How to get there

Depending on where you are coming from, and how adventurous you are, there are many ways to travel to Syria. We have summarised the key routes below. To book a flight, find a schedule, or find out more detail about other means of transport, enter your requirements in the search box below (eg, book flight to Syria).

By Plane

Damascus Airport is Syria's main international airport, located about 30 kms outside the city. Most European and Middle Eastern Airlines fly to Damascus. Aleppo also has an international airport, but only Syrian Air, Austrian Airlines, Egypt Air, Czech Airlines, British Airways and Charter flights to some of the former Soviet republics fly to Aleppo.

By Train

Career railwayman and train expert 'the Man in Seat Sixty-One' advises that owing to the construction of the new Istanbul-Ankara high-speed line in Turkey, the Istanbul-Aleppo train stopped running on 15 June 2008. The service is likely to resume operating sometime in 2009, although the exact date is unknown. In the meantime, simply use these alternative daily train+bus services from Istanbul to Syria. Check his site www.seat61.com for the latest update.

By Car, Bus or Taxi

A network of major roads links Syria to surrounding countries Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, and by extension Europe. The main gateway from Europe is from Antakya (Antioch) via the Bab El Hawa route to Aleppo.

Other main roads include from Iraq through Bukamal, Jordan at Jaber or Ramtha, and from Lebanon via the Beirut-Damascus highway at Masnaa in the eastern Bekaa Valley Tripoli and through the Anti Lebanon mountains Qaa-Jousseh in the northeastern Bekaa Valley. Bus services operate daily from Istanbul to Aleppo, Amman to Jordan and Beirut to Aleppo and Damascus.

Once you are in Syria, the cheapest way to get around is by minibus (which do not run on scheduled services). Taxis are also convenient and car rental is available. Travelling by minibus and taxi is one of the best ways to improve your Arabic!

By Boat

Fancy the water? You can get to Syria via boat (either yours or a commercial option) through the two seaports of Latakia and Tartous on the Mediterranean. The Noonsite website (the 'global one stop site for sailors') advises that the main port of entry for pleasure yachts coming to Syria is Lattakia, where you will find the “Syrian Yacht Club” which offers mooring, handles the immigration procedures, and can organize and give advice on land tours through Syria. Check the www.noonsite.com for more detailed information.

Apparently there is also a ferry service from Greece and Cyprus, which makes it possible to arrive with your own car. There are also a number of cruises which tour the Mediterranean and stop off at one of the main ports of Latakia and Tartous. We are trying to track down more information about these services. Are you an expert? Can you help? Sumbit a link or email us.

And don't forget your visa...

To enter Syria, you will need a valid passport and visa, which you must obtained prior to arrival in Syria. If you plan to stay in Syria for more than 15 days, you must register with Syria Immigration and Passport Administration by the fifteenth day. For more detailed information about visa requirements visit the Syrian Ministry of Tourism website. The article On Obtaining Your Residence Permit (iqama) and Extending Visas posted on the Syrian Studies Association website is also well worth a read. A list of Syrian embassies and consulates (where you will need to obtain a visa) is available on the Syria Gate website.

We strongly recommend you review any 'travel advisory notices' your own country may have issued about travel in the region. For example, click here to see an Australian Government travel advisory. It is useful to note, for example, that Syria recognises dual nationality, but Syrian citizenship takes primacy over the second nationality. If you are a dual national and you travel to Syria on your Syrian passport, you will be treated as a Syrian national by government authorities (which may mean you have to do national service).

Finally, make sure you have the consular telephone number and address of your own embassy or consulate in the region.