Taxis

Private taxis, useful mainly in Amman, are yellow and conveniently have “taxi” written in Roman letters on them. Jordanian taxi drivers take their horns seriously, their fares a little less so, and the law not in the least. Insist that the driver use the meter. Most will. A few, however, specialize in ripping off newly arrived tourists; be wary of those driving souped-up, chrome-encrusted Mercedes. The starting fare is 150fils. Drivers may also charge extra (illegally) for large amounts of baggage. Service taxis are shared taxis, usually white or gray Mercedes with a white sign written in Arabic on their roofs (sj~i). The front doors have the route and number on them (again in Arabic letters only). Service can be hailed en route.

Payment takes place whenever the rider feels like it, traditionally just as the cab is negotiating an insanely sharp curve on two wheels. With drivers sneering at speed limits and holding their cars together with tin foil, service rides range from entertaining to traumatic. Travel within Amman is generally easier on foot (except when you have to go uphill, which somehow appears to be the case most of the time), but the service taxis are invaluable for intercity travel. There are specific service routes in Amman and between the central transport terminals in the larger cities. Within Amman, service cost 70 to 120fils; a ride may cost up to JD3.5OO from Amman to Aqaba. Shared taxis rarely run in the evenings and the long-distance ones may make only two or three trips per day. Schedules are (predictably) unpredictable—they leave when all five seats are occupied. If you get into one alone and want to leave before it’s full, you’ll have to pay for five. (See Amman Practical Information for routes and rates.)