Crossing the Wadi Araba border from Jordan to Israel (Aqaba to Eilat)

We arrived from Wadi Rum after a 1day+1night desert tour with the Bedouin Meditation Camp. The camp organised our taxi for us which we shared with 2 other travellers who were also in the same tour. A taxi from the Rum village to the Aqaba border costs 25JD (standard fare) and takes about an hour.

We reached the border around 9:30AM. As it was low season in Jordan (July 2017), there was nobody else around.

Jordanian side

1. Luggage check – bags through an x-ray machine.
2. Immigration (departure) – we did not want the stamp in our passports and were given our exit stamps on cards. You need to first fill in the card with your name, nationality, passport number and date of entry/exit.
3. Exit fee – supposed to be 10JD, but we were not charged, really no idea why.

Israeli side

1. Initial check(?) – at the gate the officer checked our passports and asked a few questions (general ones such as the intention and duration of our visit…)
2. Luggage check – very similar questions and passport check, then bags through an x-ray machine, we were both given a blue slip after the luggage check (you will need this later, keep it safe!).
3. Immigration – again, similar questions regarding our stay in Israel. I asked the officer not to put the entry stamp on my passport and was told that visitors get a visa on a separate paper anyways nowadays.

And that was it, altogether it must have taken around 20-30 minutes, but we were pretty much the only travellers up until the Israeli immigration. It goes without saying that the process can take a lot longer depending on the season, your nationality, where you have been (stamps in your passport) etc…

We entered Israel with a determination to share a taxi with someone to Eilat central bus station. So when we finally saw the (only) other two people whilst queuing for immigration, we were not going to let that rare opportunity slip. When I spoke to the couple about sharing a taxi, I was expecting a ‘that’s great!’ sort of reaction, but it was more like a ‘yes, but WHY?’

They really were completely alright about sharing a taxi with us, but not for a financial reason. As they have just finished with the immigration and we were still in the queue, I told them not to wait for us. The waiting area was just right after the immigration. We didn’t take a long time at all at the immigration and a minute after we rejoined the couple our taxi arrived!

To be honest, I do not know if the couple called the taxi or we just caught the one that just pulled in. We handed the blue slips that we’re given at the luggage check to the taxi driver and she gave them to the officer at the gate before leaving. Because we were busy talking and introducing each other I wasn’t paying too much attention, but it must have taken only around 15 minutes to the central bus station from the border. It costs 50NIS. The couple invited us for this journey, said: ‘2 or 4 people it’s the same price, so doesn’t matter.’

Thank you!

Related post: Eilat to Jerusalem by bus