Practical information Syria

71498  sq.mi

5 hrs London-Damascus, direct flight. London is 2,201 mi from Damascus.

17500000 hab.

The Damascus International airport is 22 miles southeast of the city. A shuttle is available every thirty minutes; the journey takes 45 minutes and they end in the hotel area. In principle, taxis are not available at the airport, but it is easy to get a taxi from town to the airport for between 300 and 500 Syrian Pounds (£4.50-£7.50), you should try to bargain because taxis do not have meters.

Syria is a safe country, where there is no theft or attacks. The police are omnipresent, protecting the wellbeing of tourists. Beware of secret police agents who might attempt to extort you. The region of Golan can only be visited after obtaining a military pass. It is dangerous to travel to Golan without a pass. It is unwise to travel to regions bordering Iraq.

The official language is Arabic. English is mostly spoken by youths.

The visa is issued at the consulate, on presentation of a passport valid for six months after your return date, that should not have an Israeli stamp. You have to show evidence of employment and three ID photos. The visa is valid for three months, starting on the date of issue, but is only available for 15 days (with two entries). If your trip is longer, think about getting an extension for your visa once in the country, 1 or 2 days before it expires, at the police station or in an immigration office (bring 5 ID photos). Careful, on your way out, you will be asked to show the copy of your entry card, given upon arrival into the territory.

86% of the population is Muslim, mostly Sunni. There are a few Muslim minorities: 10% Alaouits, 3% Druzes and 0.5% Shiites. There are a dozen Christian communities: Greek Orthodox, Melshites and Maronites amongst others representing less than 5% of the population. There is a small Jewish community in Damascus.

The Syrian pound (SYP), also known as Syrian lira, consists of 100 piastres. You cannot exchange pounds here, so bring dollars instead. Travellers cheques issued in dollars are accepted in banks and some hotels, and upmarket hotels always require payment in dollars. The same applies for car rental offices, travel agencies, etc. Credit cards (Visa, American Express, Diners Club and Eurocard-MasterCard) are accepted in some hotels and upmarket shops, but not in restaurants. Bear in mind that there are no cash machines here, and it is impossible to withdraw cash using a credit card, even over the counter at banks. Banks open from 8:00am to 2:00pm every day of the week, except for Fridays, when they are closed.

Syrian Arab Airlines flies everyday from Damascus to Halap, Damascus to Latakia and Damascus to Qamishle. Rates are higher than train or bus fares, but they are still affordable. If you consider the time it takes to get to the airport and the waiting time before boarding, plane is not the fastest means of transport in Syria
The Damas-Quamishle train line serves Homs, Hama, Halap, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zur and Hassake. A second line links Damascus to Latakia, via Homs, Tartous and Banyas. Journeys are longer by train than by car or bus. It takes six hours to cover 224 miles, between Damascus and Halap.
Bus is the most practical and cheapest means of transport. Ordinary buses link the major cities. They are two different types: state buses are very cheap but do not have air-conditioning and have irregular hours. Private company buses are always on time, with air-conditioning and video-screens, but are twice as expensive (although very affordable nevertheless). You should reserve your seat at least a day in advance. Note that the location of bus stations varies depending on the company. Another option would be minibuses, which link the small towns in the surrounding cities. They have no specific hours and leave when all seats have been occupied.
Driving in Syria is on the right. Most roads are tarred and well maintained. Pot-holes are however frequent on the B-roads. Road signs are generally written in Arabic and road maps do not always show the B-roads. Traffic may move freely but the foreigner will still be disoriented. Right of way is poorly observed and horns are pressed incessantly. All good reasons to choose to rent a chauffeur-driven car, who can also be play as your interpreter. You can rent a car at 1,000 Syrian Pounds (about £25) upon presentation of your international driver's licence. Driving at night is highly unadvised.
Taxis are painted yellow and have affordable rates, though ask for the metre to be set. Shared taxis, also called taxis-services, are parked in specific areas, take several passengers and travel to specific destinations. It is a faster (and cheaper) means than the bus to get to the neighbouring city.

Types of accomodation:
The Syrian hotel infrastructure is developing, notably at the centre of tourist sites. Rooms are sometimes sometimes difficult to come across in peak season, so make reservations. Top quality hotels are only found in big cities or close to tourist sites. (The Cham Palace chain of hotels are very comfortable [western 4-star hotel] and are well located in the tourist sites). In less developed regions, there are only average quality hotels. They are not always air-conditioned and offer very little comfort. In cheap hotels, there is no hot water and no heating system. Get earplugs if the window of your room opens into the street.

No particular vaccine is required. The WHO lists the country in zone 1 for risks of malaria. In addition to the use of anti-mosquito products, preventive treatment against malaria is necessary for travellers that are staying near the Euphrates River. In order to limit the risks, do not drink tap water, avoid ice cubes and wash your hands frequently.

220 V. Bring an adapter.

Syria welcomed 3 million tourists in 2004, including 302,000 westerners.

It is a custom to round up to the next whole number in restaurants or in taxis. Do not forget to thank people. The custom is to leave a couple of coins to people who have helped you out.

To call from the UK to Syria, dial 00 + 963 + the town code (Damas 11, Halap 21, Bosra 16, Palmyre 34, Hama 33, Tartous 43, Latakia 41) + the number you are calling.
To call the UK from Syria, dial 00 + 44 + the number you are calling without the initial 0.