From Amman airport to the city
1 h route3 stopsBest: The bus runs from 3 am until past midnight, which is uncommonUpdated July 2026
Queen Alia sits about thirty-five kilometres south of Amman by motorway, and there are two reasonable ways in: the express bus and a fixed-fare taxi. There is no train and no metro.
The little-known advantage is the timetable: the airport bus runs from three in the morning until past midnight, covering practically any flight. And the catch is where it drops you, which isn’t where most people expect.
The route, stop by stop
3 STOPS- 01
The Airport Express and where to get off
The express bus leaves the terminal roughly every half hour during the day, and hourly on Fridays. It takes forty-five to sixty minutes depending on traffic and is vastly cheaper than a taxi.
Here’s what to know: **the final terminus is the North Station at Tabarbour, some six kilometres from the centre**, so staying to the end means taking a taxi anyway. Before that it stops at the Seventh Circle, far better connected to Jabal Amman and the west.
Check where you’re sleeping and get off accordingly.
- 02
The fixed-fare taxi
Airport taxis run on a fixed fare into Amman rather than a meter, so the price is set in advance and there’s no possible conversation. It’s a pleasant difference from other airports in the region. It takes thirty to forty-five minutes by motorway. It’s the option if you land in the small hours with luggage or if you’re in a group, because split between three or four the gap with the bus narrows considerably.
- 03
If you’re heading straight to Petra or the Dead Sea
A geographical detail that saves time: Queen Alia is south of the city, in the direction of Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. If your plan starts there rather than in the capital, going into Amman only to come back out is a detour of over an hour.
Many people hire a car at the airport itself and head straight south, leaving Amman for the end of the trip, before flying.
If the itinerary allows, it’s considerably more efficient than the other way round.
Frequently asked
Is there a night bus from Amman airport?
Yes, and it’s uncommon: the Airport Express runs from three in the morning until past midnight, with reduced frequency at night. Even so, arriving in the small hours with luggage, the fixed-fare taxi usually makes sense.