How is Traveling from Jordan to Israel?
If you look like tourists and you have your own car the route from Jordan to Egypt should be no problem at all.
Just cross the Israeli border from Aqaba (10 km from city) and go through Eilat to Egypt (Taba). You could drive this route in under a half hour. Including border formalities — assuming you do not have Iraq or Syrian stamps in your passports and already possess Egyptian visas — I would say that you should be in Egypt in under two hours.
How is Traveling from Jordan to Israel?
If you look like tourists and you have your own car the route from Jordan to Egypt should be no problem at all.
Just cross the Israeli border from Aqaba (10 km from city) and go through Eilat to Egypt (Taba). You could drive this route in under a half hour. Including border formalities — assuming you do not have Iraq or Syrian stamps in your passports and already possess Egyptian visas — I would say that you should be in Egypt in under two hours.
I did not go to Nuweiba, so I do not know for sure how far it is from there to the border at Taba, but I have heard that it is not far and the highways seem good in Sinai.
The border crossings that you will be going through can be classified as “tourist borders.” Nearly all of the people traveling overland between Aqaba and Taba are overseas tourists. Don’t worry, these are some pretty laided back borders and they are use to seeing foreign faces.
I agree totally that $19o for the vehicle alone is far too much money to pay for a one hour ferry. Especially when the overland route is not difficult and the distance that you need to travel to go around the bay of Aqaba is not too far.
One thing to keep in mind though if you choose to do this route: the Israelis will charge you an exit tax of nearly $25. So if you want to return to Egypt, this will be an etra $50 per person. Perhaps you could get a special transit visa, but I doubt. I told the auuthorities at the Israeli border that I was traveling directly to Egypt, and I was automatically given full 90 day tourist visas. Then I had problems at the Egyptian border (no visa) and had to return to Israel. I again told the Israelis that I was just going to be in their country for a couple of hours, but they still gave me a full visa.
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Walk Slow,
Wade
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Original question about traveling by rental car from Nuweiba, Egypt to Jordan
So, we are also planning to take the one hour ferry from Nueiwba to Acaba return. At first we were going to bring a rental car along but it costs $190 USD just for the car each way!!! Needless to say we are not going to do that as it costs more than the car rental itselt. Anyway, how did the overland trip go, as we are also considering that since the cost of the ferry is way too high even for people. Be happy to hear your input. Thanks, Yolanda (in Canada)
I am the founder and editor of Vagabond Journey. I’ve been traveling the world since 1999, through 93 countries. I am the author of the book, Ghost Cities of China and have written for The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Diplomat, the South China Morning Post, and other publications. VBJ has written 3729 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.
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June 1, 2009, 8:34 am
Hi Wade,
We are traveling from Egypt to Jordan and back. We won’t have our own car, we were gong to rent one, and the Israeli consulate here (Toronto) said no way, so we are going by taxi / on foot to cross the borders. We’re getting our Egyptian and Jordanian visas ahead of time, and now that we’re not taking the ferry I guess we’ll also get our Israeli visa ahead of time too! I was more concerned about transit options, were the taxi’s reasonable,are they waiting for you at the boarders, are there buses to take easily or are you stuck waiting around half a day for a bus etc.? Any input helps. Carlos, my husband, says the guy with the ferry service must have some serious connections to be able to charge now 90 USD for a ferry ride!
Yolanda
June 2, 2009, 7:03 am
Hello Yolanda,
I answered your question here:
http://www.vagabondjourney.com/travelhelp/travel-by-land-egypt-israel-jordan/
Walk Slow,
Wade
November 7, 2009, 2:54 pm
Hi, It looks simpel the way you tell the bordercrossings. But we want to travel, probally look in Israel for two days too, from Jordan to Egypt with our own car.
What are the problems we can get with the visa etc. for other countries like Sudan, UAE, Iran etc. Those countries we want to go too.
We have two pasports, so can get them stamp for the Israeli in the one and the other for the other countries. But they can see where we left Jordan and entered Egypt.
Could there be a difference between this south border and the King Houssein Bridge because we enter then “west-Jordan” in state of west Israel ?
Thanx for your answer !!
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