Major city · Jordan
Zarqaالزرقاء
Skip Zarqa as a destination: it is an industrial satellite of Amman with no tourist sights. Use it only if you have business or family there.
Zarqa is Jordan's third-largest city and industrial centre, home to over half the country's factories and three universities. It has no historic core, no museum of note and no attraction that draws travellers. The city is a functional transport junction on the Amman–Baghdad and Saudi–Syria highways, but every sight worth seeing in northern Jordan is elsewhere. Most visitors pass through on the bus rapid transit line or the Hejaz Railway without stopping.
More
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- JOD
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- avoid Jul–Aug (hot)
- Airport
- AMM
- Nights
- 0
Not a trip line yet
Rules in force · 4
- Jordan ↗Get the visa or the Jordan Pass only on official channels; lookalike sites charge extra.
- Jordan ↗Yellow taxis must use the meter; if the driver refuses, use a ride-hailing app instead.
- Jordan ↗In Ramadan, eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight is not accepted; hotels and tourist restaurants serve.
- Jordan ↗Do not pack a drone: import without a prior permit is refused and the drone is held at the border.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Zarqa911 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Zarqa, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Jordanian dinar (JOD) is divided into 1,000 fils (or 100 piastres); one dinar is a high-value note.Jordan-wide
- SIM or eSIMZain, Orange and Umniah sell tourist SIMs at Queen Alia arrivals; passport registration is required.Jordan-wide
- Tap waterTreated at source but stored in rooftop tanks; drink bottled or filtered.Jordan-wide
- TippingRestaurant: Round up or 5–10% if no service charge; many mid-range places add 10%.Jordan-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/D/F/G/J. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): fits · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 230 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Jordan-wide
- SafetyZarqa is generally safe for daytime transit, but has no tourist infrastructure.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsWestern toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets at some bus stations.Jordan-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police · 911 fire and ambulance
- Sundays & holidaysFriday is the main weekend day: government offices, banks and many downtown shops close, some open after midday prayers.Jordan-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckAMM Queen Alia International Airport (About 40 km (25 mi) south-west; taxi or car about 45 min (check)).AMM Queen Alia International Airport (About 25 mi (40 km) south-west; taxi or car about 45 min (check)).
- Getting aroundBus rapid transit (BRT) connects Zarqa to Amman.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee at a caféJD 1–2
- Street or quick mealSimple meal (falafel, shawarma)JD 2–4
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Taxi within ZarqacheckJD 2–5
- Budget bedBasic hotel room, a night, per roomJOD 20
- Mid-range bedBasic hotel room, a night, per roomJOD 30
- High-end bedBasic hotel room, a night, per roomJOD 50
A day, not counting the bed: Budget JOD 15 · Mid JOD 25 · High JOD 40
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- AMM Queen Alia International Airport (About 40 km (25 mi) south-west; taxi or car about 45 min (check))AMM Queen Alia International Airport (About 25 mi (40 km) south-west; taxi or car about 45 min (check))
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
Feb
not flagged
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
Mar
Best
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Apr
Best
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
May
Best
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Jun
not flagged
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
Jul
Avoid
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
Aug
Avoid
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
Sep
not flagged
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Oct
Best
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
Nov
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Dec
not flagged
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
Best: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Avoid: Jul–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)), coolest Jan (4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C) low), wettest Jan (8 rain days), driest Jun (0). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Zarqa: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
8 rd
Feb
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C)
7 rd
Mar
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
6 rd
Apr
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
4 rd
May
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
2 rd
Jun
32°C (90°F)90°F (32°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
0 rd
Jul
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
0 rd
Aug
34°C (93°F)93°F (34°C)
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
0 rd
Sep
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
0 rd
Oct
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
2 rd
Nov
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
5 rd
Dec
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
7 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
Bus rapid transit (BRT) connects Zarqa to Amman. Taxis are available within the city. The Hejaz Railway runs through Zarqa but passenger services are limited (check).
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 40 min
Bus rapid transit (BRT), about 20–30 min
The capital's Citadel, Roman Theatre and food scene are a short ride away.
Door to door: About 1.5 h
Taxi or car via Amman, about 1 h
Roman ruins are among the best-preserved in the region.
Door to door: About 1 h
Car, about 30–45 min east
Umayyad sites; best visited as a loop from Amman, not from Zarqa.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Near the bus rapid transit station
Practical for a transit stop; limited hotel options.
Amman
Better choice: 20–30 min away by BRT, with far more accommodation and things to do.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- JD 15–25 excl. bed
- Mid
- JD 25–40 excl. bed
- High
- JD 40+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Basic hotel room1 × 1 night × JOD 20 | JOD 20 |
| Food, local transport, entries1 × 1 day × JOD 15 | JOD 15 |
| BRT Amman–Zarqa, one way1 × JOD 1 · check | JOD 1 |
| Taxi from Zarqa to Amman1 × JOD 15 · check | JOD 15 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | JOD 5 |
| Trip total≈ JOD 56 per person per day, bed included | JOD 56 |
Limited options in Zarqa; most visitors stay in Amman.
2026 estimate in Jordanian dinars (JOD). Flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| BRT Amman–Zarqa, one waycheck | JD 1 |
| Taxi within Zarqacheck | JD 2–5 |
| Simple meal (falafel, shawarma) | JD 2–4 |
| Coffee at a café | JD 1–2 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- No tourist infrastructure: few hotels, restaurants aimed at travellers, or English signage.
- Industrial area: air quality can be poor on some days.
- Hejaz Railway passenger services are infrequent and not reliable for travel planning (check).
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 911
- Fire and ambulance
- 911
Pocket card
Fill in, then print or save as PDF
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Zarqaالزرقاء
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
إلى هذا العنوان، من فضلكTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police911
- Fire and ambulance911
Embassy
Most embassies are in Amman, about 20–30 min away by BRT.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- BRT Amman–Zarqa: about JD 1, 20–30 min (check)
- Taxi Zarqa → Amman: JD 15–20 (check)
Say or show
- مرحبا — Hello (marhaba)
- شكرا — Thank you (shukran)
- كم؟ — How much? (kam?)
- أين محطة الباص؟ — Where is the bus station? (ayn mahattat al-bas?)
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Zarqa. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (hot) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 3 day-trips, door to door
- 3 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Place pages for Zarqa's few sights (zoo, Hejaz station) if they become verified.
- BRT schedule and frequency data for the Amman–Zarqa line.
- Hejaz Railway passenger timetable (currently unreliable).
Sources
Ask about Zarqa
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