- 235 kmAmman to Petra, Desert Highway
- ~3 hrsDrive time, one way
- 50 JODPetra, 1-day accommodated ticket
- 06:00Petra opening time
- 5Main ways to make the trip
Amman to Petra: Quick Comparison
If Petra is one of the main reasons you are visiting Jordan, spending a night in Wadi Musa is usually much less rushed than travelling from Amman and back in a single day. But if your itinerary is tight, a day trip is entirely possible.
| Option | Best for | Main advantage | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organised Petra day tour | First-time visitors | Transport and sightseeing organised together | Long day |
| Private driver | Couples, families, small groups | Flexible departure and return times | More expensive |
| JETT coach | Budget travellers | Simple public transport option | Fixed timetable |
| Rental car | Independent road trips | Maximum flexibility | You need to drive |
| Multi-day Petra tour | Short Jordan itineraries | Combines Petra with Wadi Rum/Dead Sea | Less independence |
| Overnight in Wadi Musa | Travellers prioritising Petra | More time inside Petra | Requires changing hotels |
How far is Petra from Amman?
Petra lies south of Amman beside the town of Wadi Musa. Driving normally takes several hours each way, depending on your route, traffic and stops — important when comparing tours, because a Petra day trip from Amman does not mean a short excursion. You will spend a significant part of the day travelling, so an early departure is usually desirable. There are two principal road-trip approaches: the faster Desert Highway and the slower but more scenic King’s Highway. Most straightforward transfers and day tours use the faster route; the King’s Highway is more attractive if the journey itself is part of your sightseeing itinerary.
Once you are in southern Jordan, most itineraries add the red dunes and Bedouin camps of Wadi Rum, a float in the Dead Sea on the way back, or the Red Sea reefs at Aqaba.
Petra Day Tour From Amman
Best for travellers with limited time who want everything arranged.
An organised Petra tour from Amman is the simplest solution if you do not want to think about buses, driving or transfers. You are typically collected in Amman in the morning, driven to Wadi Musa, given time to explore Petra and returned to Amman later that day. Depending on the tour, your package may include hotel pickup, return transportation, an English-speaking driver, Petra admission, a licensed Petra guide, lunch, bottled water and additional stops — do not assume all of these are included. Two Petra day tours can have similar prices but very different inclusions.
What does a typical Amman to Petra day trip look like?
A common itinerary runs early-morning departure from Amman, late-morning arrival in Wadi Musa and the Petra Visitor Center, midday-to-afternoon Petra sightseeing, an afternoon return to the Visitor Center, and an evening drive back to Amman. The exact timetable depends on your tour and the season — an early start from Amman matters if you want to maximise your time inside the site.
Is a Petra day trip from Amman worth it?
It can be. A day trip is particularly practical if you only have a few days in Jordan, your hotel is already booked in Amman, you do not want to rent a car, you prefer having transport arranged, or you mainly want to see Petra’s headline sights. The disadvantage is time: Petra is enormous, and after reaching the Visitor Center you still need to walk through the entrance area and the Siq before reaching the Treasury — which is not the end of Petra. Beyond it are the Street of Facades, the Theatre, the Royal Tombs, the Colonnaded Street, the Great Temple, Qasr Al-Bint, trails and viewpoints, and the Monastery. If your tour allocates only a few hours inside Petra, you may need to choose between seeing more monuments and exploring at a relaxed pace.
Bottom line: a day trip from Amman works well when one day is all you have. If Petra is a major priority, staying overnight is better — see the overnight option below.
Private Driver From Amman to Petra
Best for flexibility, families and small groups.
Hiring a private driver gives you much more control than a coach or standard group excursion. You can usually arrange pickup from your Amman hotel, your preferred departure time, direct travel to Petra, sightseeing stops en route, and one-way or return transportation. This can become particularly attractive for two, three or four travellers sharing the cost.
