Hejaz Train Departure Information
When and where to catch the Middle East's most famous railway..
Schedules, departure times, price information, and useful hints for travelling on the Hejaz Railway from Damascus to Amman and visa versa.
In September 2006 the Hejaz railway closed for repairs. According to railstaff, there had been some military exercises in which the rails had been crushed under tanks moving around the desert. It is scheduled to run again this year, and the times are listed below. Unfortunately, all information on the railway is highly unreliable, and the only way to know for sure if it's running is to arrive at the station early on the scheduled days, keep your eyes open and your fingers crossed.
Damascus To Amman (Runs Monday and Thursday)
Departs Damascus Kadem Station at 08.00 and arrives in Amman at 17.00. These are the official times and are purely fictional. In reality the journey is more like 09.00 - 20.00. But you never know....
Ammna To Damascus (Runs Monday and Thursday)
Departs Amman at 08.00 and arrives in Damascus at 17.00.
The journey is about 140 miles and tickets cost 200 SYP, approximately 2£ UK.
For more information on the whole experience read The Hejaz Railway
Actually the Hejaz line between Damascus and Amman has two trains. At the last station within the Jordanian or Syrian border you will be asked to change trains. This either Dera in Syria or Mafraq inside Jordan. They are also the stations where the immigration procedures take place. If travelling from Syria to Jordan for example, you will arrive at Dera, be asked to change train and then passports are collected. They are held on to for 1 - 2 hours while the train crosses the border. On arrival at Mafraq inside Jordan your passports will be returned to you, checked for the correct visa (it's also possible to puchase Jordanian visas here) , and then your baggage searched.
After Mafraq the next station is Zarqua, the penultimate city before Amman. The train only passes through town twice a week, and so it has becomes an major event for the locals. Not least because they must endeavour to relocate the entire local market which otherwise sits on the tracks. The locals have got this down to a fine art and like so many things in this part of the world, they don’t begin until the very last second. Standing on the front of the carriage, you can see them hurriedly bundling away their respective products, packing up their stalls and still finding time to wave at you as the locomotive powers by. Watch out however for the kids who like to throw stones at the train. It's best to sit away from the windows on this stretch of track. It's not really a maliscious act, just the only entertainment going for street kids in Jordans most northerly city.
Inevitably the train will arrive late in Amman, usually about 8pm-ish. You'll be exhausted, hungry and caked head to toe in desert sand. You'll also have had one of the most enjoyable train journeys of life...
