From Camels to Cars: Exploring Jordan’s Transportation History

Written By: Gail Clifford | Published By: IFWTWA | March 27, 2023

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a young nation founded in 1946, is located at the intersection of Europe, Africa, and Asia on ancient soil. Jordan’s history is heavily influenced by transportation. For thousands of years the area served as a crossroads for cultures and trade routes. For instance, the ancient Nabataean city of Petra served as a hub for caravan trade, with goods being transported across the desert by camels and donkeys.

Over time, various forms of transportation developed in Jordan. In the early 20th century, the Ottoman Empire built the Hejaz Railway, which ran from Damascus to Medina and passed through Jordan. It transported pilgrims to Mecca. It was later damaged during World War I and eventually fell into disrepair.

The Ottoman Empire fell at the end of WWI, despite the efforts of Lawrence of Arabia et al to form a united Arab state. The Sykes-Picot Agreement ceded control of this land between the British and the French. The UK gained control of what is now southern Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and southern Iraq. The French controlled what is now southeastern Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, and the Kurdistan Region.

In the mid 20th century, roads were built across Jordan, connecting major cities and towns. The country also developed an extensive network of buses and taxis to augment Jordan’s transportation system. This makes it easy to get around even in more remote areas. It also guaranteed our ability to travel throughout the country, in a fraction of the time possible a hundred years ago.

Our press trip to Jordan was a joint effort between IFWTWA and Visit Jordan. The welcoming nature and hospitality of Jordan’s people was ever-present. Eight intrepid travel writers traveled by 11 methods to experience all that could be pressed into a 10-day stay.

Jordan’s Transportation: The Coach Crusaders

Our transportation for the week was a 19-passenger van. It allowed us to pack our sense of adventure each day. Then ready to describe the experience of exploring Jordan’s incredible historical and cultural sites by coach. Our guide and translator, Mohammad, was invaluable.

Pro Tip: Request a non-smoking van. Most drivers in Jordan smoke. This request is likely to garner you a coach whose driver smokes outside the van. So you can ride sans mask. If you’re sensitive to either smoke or the fragrance they spray to try to cover the smoke odor.

Tired as we were, it was exciting to travel from Queen Alia International Airport, named for King Hussein’s third wife. She died tragically in a helicopter crash at age 28, bt not before she pushed for women’s rights to vote in Jordan. The skyscraper laden city of Amman rose from the desert.