Whether you’ve got a rental car, relying on public transport or hoping to catch a ride with a taxi, this guide has everything you need to know to get from Petra to Wadi Rum.

Given their southern locations and star-billing on every single Jordan itinerary, lots of travellers will pair the two star attractions of Petra and Wadi Rum together.

A little over two hours apart by road, the most popular option is visit Petra first for a day or two, and then make your way south to Wadi Rum for a day trip or overnight stay in a desert camp. You can easily do it the other way round as well, and a ridiculous number of tours actually combine the sites into a single day trip!

How and when you make the journey however depends on whether you’re exploring Jordan on a road trip, a tour or with public transport. In this guide we’ll cover all the possible transport options, with full details on times & prices, plus practical tips to save you money and stress.

This is how to get from Petra to Wadi Rum.

petra to wadi rum

/ Two to three hours, 115km apart
/ Easiest with your own rental car
/ A daily bus at 6am
/ Possible to arrange private taxi
/ Don’t combine both sites into one day tour

An Important Note

Before we dive into how to get from Petra to Wadi Rum, a note of caution.

If you’re planning a full-on day or two exploring in Petra, you may not want to jump straight into a one or two night stay in a desert camp. Exploring Wadi Rum can be an intense experience, and if your itinerary permits it, consider giving yourself a chill out day between the two, or a realistic, quiet morning in Wadi Musa (the town within which Petra is based) before heading out into the desert.

Of course we recognise that this may not be possible or indeed preferable to many of you reading this post, but we wanted to flag it at the front end anyway.

For more travel tips, check out 23 Things to Know Before You Visit Jordan (published soon) and, if you’re still planning for Petra, be sure to also check out our Definitive Guide To Visiting Petra.

Petra to Wadi Rum with Public Transport

There’s a daily local bus from Petra to Wadi Rum, departing from Wadi Musa Bus Station (here on Google Maps) at 6am every morning.

As you would likely expect, the bus takes a fair bit longer than if you make the same journey with a rental car, and usually doesn’t arrive into Wadi Rum village until around 8.30 - 9am.

It’s best to arrive early to guarantee yourself a spot, and do note that the departure is only approximate as the driver will only depart once he’s happy with the number of passengers on board.

The bus costs 10 JD per person (cash), with reasonable luggage included. If travelling in low summer season, you may wish to confirm departures are still running daily, as it can operate reduced service during these months.

There was also a daily JETT tourist bus between the Wadi Rum and Petra’s respective visitor centres, but we believe this no longer operates due to reduced demand following covid (do let us know if things change and it’s reinstated). You can check JETT routes + timetables on their website.

Plan // 21 Things To Know Before You Visit Wadi Rum

Petra to Wadi Rum by Rental Car

If you’re thinking about a Jordan road trip, the experience and convenience of the drive between Petra and Wadi Rum is another reason to get your own wheels.

You should already have picked up your rental car before travelling to Wadi Musa (at the airports in Amman or Aqaba is the best shout), and once you’ve explored Petra, it’s a scenic two-hour drive along the King’s and Desert Highways toward Wadi Rum.

Upon arriving in the Wadi Rum area, your first stop will be the Visitor’s Centre (here on Google Maps).

This is where you will need to park up briefly and head inside the building with your Jordan Pass (if you have one - if you don’t, then entry is 5JD per person) to provide details of your stay / visit. You will then be given a ticket which you should put somewhere visible in the car.

Get back in your car, and drive a further 7 kilometres to Wadi Rum Village / Rest House (here on Google Maps) where you will be able to park your car and meet with your tour guide or accommodation provider.

It is safe to leave your vehicle in this car park for as long as you are in the desert, but we recommend taking valuables with you and storing anything worthwhile out of sight.

We’ve shared more information on the logistics of the Visitor’s Centre and Village in our guide to visiting Wadi Rum.

Top tip // We rarely go direct when hiring cars, instead preferring to use two popular rental aggregators to compare costs and find the best deal. The two companies we use are AutoEurope and RentalCars - both of which we have had excellent experiences with and saved substantial amounts over going direct (never entirely certain why, but it’s a common outcome when we do a comparison).

Find out more and reduce your costs + stress with 17 Things To Know Before Driving in Jordan.

Petra to Wadi Rum by Private Taxi

This is a super straightforward and poplar way to get between Petra and Wadi Rum.

Most hotels in Wadi Musa will be very happy to pre-arrange your journey with a trusted company or driver, whilst your desert camp in Wadi Rum will also offer to arrange this for you. For either, we recommend giving them advance notice of travel dates + times (at least 24 hours) so you can be certain on availability.

Alternatively, if you’re more spontaneous, there are always taxis milling around Wadi Musa looking to give you a ride, so you can simply flag one down and negotiate a fixed fare.

If you haven’t pre-booked with your hotel, and a taxi doesn't pass you in the street, we’d recommend heading to the Petra Visitor Centre (maps) where you’ll find lots of drivers vying for your custom.

The journey should cost around 45 JD (for the whole taxi, not per person), but their first offer may be a little more than this - don’t be afraid to negotiate a little but remember that a fair price is one that you’re happy with, as well as the driver.

Only pay the full fare on arrival and, if arranging a round-trip taxi, never pay the full fare up-front or before you’ve been returned to Wadi Musa.

If you have a positive experience with a specific driver, or an update on prices, feel free to share in the comments!

Plan // 6 Amazing Wadi Rum Luxury Camps

Petra to Wadi Rum Tours

As we discussed in the introduction, there are a surprisingly large number of organised tours which combine Petra and Wadi Rum into one day trip. Whilst this may seem like a good idea if you’re only in the country for a short period of time, we really would recommend against it.

These are two epic locations, each deserving of at least a several hours explorations; we honestly believe that visiting both within the same day will not allow you to fully enjoy or appreciate either.

With that said however, if you really, really do have your heart set on a combined tour, these options have good reviews:

From Amman | This full-day, private tour from Amman includes round trip transportation to both locations, lunch, plus a two hour guided jeep tour in Wadi Rum. Find out more here.

From Aqaba | This full-day, private tour from Aqaba includes round trip transportation to both locations, lunch, entry to Petra and Wadi Rum, a two-hour jeep tour in Wadi Rum and a short tour of Petra. Find out more here.

Alternatively, if you’d like to visit both attractions on an tour without having to return to a base city each day, we’d recommend joining a slower multi-day trip, that takes in several of Jordan’s highlights. For example:

Two-Day Petra, Wadi Rum & Dead Sea | Ideal for those short on time, you spend the first day in Petra before driving across to Wadi Rum and spending the night in a Bedouin camp. The following day, head out on a jeep tour in the desert before travelling onwards to the Dead Sea. Hundreds of truly excellent reviews. Find out more here.

Three-Day Petra, Wadi Rum, Dana, Dead Sea | Similar itinerary as above, but the first day also includes Dana Nature Reserve, Shobak Castle and Little Petra. Another very highly-rated tour and ideal if you want to cover a lot in a short period of time. Find out more here.

Highlights of Jordan | If you have more time and would like to see lots of Jordan without having to plan everything independently, this small-group G Adventures tour allows you to discover the highlights of Jordan across eight days. Starts in Amman, and includes an overnight Bedouin stay in Wadi Rum and a jeep tour. Find out more here.

Alternatively, if you’d prefer a slightly higher standard of experience, consider this National Geographic tour of Jordan.