The biggest benefit is flexibility: you do not have to organise your day around a fixed bus departure, and you can potentially leave Amman earlier than a standard tour. A private driver is also useful if you want to turn the transfer into a sightseeing day — possible stops between Amman and Petra include Madaba, Mount Nebo, Kerak and the Dana region. However, adding several stops means arriving later in Petra; if your priority is maximising time inside the archaeological site, travel directly.
A private full-day Petra tour from Amman or the airport, rated 4.9 from 421 reviews, packages the driver and a licensed guide into one booking rather than requiring you to arrange each separately.
Driver vs Petra guide: they are not necessarily the same thing
This is an important detail when booking. A driver transports you between destinations. A licensed Petra guide takes you through the archaeological site and explains what you are seeing. A package advertised as having an English-speaking driver does not automatically mean that person will accompany you through Petra as your archaeological guide — if guided sightseeing matters to you, check the inclusions carefully. Licensed guides can also be arranged at the Petra Visitor Center.
JETT Coach and Driving Yourself
Keep costs down on a fixed timetable, or trade the timetable for the freedom of a rental car.
3. JETT bus from Amman to Petra — best for keeping costs down
JETT operates Jordan’s main intercity coach network and lists Petra among its popular domestic destinations. For travellers who do not want to drive or pay for a private transfer, this can be one of the most practical ways to reach Petra independently. Advantages include being cheaper than a private transfer, no need to drive, straightforward point-to-point travel, and it suits independent travellers, particularly those staying overnight in Wadi Musa. The disadvantages are that departures run according to a timetable, there is less flexibility, you need to reach the departure point, and schedules can change. If you plan to use the coach, check the current JETT timetable directly before your trip rather than relying on old blog posts or forum information. For an overnight Petra visit the bus can make considerable sense; for a same-day visit, compare the arrival and return times carefully to see how many hours they actually give you inside Petra.
4. Driving from Amman to Petra — best for independent road trips
Hiring a car gives you complete control over your itinerary, particularly useful if your Jordan route looks something like Amman → Petra → Wadi Rum → Aqaba → Dead Sea rather than repeatedly returning to Amman. A rental car lets you leave whenever you want, stop en route, stay overnight in Wadi Musa, continue directly to Wadi Rum, avoid coordinating bus timetables, and change your itinerary easily. For two or more people, a rental car can also become financially competitive with multiple private transfers.
Is a car useful inside Petra? No. You park in or around Wadi Musa and explore Petra on foot and using authorised local transport options where available — you cannot simply drive your rental car through the archaeological site.
Desert Highway vs King’s Highway
If you are driving from Amman to Petra, the route deserves some thought. Choose the Desert Highway when you want the most direct journey, Petra is your priority, you are making a same-day trip, or you have already visited central Jordan attractions. Choose the King’s Highway when you have a full travel day available, you enjoy scenic road trips, you want to stop at historical sites, or you are staying overnight in Petra. The King’s Highway makes more sense as part of a multi-day Jordan itinerary than as the route for a rushed Petra day trip.
Stay Overnight in Wadi Musa, and How Much Time You Need
Amman → Wadi Musa → overnight → Petra often beats any same-day option.
For many travellers, the best solution is not actually an Amman-to-Petra day tour. It is Amman → Wadi Musa → overnight → Petra. Wadi Musa is the town immediately beside Petra, and staying there puts you close enough to enter near opening time without spending several hours travelling first. Staying overnight gains you an earlier start, more time inside Petra, less pressure to leave for Amman, the option to spend two days at Petra, easier access to Petra by Night when operating, and a better starting point for continuing to Wadi Rum. If you are deciding between spending money on a premium same-day tour and spending a night near Petra, the overnight option often gives you more actual Petra time.
How much time do you need at Petra?
For a first visit, allow at least most of a day if possible. The mistake is thinking that Petra means only Visitor Center → Siq → Treasury → leave — that misses much of the site. A more complete first visit may include Bab Al Siq, the Siq, the Treasury, the Street of Facades, the Theatre, the Royal Tombs, the Colonnaded Street, the Great Temple area, Qasr Al-Bint and the Monastery. Even without additional hiking trails, this makes for a substantial walking day.
One day or two days at Petra?
