Petra Travel Forum

I would like a relatively easy way to get to Petra from Sharm. Would the ferry/taxi trip take more the 1/2 day? What travel agencies in Sharm would do a two day trip by plane?

Be carful about the plane, there is one scheduled but if there are not "enough" passengers it is cancelled. It is in fact cancelled fairly regularly.

But take a bus up the coast to Nuweiba, from where a ferry leaves for Aqaba every day at 3pm (except the days when it doesn't but this is the Middle East after all!) The ferry takes you to Aqaba (the Jordanian visa is free) and there are buses and service taxis from there to Petra. The ferry arrives too late for the public buses, but service taxis meet the ferry.

You can also take the land route through Israel. The same bus takes you to Taba on the Israeli frontier, you cross the frontier in a taxi and take a taxi either to Aqaba town where you arrive in time for the last bus at 3pm, or directly to Petra. Obviously you cannot take this route if you are planning on visiting countries like Syria or Lebanon within the life of your passport.

You should allow 3 days and not 2 which are not enough. You need a full day in Petra and a day each way if you take the ferry.

Check out www.jordanjubilee.com/travelme/sinai.htm for full details of this trip, costs, times etc.

There is in theory a direct ferry from Sharm to Aqaba 2 days a week, but this is not reliable. I don't think it has run for some time.

Posted by Lulu

PS : don't forget that when you return you will need a new visa for Egypt.

Thanks so much for the info and warnings!

Thank you lulu, can the one taxi take them across the Israeli and Jordanian border or wont they have to take taxies to each border and walk across?

Where, in relation to the border, is the bus station they need to go to in Agaba and do you know the cost for the bus? Is it one of the big AC busses or a local bus? How much English do they speak in Aqaba?

Any suggestions on what to look out for in a Taxi from Aqaba to Petra and the cost?

Thanks again

Thank you lulu, can the one taxi take them across the Israeli and Jordanian border or wont they have to take taxies to each border and walk across?

Where, in relation to the border, is the bus station they need to go to in Agaba and do you know the cost for the bus? Is it one of the big AC busses or a local bus? How much English do they speak in Aqaba?

Any suggestions on what to look out for in a Taxi from Aqaba to Petra and the cost?

Thanks again

No, of course you would have to take separate taxis in each country!

The bus station in Aqaba is about 6 or 7 kms from the border. Taxis regularly charge 5JD for the trip. The buses to Petra are minibuses, definitely not AC equipped. And how much English depends on the person, but most people would understand "bus for Petra". The fare from Aqaba to Petra is officially 3JD.