USD (official info from the Syrian embassy in Poland), but I paid only 50 USD, the option I happily accepted. Cash or card is OK. Getting it in advance for a land border crossing is no longer possible, but make sure to check before you travel—rules can change.
• I was the only tourist, so the process was quick: pay for the visa, get the receipt, then the stamp. Everyone was extremely polite and helpful. Very curious about my visit to Damascus.
• Though it is no longer required, I had a printed reservation for the hotel. I have been asked about the purpose of my visit and whether I know anyone in Syria. I said that I didn’t know anyone, and that was not a problem for border control.

Time at the border
We spent about 3 hours there because of passport checks and a full bus inspection. The return Damascus-Amman was 6 hours at the border!

✅ Arrival in Damascus
The bus arrives at the Damascus bus station here (where return buses also depart). From there, I took a taxi to the city center for 15 USD — four times more than what it was supposed to be, but I didn’t mind since I saved 25 USD on the visa and 10 JOD (approx. 14 USD) on the exit tax.

Tips for Travelers

• Book a bus ticket online for convenience, but ask for the return tickets at the JETT office (if you’re going back). No need to print, they will email you the ticket straight away.
• Just in case, bring cash (USD and JOD) for visas.
• Be patient at the border — checks are thorough but friendly.
• If you’re the only tourist, like I was, expect extra attention (in a good way!).
• You can exchange your money at the border and also buy a SIM card there.
• There is also a duty‑free zone that many Syrians make use of. They may ask you to carry something across the border for them — I agreed.