How to Get From Jerusalem to Petra

We are often asked how to get from Jerusalem to Petra. Two of the most impressive sites of the region are major features on many itineraries for travelers to Israel. Getting from Jerusalem to Petra is simple. There are many different ways that you can travel between the two locations, appropriate for different budgets, time scales, and preferred means of travel. You can travel from Jerusalem to Petra every day of the week. Differing tour schedules, public transportation timetables, and border opening hours do not make it equally simple to travel every day. Read our article on how to plan the perfect private tour to Jordan and Petra from Israel for more information.

Changing Jordanian visa requirements have not changed our tours from Jerusalem to Petra but has impacted the ease of travel for individuals not joining a group tour.

Travel With a Tour

There are tours available from Jerusalem to Petra seven days a week. The Allenby Bridge Crossing is not simple for tourists to use to cross into Jordan. You can also cross through the Sheikh Hussein Crossing, though we do not provide assistance there. Due to road conditions and convenience, our tours from Jerusalem to Petra instead cross via the Arava Crossing near Eilat in the south. Although it may look like a longer route on the map, in terms of time and ease, this is the most efficient and practical way to travel.

One Day Tours

One-day tours from Jerusalem to Petra are available every week and include $130 worth of entry fees to Petra. These involve transferring from Jerusalem to Eilat. You then cross into Jordan via the Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba Border Crossing and transfer to Petra. In the evening, you return to Eilat, and from there continue back to Jerusalem. While these tours are popular, they involve a lot of traveling in one day. This makes them more expensive than many of the two and three-day tour options. This means that we only recommend them for those who are tight on time.

Two, Three, and Four Day Tours

Two and three-day tours from Jerusalem to Petra are available multiple times every week in two variations. These are our most recommended means of traveling from Jerusalem to Petra. They boast comfortable schedules, great traveling experiences, and great value. The two-day tour option available is the Petra and Wadi Rum from Jerusalem (day one at Wadi Rum and the second day at Petra, with an overnight in a Bedouin Camp in between). Our three-day tour option is a combination of these two options. It features Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Highlights of Northern Jordan. This is an ultimate tour experience and a good value way to explore Petra from Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the four-day tour adds a day of touring Amman.

Private Tours

Custom private tours from Jerusalem to Petra can also be arranged for individuals and groups who wish to travel on different days, or prefer to customize the tour and include other sites such as Masada and the Dead Sea, which can easily be included en route. Check out our guide on how to plan a private tour of Jordan.

Take the Bus

While you can travel from Jerusalem to Petra via the Allenby Bridge border, most travelers find it much easier to first head to Eilat and then continue to Petra. There are regular public buses from Jerusalem to Eilat, and it’s often more comfortable to overnight there rather than take night buses that leave you with long waits at the Eilat Central Bus Station. From Eilat, you cross into Jordan at the Wadi Araba (Yitzhak Rabin) border, where most nationalities receive a visa on arrival (though some passports still require a pre-arranged visa).

Once on the Jordanian side, the most practical way to reach Petra independently is by taxi. Negotiating the rate before departure and confirming whether it includes waiting/return time is recommended.

We recommend joining a group tour instead, which accounts for all transportation to and from a centralized pickup location in Jerusalem and provides border assistance, a pre-arranged visa, and transportation to Petra.

What’s the Cheapest and Easiest Way?

The numbers speak for themselves, and generally, the cheaper way from Jerusalem to Petra is to travel with a tour group. We’ve based the exercise on a two-day tour because one day from Jerusalem to Petra is totally impossible with public transport.

Taking a two-day tour to Petra:

Tour Cost - $379
Border Crossing Fee - $70
Visa Fee - $60
Entrance Fee - included
Lunch - included
Dinner - included
Overnight in a 4-star hotel/Bedouin Camp - included

Total - $509
(or if you opted for a 3-day Highlights of Jordan Tour, $719)

Taking an independent 2-day visit from Jerusalem to Petra:

Bus from Jerusalem to Eilat - $20-30
Taxi from Eilat to Border - $10-20
Border Crossing Fee - $70
Visa fee (must be pre-arranged) - $60
Entrance Fee to Petra - $130
Guide at Petra - Optional; varies (often $50-$120)
Taxi from Aqaba Border to Petra - $75
Bus from Eilat back to Jerusalem - around $25
Taxi from Petra back to Aqaba Border - $75
Taxi back from the Border to Eilat - around $10
Overnight in 4-star hotel/Bedouin Camp - $40-$80+ per night (depends on season, location)

Therefore, for most visitors, joining a tour from Jerusalem to Petra is the most budget-friendly, efficient, and exciting way to visit Petra.

Travel from Jerusalem to Petra Stress-Free

Ultimately, the easiest and most enriching option for exploring Petra from Jerusalem is joining one of our guided Petra Package Tours. Many of these tours conveniently depart directly from Jerusalem, covering all the logistics so you don’t have to worry about visas, border crossings, transportation, or accommodations. These exciting, hassle-free journeys are fully organized, including expert guides, border assistance, hotels, transfers, and activities, allowing you to focus entirely on experiencing the wonders of Petra and Jordan. Whether you choose a one-day, two-day, or multi-day tour, traveling with a tour ensures a stress-free, seamless, and unforgettable adventure.

See all Petra Package Tours