Getting Around

Overland travel between the main western cities is routine and inexpensive. What you need is patience, small change, and your papers within reach.

Between cities

Buses run regularly from Damascus to Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Tartus and Latakia. Private companies operate most services; coaches are generally air-conditioned and fares are low. Buy at the garage on the day rather than expecting to book online.

Shared taxis are the fastest option. They take four or five passengers and leave when full rather than to a timetable, cost more than the bus, and save a good deal of time.

Trains are not an option. International and most domestic services remain suspended indefinitely because of war damage.

Within Damascus

Licensed taxis are metered — ask for the meter to be used, and agree a price in advance if the driver declines. The YallaGo app works in the city and removes the negotiation.

The Old City is best walked. Its lanes are narrow, frequently unmarked, and far more rewarding on foot than from a car.

From the airport

Damascus International is roughly 25 km southeast of the city. Leaving the terminal, turn right and continue to the end of the building for the airport bus and its ticket office. Taxis are available; agree the fare before setting off.

Checkpoints

Checkpoints are a normal part of road travel, and travellers consistently describe those on the main highways as orderly and quick.

• Keep your passport and visa where you can reach them without unpacking.
• Carry photocopies as well as the originals.
• Do not photograph checkpoints or the people staffing them.
• Be patient and unhurried. Delays are ordinary and not directed at you.

Where you can and cannot go

Conditions differ sharply by region, and the picture changes. Some areas remain dangerous or effectively closed, and unexploded ordnance is a real hazard away from established routes. Check the current FCDO and State Department advisories for regional detail before planning any route, and take local advice on the day — it will be better than anything written weeks in advance.