Syria  
 
Location


How to get there?
Take the bus from Amman, Jordan or flying to Damascus (Turkish Airlines) are probably the best options.

Documents
When you do not have the arabic fonts installed on your computer, it might be a problem to print out the visa application form from the embassy. In this case, you can download a modified pdf here, which you should be able to print. The visa application form is dated from 2008.

Transportation in the country
Busses are faster than trains, and there are plenty of them. But the train provides a lot of comfort and is very good in Syria. Unfortunatly the hours are usually not so good. Timetables can only be found in arabic. These are the trains I know about:
Aleppo - Homs ( 15.00 - 17.26 )
Aleppo - Damascus ( 00.01 - 05.52, 04-00 - 08.55, 05.40 - 09.57, 10.05 - 14.52, 15.32 - 20.04 )
Aleppo - Deir-Az-Zawr ( 16.10 - 20.21 )
Aleppo - Lattakia ( 06.00 - 08.30, 06.48 - 10.08, 15.48 - 19.22, 17.30 - 20.07, 05.00 - 07.40 )
Aleppo - Midaan Kabir ( 15.00 - 18.10 )
Aleppo - Quamishli ( 23.15 - 06.52 )
Damascus - Aleppo ( 0.20 - 06.18 , 17.45 - 22.42 , 15.32 - 19.50 , 20.20 - 01.00 , 06.00 - 11.34 )
Damascus - Lattakia ( 16.05 - 20.55 )
Damascus - Quamishli ( 19.00 - 08.41 )
Deir-Az-Zawr - Aleppo ( 06.46 - 10.57 )
Homs - Aleppo ( 06.00 - 08.25 )
Lattakia - Aleppo ( 06.25 - 09.04 , 07.17 - 10.50 , 15.40 - 19.25 , 17.27 - 20.00 , 20.10 - 22.45 )
Lattakia - Damascus ( 01.10 - 06.25 )
Lattakia - Tartus ( 15.15 - 16.30 )
Midaan Kabir - Aleppo ( 06.30 - 09.40 )
Qamishli - Aleppo ( 21.50 - 05.28 )
Quamishli - Damascus ( 18.10 - 07.20 )
Tartus - Lattakia ( 06.25 - 07.38 )

Accomodation
There is plenty of accomodation. These are some of the places I liked a lot:
  • Damascus: Al Rabie, Saruja-Bashsa Str., +963 (11) 2318374, alrabiehotel@hotmail.com
  • Hama: Riad Hotel, Kouatli Str., +963 (33) 239512 or +963 (33) 235540 (organises tours, a bit commercial), riadhotel@scs-net.org
  • Aleppo: Al-Gawaher, Bab Al-Faraj Str, +963 (21) 2239554, gawaherh@aloola.sy
  • Lattakia: Hotel Lattakia, Shikh Daher, North Mosque, 479527 or 458678
  • Deir-Az-Zawr: Main Street, 051 362070

    • Costs
    Syria is a cheap country. Some examples :
     
  • Hotel, budget: 5 EURO
  • Train from Deir Az-Zawr - Aleppo (first class): 2,10 EURO

    • Literature
          I've used the Lonely Planet, but many other guidebooks exist. (Bratt, Rough Guide, ...)

    Do and Don'ts
    Take your student card (ISIC). You will get huge reductions everywhere.
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