Damascus airport to the city: how to get in
The centre is 30 kilometres and 25-45 minutes away, and there is no meter: take a fixed price at the desk or haggle before you get in. Apps, the bus and Aleppo too.
Damascus International Airport sits about 30 kilometres southeast of the centre; the drive takes 25-45 minutes depending on traffic and checkpoints. Three ways in: taxi, ride-hailing app, bus. One rule covers all three: settle the price before you move.
Taxi
There is no meter and no standard tariff. Two systems operate: the taxi desk in arrivals gives a fixed price — dearer, but haggle-free and on record. Bargaining with the taxis waiting outside comes out cheaper, but finish the bargain before you get in. The band circulating in August 2026 runs like this: about 2500 new pounds from the desk to the centre, around 1500 bargained with a street taxi, roughly 2000 by app. At the day’s rate (1 dollar to 131 pounds) that is broadly 11 to 19 dollars; a private transfer runs up to 50. The figures come from a single source and date fast — treat the band as an order of magnitude, not a price. Prices climb after midnight; on a night arrival widen your bargaining margin or ask your hotel to send a car. When a figure is quoted, confirm whether it is new or old pounds — two zeros came off the currency in January 2026, and anyone saying “150 thousand” is talking old pounds. The day’s rate is published at sp-today.com; check it before you land and you bargain with a number in hand.
Ride-hailing apps
Uber and Yango do not operate in Syria; searching for them is wasted time. The local apps that work are YallaGo, Shahm, Tfadal and ZAKINN. They need data — no app opens before you buy a SIM at the Syriatel or MTN kiosk in arrivals.
Bus
The cheapest way in is the airport–Baramkeh line, running at intervals through the day. Baramkeh station is far from the Old City and you will need a taxi from there — with luggage the sum rarely works out.
At the airport
Arrivals has Syriatel and MTN SIM kiosks and an exchange counter. Change only a small amount there — 50 to 100 dollars, enough for the taxi and the SIM; do your main exchange in the city after checking the day’s rate. Details on the money page.
The Aleppo side
Aleppo’s airport is close to town: 7 kilometres, 20-35 minutes with traffic. There is no scheduled city bus; taxis wait at the door and the fare is again bargained. The distance is short and the price should show it — half the Damascus band is a fair opening.
Tips
- Rough band: ~2500 new pounds at the desk, ~1500 bargained (broadly 11-19 dollars) — variable, not fixed
- Check the day's rate at sp-today.com; bargain with a number in hand
- Confirm the figure is in new pounds — anyone quoting old pounds is saying 100 times the price
- Bring dollars or euros in cash; that is what exchange offices take
- No Uber or Yango; install YallaGo or Shahm, and buy a Syriatel or MTN SIM first
- Fares rise after midnight; a car sent by your hotel is the easy night option
Transparency
- How this was chosen
- This page carries the fastest-ageing information on the site: visa rules, exchange rates, border crossings and SIM prices change several times a year. The verification date above says when the facts were last put through their sources; for anything later, check your own foreign ministry travel advice and a Syrian consulate. No figure that is not known for certain is written here.
- Facts checked
- August 2026
- Last updated
- August 28, 2026