Transport in Syria

Syria has no single, consistently functioning national mobility system. Roads carry most passenger and freight movement, while services differ sharply between governorates because of war damage, divided control, repairs and the security situation. The Ministry of Transport, governorates, the Ministry of Interior and Traffic Police, transport directorates, the General Establishment for Passenger Transport, the General Establishment for Road Transport, Syrian Railways, aviation authorities and port authorities each have different responsibilities. Public passenger transport includes public buses, sarafis, taxis, private providers, intercity Pullman coaches and bus terminals. A sarafi is a line minibus that normally carries passengers along a defined urban or regional line. Pullman means an intercity coach service, while a garage is commonly a bus terminal or departure center. Since 2025, the General Establishment for Passenger Transport has been under the Ministry of Transport and has organized or supervised buses, minibuses, taxis, rental offices, Pullman services and terminals. In Damascus, a June 2025 record listed 1,304 registered buses, but only 75 were operating; 35 modern buses had been introduced since 2020. This shows why registered capacity does not reliably indicate the service available on a given day. Rural and remote areas depend mainly on sarafis and other minibuses, and there is no reliably published nationwide timetable. Most journeys are paid in cash. Local fares are proposed through institutional or governorate committees and approved by the relevant governor. Distance, fuel prices, maintenance, the line served and exchange rates can affect the amount. A fare increase of about 15 to 20 percent was reported in May 2026, but there is no reliable national tariff list or national monthly or annual pass. Local fares and departure conditions should therefore be checked with the relevant provider or terminal. Damascus has the محلوّلة complaint application, but complaint channels differ by area. Taxis are generally yellow and display a visible taxi sign. Private taxi companies and local ride-sharing applications exist in some cities, but access depends on the city, application and network coverage, and cash payment remains usual. Law 16/2021 and Decision 55 provide a framework for applications, while further regulation was still being developed. Smart taximeters were announced in April 2026, but their local availability should not be assumed without confirmation. Rail transport is formally provided by Syrian Railways but remains in a rebuilding period. No nationwide regular passenger service is verified. A trial passenger journey between Aleppo and Hama took place in August 2025 after about 13 years of interruption. In 2026, planning focused mainly on freight between Tartus, Latakia and Aleppo and on port and industrial connections, especially for grain, fuel and other goods. Studies also covered Damascus–Daraa–Jordan border services, a suburban railway and a tourist line between Rabweh and Zabadani. There is no confirmed regular international passenger train service. Current timetables and tickets must be checked locally. Key road corridors include Damascus–Homs–Hama–Aleppo, Homs–Aleppo, Saraqib–Idlib and the airport road. Repair and rehabilitation programs continued in 2025 and 2026, but no complete current national road-condition dataset is available. A World Bank review covering 2011 to 2024 identified severe infrastructure damage, especially in Aleppo, Rif Dimashq and Homs. Road damage reduces connectivity and increases travel time, cost and the need for alternative arrangements. Driving a car or motorcycle generally requires a valid driving licence, vehicle registration, technical inspection and number plates handled through the relevant Transport Directorate. The main legal basis remains Law 31/2004 and later amendments, including Legislative Decree 11/2008. A broad legal revision discussed in 2025 and 2026 was still at the consultation or draft stage, so proposed rules on heavy trucks, signs, violations, fees and insurance should not be treated as final. Vehicle ownership transfers were temporarily suspended for technical or organizational reasons in August 2025; the current status should be confirmed before a sale or purchase. Drivers must carry valid documents and follow applicable signs, priority rules, speed limits, stopping and parking rules, lighting requirements and technical-safety requirements. Helmet and seat-belt rules also apply under the current law. Enforcement can vary by area, and checkpoints, unexpected closures and inspections can affect a journey. An informal payment is not a regular transport requirement. A collision involving a pedestrian can create particularly serious legal and financial risks. Road safety risks include damaged surfaces, aggressive driving, weak markings, unlit roads, night travel, pedestrians and animals in the carriageway, poorly maintained vehicles and unexploded ordnance or landmines away from cleared main corridors. A WHO profile published in 2023 using 2021 data recorded 549 reported road deaths, estimated 6,383 deaths and a rate of 29.9 deaths per 100,000 people; the data are old and uncertain. Walking remains essential in dense cities and when fuel or fares are difficult to afford, but parked vehicles, damaged surfaces and checkpoints often block sidewalks. People may have to use the carriageway, where vehicles do not reliably stop. Walking outside urban centers at night carries additional risk. Syria has no verified national cycling-lane network or integrated cycling system. Cycling is mainly local, individual or recreational, while motorcycles and three-wheeled vehicles provide functional alternatives but also create safety risks because separated infrastructure, lighting and consistent enforcement are limited. Long-distance travel relies mainly on road buses, Pullman coaches, sarafis, shared taxis and private cars. Journeys between governorates can change quickly with security conditions, checkpoints, road repairs and closures. Land crossings with Türkiye include Kasab, Bab al-Hawa, al-Hamam, al-Salamah, al-Rai and Jarabulus; crossings with Lebanon include Jdaidet Yabous, Joussiyah and Arida; Nassib connects with Jordan, and al-Bukamal connects with Iraq. Opening times and entry rules can change at short notice. In July 2025, Bab al-Hawa required advance approval for certain Syrian nationals travelling abroad, with processing reported to take up to 15 days. Current requirements must be verified before departure, with several hours of spare time for long-distance or border journeys. Damascus International Airport was reactivated in January 2025 and Aleppo International Airport in March 2025. More than 14 Arab and international airlines were reported in 2025, but flight corridors and airports have also been temporarily closed or diverted because of security conditions. The General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, the current aeronautical information publication and the airline's same-day notice are the decisive sources for a flight. No stable nationwide domestic flight schedule is verified. Latakia and Tartus mainly serve cargo and logistics. Regular passenger sea travel between Latakia and Jounieh resumed in June 2026, but its scale and timetable should not be treated as permanently established, and no reliable domestic ferry network is verified. Road dependence, older and less efficient vehicles, fuel shortages and congestion plausibly increase local air pollution and noise, but current national figures for transport modes, emissions and traffic shares are not reliable. The Ministry has planned a sustainable transport policy for 2026–2035, digital traffic management, electric buses and charging infrastructure, but implementation remains under development. Rail is officially presented as a lower-energy and lower-emission option for freight, especially where port and industrial connections can be restored. Fuel, spare parts, fares, registration charges, border fees and other transport expenses remain volatile, while electronic payment is not dependable nationwide.