3 Ways to Travel from Jordan to Egypt

In this post, we will explore the different ways to get from Jordan to Egypt, including flights, ferries, and overland.

You will also get tips and recommendations to make your journey as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

How to Get from Jordan to Egypt

Jordan to Egypt Ferry

Taking the ferry from Jordan to Egypt not only sounds fun but has many benefits over flying or crossing by foot.

1. It is relatively hassle free. You just show up to the ferry terminal, enjoy a boat ride across the Red Sea, and get off in Egypt. Customs at both entry and exit terminals are very casual.

2. You don’t cross into Israel. If you want to travel to Lebanon for example, this is important. Even without the actual Israeli stamp, officials can assume you went through Israel by your exit and entry stamps from Egypt and Jordan.

3. You are traveling with pets. Israel has more requirements for importing pets than Egypt, taking the ferry with your pet is very easy.

Taba vs Nuweiba ferry: which one is better?

You might notice when planning your travel from Jordan to Egypt that there are two different places in Egypt the ferries go to. Nuweiba seems like the logical choice since it is closer to Dahab the rest of Sinai. But be warned: the Nuweiba ferry takes way longer (sometimes 4 hours) and is less predictable.

The ferry to Taba is the more common tourist route that takes less than an hour and always leaves on time.

Don’t forget there is a one hour time change between Jordan and Egypt!

How to ferry to Egypt

Jordan’s Red Sea resort town, Aqaba, is where the ferries to Egypt come and go. Getting to Aqaba is possible by either renting a car or taking the JETT bus.

There are actually two different ferry marina’s operated by two different companies. Both companies cost the same and leave at the same times, so it can be confusing.

AB Maritime is the most popular ferry company and conveniently located in Aqaba’s city center. As I mentioned before, I would recommend going to Taba as the Nuweiba route is supposedly less reliable and takes forever.

Sinbad is the other ferry company. They operate out of ‘Tala Bay Marina’ (about 20 minutes south of Aqaba) and drops you off at ‘Taba Hights Harbor’ which is just south of Taba. This area is kind of deserted so you will need to walk out to the main highway to get a taxi.

I would recommend taking the AB Maritime ferry that leaves from downtown Aqaba and drops off directly in Taba. You can reserve your spot on the ferry by contacting them ahead of time, but must pay in cash upon arrival.

You must pay for the ticket in JOD (no EGP), cash only.

AB Maritime email: Reservation@absimaritime.com or WhatsApp: 00962791017777

Aqaba to Taba Ferry	$65
Taxi from Taba Ferry to Dahab	$40
Total	$105

Drive from Jordan to Egypt

It is possible to travel from Jordan to Egypt by crossing land borders and it might actually be the better option depending on your circumstances.

Why would it be more beneficial to travel overland?

1. You want to leave or arrive at a specific time. The ferries only operate on certain days, and only once per day. The only way to control your own destiny is by crossing the borders yourself. For example you could spend the morning at Petra, and then cross the border in the late afternoon.

2. You want to cross into Israel. They don’t stamp your passport so you don’t need to worry about being barred from certain countries after (Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, and Yemen).

3. You want to save money. Surprisingly, traveling overland came out to be less expensive than taking the ferry.

How to travel to Jordan overland

The southernmost border crossing between Jordan and Israel is about 15 minutes from downtown Aqaba. You can get to Aqaba a number of ways including renting a car or taking the JETT bus. The bus will obviously be the cheapest option, but you will sacrifice time and limits you to their schedule.

Especially if you’re in Amman, I’d prefer renting a car. It’s a long drive, but you can make stops on the way at Wadi Rum or Petra. Plus it’s much faster than a bus.

Going through customs and entering Israel is pretty straightforward and doesn’t take very long. If you are a citizen from North America, Europe, Oceana, or Russia, a visa into Israel is not required.

Once in Israel there is a bus or taxi’s to take you to the Egypt border. Unfortunately the bus requires a bus pass so if this is your first time in Israel a taxi might be the easiest option.

At the Egypt border crossing, it is pretty painless but you will have to pay $25 on entry for the Egypt tourist visa, or you can get the evisa ahead of time. If you are planning to only go to Sinai and stay for less than 2 weeks, you can actually get a free visa.

You are now officially in Egypt! From the Egyptian side of the border, you can taxi to wherever you need to go. Egypt is much cheaper than Jordan, so taxiing between cities is a lot more reasonable.

Taxi from Aqaba to Jordan border	$15
Taxi to Israeli border	$30
Taxi from Israeli border to Dahab	$40
Total	$85

Jordan to Egypt Flight

Depending on where you are coming from and where you are trying to go, flying into Egypt might make more sense.

Why would I fly?

1. You are already in Amman. You might be able to easily get to Egypt by ferry or land, but getting to the ferry takes five hours from Amman. If you rent a car (the cheapest option) it adds another $150+ to the trip; at that point it is actually cheaper to fly. IMO it’s only worth it if you visit Wadi Rum or Petra on the way to Aqaba.

2. You want to go to Sharm El-Sheikh. After arriving in Egypt from the ferry, Sharm is another 3+ hours drive (around a $70 taxi). Sharm has a major airport with lots of direct flights from Amman so it might be easier and cheaper to fly there instead.

3. You are traveling to mainland Egypt. Traveling by ferry or overland really only makes sense if you’re going to Sinai. Mainland Egypt is quite far from Jordan and flying is a way better option.

Flight from Amman to Sharm	$215
Ferry with Car Rental from Amman	$255
Road with Car Rental from Amman	$235

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