If you are travelling all the way from Amman, it is worth asking whether you should spend a second day. Current official Petra admission for visitors staying in Jordan is 50 JOD for one day, 55 JOD for two consecutive days and 60 JOD for three consecutive days — pricing that makes the second day particularly attractive, since extending a one-day ticket to two consecutive days currently costs only another 5 JOD. One day is suitable for first-time highlights, the Main Trail, the Treasury, central Petra and possibly the Monastery. Two days is better for longer hikes, viewpoints, photography, slower sightseeing, the High Place of Sacrifice and exploring beyond the Main Trail.
Jordan Pass, and Amman to Petra and Wadi Rum Tours
Before buying tickets separately, and before ruling out Wadi Rum, check whether a longer trip makes more sense.
Jordan Pass and Petra
Before buying Petra admission separately, check whether the Jordan Pass makes sense for your trip. The current packages include one, two or three consecutive Petra days respectively, plus entry to many other participating attractions. This can be especially relevant if your Amman-to-Petra trip is part of a larger Jordan itinerary rather than a single excursion. See our full Jordan Pass and Petra tickets guide for the tier-by-tier breakdown.
Amman to Petra and Wadi Rum tours
If you have two or three days available, consider combining Petra and Wadi Rum rather than returning immediately to Amman — geographically, this creates a much more logical southern Jordan itinerary. A typical two-day version runs Amman → Petra → overnight in Wadi Musa on day one, then Petra/Wadi Musa → Wadi Rum → jeep tour → onward travel on day two. A three-day version runs Amman → Petra on day one, a second Petra visit → Wadi Rum → sunset → desert camp on day two, then Wadi Rum → Amman or Aqaba on day three. This reduces unnecessary backtracking and gives you more time at both destinations. See our comparison of every tour that genuinely visits both and the two-day versus three-day itinerary for the hour-by-hour breakdown, and our own guide to every type of Petra tour if you are still deciding between a guided, private or self-guided visit.
What to Check Before Booking, and What to Bring
Do not compare tours by headline price alone.
- How long do you actually get inside Petra? This is arguably the most important question.
- Is Petra admission included? Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
- Is the guide licensed for Petra? An English-speaking driver and a Petra guide are different services.
- Is hotel pickup included? Confirm the pickup area.
- Is lunch included? Some packages include it; others stop at a restaurant where you pay separately.
- Is it private or shared? A private tour may move faster and offer more flexibility.
- Are there shopping stops? Extra stops can reduce your sightseeing time.
- Where does the tour finish? If you want to continue to Wadi Rum rather than return to Amman, look for a tour that allows different pickup and drop-off locations.
What should you bring to Petra?
For an Amman day trip, pack lightly but prepare for a long walking day. Useful items include comfortable walking shoes, a sun hat, sunscreen, water, light layers, sunglasses, a phone or camera, a portable charger, your passport, the Jordan Pass if applicable, and some cash. Temperatures can vary substantially between early morning, midday and evening, especially outside summer.
Amman to Petra: Frequently Asked Questions
Can you take a day trip from Amman to Petra?
Yes. Organised day tours and private transfers make same-day visits possible, but expect a long day with several hours of travel each way along the 235 km route.
What is the easiest way to visit Petra from Amman?
For travellers who want minimal planning, an organised day tour or private driver is usually the simplest option — both handle the pickup, the drive and the return without you coordinating timetables.
What is the cheapest way from Amman to Petra?
Scheduled coach transport is generally the option budget travellers should compare first, though departures run on a fixed timetable and you will need to reach the departure point yourself.
Is there a bus from Amman to Petra?
JETT operates intercity coaches within Jordan and lists Petra as one of its key destinations. Always verify the current schedule for your travel date before planning around a specific departure.
Should I stay overnight in Petra?
If you have the time, staying in Wadi Musa gives you considerably more flexibility and allows you to enter Petra earlier, before the day-trip coaches arrive.
Can I visit Petra and Wadi Rum from Amman?
Yes. Both can be combined into a multi-day tour or an independent itinerary — see our comparison of every tour that genuinely visits both.