Rules for overlanding in Syria

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 11 August 2026.

Which licence you need

All vehicles — An International Driving Permit is recommended, and both the 1968 Vienna and the 1949 Geneva convention models are accepted.

An International Driving Permit states the categories it covers: check yours covers what you will actually drive. A car licence does not cover a motorcycle, and a heavy camper or a truck can need a higher category.

At the wheel

Temporary vehicle import — The rules for importing a vehicle temporarily are awaiting new regulation.
Rules of the road — Drive on the right and overtake on the left. Seatbelts are compulsory in the front seats, and drink-driving is strictly prohibited.
Arrest after a crash — After a road accident you must call the police. Under Syrian law, if the crash caused injuries you are liable to arrest. For that reason the ministry suggests hiring a car with a driver who can double as a guide.
Roads and lighting — The ordinary road network runs to about 64,697 km, of which only 9,058 km are surfaced. Electricity is only partly guaranteed, so street lighting and traffic lights work intermittently, while traffic volumes have grown sharply and driving is at times chaotic.
Lebanon and Jordan — The Syrian-Lebanese and Syrian-Jordanian land borders can currently be crossed. For overland journeys to and from Syria use only well-known taxi companies and avoid moving at night. If you are flying out of Beirut or Amman, leave Syria well ahead of the flight, because of possible delays at the border and on the road.
Other transport — Rail services are not running except on short stretches along the coast, and intercity bus links between the main cities are still frequently interrupted. City travel relies mostly on private minibuses and taxis, with booking apps available, though their condition and upkeep can be poor.

What catches travellers out

Drugs — Possession, even for personal use, and dealing are offences punished with sentences ranging from 15 years in prison up to the death penalty.
Visa at the border — A visa is required and at this stage is generally issued at the border, both at airports and at land crossings. It normally allows a single entry for 15 days and costs around USD 75, payable in cash on entry. If you plan to travel on to Jordan or Lebanon and come back, you need a multiple-entry visa.
Passport condition — Check that your passport is intact before leaving: if the Syrian authorities suspect it has been tampered with they can block your entry or your exit. At least six months of remaining validity is required.
Cash and shortages — There are no restrictions on using or changing foreign currency, the US dollar circulates widely and the euro much less. Some medicines and imported goods are hard to find, and services including the internet are heavily limited by the state of the electricity supply.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 11 August 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Syria before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 11 August 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.