Jordan has pretty good roads. The only thing you need to be prepared for is possible litter along the highways.
The road signs are in Arabic and English and are easy to read. There are special tourist road signs (in brown) showing directions to the most popular attractions. Jordanian drivers are quite polite, and driving outside the cities is not difficult. However, driving in Amman and Irbid is strongly discouraged. Major Jordanian cities are extremely chaotic, with insufficient road signs and clearly congested urban centers.
Tourists traveling along the King's Highway should keep in mind that much of the route passes through many populated areas. The highway itself is not in the best condition and is overloaded with traffic. It is important to be especially cautious of the flocks of sheep grazing almost everywhere. Driving at night is not recommended. The traffic here is right-handed.
Car rental in Jordan is becoming a good solution for travelers. Moreover, in recent years, there has been a real breakthrough in car rental in Jordan. There are many rental companies in Amman, Aqaba, and Irbid, both international brands and small local ones. With an online order in the form of a printed voucher with clear terms and conditions, you go to the company of your choice and pick up a car.
Car rentals in Jordan require a credit card to secure the car. A standard amount is blocked on the card, depending on the class of car, ranging from 150 to 500 USD; this amount is refunded upon return.
Prices for car rental in Jordan depend on the class of car. The average cost of renting a car of the simplest class will be around 45 USD. A luxury car will cost several orders of magnitude more. Taking a car out of Jordan is not allowed. There are no toll roads in the country.
Speed limit in Jordan:
- On roads - 80 km/hour
- On the Amman-Aqaba highway - 110 km/hour
- In cities - 60 km/hour
The cost of a liter of gasoline in Jordan is lower than in other countries. Although there is no oil production in the country itself, the cost of any brand of gasoline in Jordan is close to 1 USD, ranging from 0.94 to 0.98 USD per liter.
Unfortunately, traffic rules in Jordan, especially in major cities, are not always enforced. The signals heard everywhere are a warning to pedestrians. Sometimes there are ditches crossing the road instead of speed bumps, usually when entering a city.
The use of seatbelts is considered mandatory, although this rule is completely meaningless; most vehicles don't have them at all, including passenger seats in shuttle buses and private cabs. Foreigners should use them to avoid problems.
Dipped lights are not required during daylight hours. Low beam must be on at night and in low visibility conditions caused by bad weather. An international or foreign license is only suitable during short stays in the country. Fines in Jordan for traffic violations are usually issued on the spot, and the amount is non-negotiable. On average, for speeding 10-20 km/h over the limit, you will pay 15 USD, but for 60 km/h over, it's 140 USD. For illegal parking, the fine is around 20 USD. Representatives of the traffic police are located along all the highways, at a certain distance from each other. The police are polite to foreigners as long as they don't commit serious offenses.
