Getting around Lebanon: buses, driving, taxis and domestic flights

Lebanon is small: the coast road from Tyre in the south to Tripoli in the north is roughly 200 km, and the mountains sit within an hour of Beirut. That means you rarely need to fly, and you can base yourself in one city for several days.

For Beirut itself, walk in the central districts and use a ride-hailing app or a taxi for longer hops. For day trips along the coast, a shared taxi or a hired car with a driver is the usual pattern. For the mountains, a car gives you far more freedom because buses thin out above the main highway.

The backbone of intercity travel is the shared taxi, often called a service: a car or minibus that leaves when it fills, from a known stand rather than a timetable. You pay per seat, and the driver may stop to pick up more passengers. Ask at your hotel which stand serves your direction, because they are not always signposted in English.

City buses and minibuses exist in Beirut and on some coastal routes, but routes, frequencies and evening service are inconsistent, and stops are often informal. They are cheap, but slow and hard to plan around if you have a fixed schedule.

For a group of two to four people, a private car with a driver for the day often costs little more than four shared seats and saves a lot of waiting. Agree the price and the return time before you set off.

Driving gives you the mountains on your own schedule, but Lebanese roads reward confidence more than caution: lane markings are treated as suggestions, overtaking on blind bends is common, and police presence is light. Drive on the right. An International Driving Permit alongside your home licence is the safe paperwork to carry.

Mountain roads to places such as the Cedars and the Qadisha valley are steep, narrow and can be icy or fogged in winter. In summer, coastal traffic through Beirut and Jounieh can double your journey time. Parking in central Beirut is limited and often paid.

Fuel supply has been disrupted in past years, with long queues and limits per car. Fill up when you see a station with fuel rather than waiting for the tank to run low, and check the current situation before relying on a rental.

In Beirut, ride-hailing apps are the simplest way to avoid haggling, and they show a price before you accept. Street taxis are plentiful; agree the fare before you get in, since meters are often not used. A short central trip should be a small amount in USD terms, but prices vary with traffic and fuel costs.

At night, apps are easier than finding a street taxi, and they leave a record of your trip. If you take a street taxi alone, share the plate number with someone.

There is no useful domestic air network: Beirut's airport handles the country's commercial traffic, and every other city is within a few hours by road. Flying between Lebanese cities is not a thing travellers do.

Passenger rail is not in service. Lebanon once had lines along the coast and into the mountains, and some stations and track survive, but there is no scheduled passenger train to book. Any itinerary that promises a Lebanese train ride should be treated as a heritage or charter event, not transport.

Cash is king for transport. Carry Lebanese pounds and US dollars in small notes, and read our money page before you land, because card acceptance and exchange practice vary. A local SIM or eSIM makes ride-hailing and maps work on the move.

Check your own government's travel advice before you travel and again before any long road move; it is the only source that reflects current conditions on the ground. Travel insurance that covers medical care and evacuation is worth arranging before you go, and confirm what it says about driving and road accidents.