Getting around Lebanon

Choose transport for the journey

Start with the route you can currently travel, then choose the vehicle. A pre-booked driver from a recognised company is useful for arrival, cross-city journeys and places where the return trip cannot be improvised.

For each booking, agree the pickup and destination, private fare, payment currency and contact details. For a day hire, list the stops and ask whether waiting, parking and the driver’s return journey are included.

Check current conditions

Routes can be affected by traffic, weather, local events and the security situation. Check official travel advice and ask your accommodation or driver about the intended route on the day.

Vetted taxis and ride-hailing: what to check

Book through a recognised taxi company with vetted drivers or ask your hotel to arrange the vehicle. Confirm the driver and car details before pickup, and make sure the vehicle arriving matches the booking.

App availability is not a safety endorsement. FCDO guidance cautions against street-hailed and shared taxis and records an official warning about Uber use in Lebanon. Consult the current guidance before choosing a service; keep an established taxi company’s number as a backup.

What is a service taxi?

A service taxi is a shared car taking passengers along a direction or route, rather than a vehicle hired exclusively for your destination. The word service describes the fare arrangement; it does not identify a vetted transfer company.

FCDO advises against shared taxis because passengers have suffered robbery and assault. We explain the term so that you can recognise the distinction when offered transport. For a visitor’s journey, arrange a private vehicle through a recognised company or accommodation instead.

Beirut Airport transfers: arrange the arrival before flying

Send the transfer company your flight number and accommodation pin, then save the driver’s name, contact number and meeting instructions offline. Confirm what happens after a delay and where to wait if you cannot find each other.

Agree the total fare, currency, payment method, luggage allowance and any waiting fee in advance. For a family or wheelchair user, confirm the seat or vehicle arrangement explicitly; a larger car is not automatically suitable.

For the journey back, ask your accommodation and driver about road access and allow for the airline’s check-in requirements. If authorities close an access road, follow their instructions and check with the airline instead of attempting an unfamiliar diversion.

Buses and minibuses: plan both directions

Bus and minibus services can be useful on some main corridors, but a road shown on a map is not evidence of a frequent passenger service. Obtain current route details locally and confirm that the route is appropriate under official advice.

Ask where the vehicle actually leaves, whether departures follow a timetable or fill-up system, where to get off and how to recognise the return pickup. A town-centre stop may still leave a separate taxi journey to a ruin, reserve entrance or mountain village.

Before leaving Beirut, establish the last practical return and an alternative if the service finishes earlier than expected. Carry small cash notes, confirm the currency and luggage arrangements, and avoid using an uncertain final bus for an airport connection.

Hiring a car: documents, insurance and collection

A hire car can suit a flexible trip outside Beirut if you are comfortable with local driving conditions. Get the rental company’s requirements for your licence, any international permit, driver age and deposit in writing before paying.

At collection, photograph existing damage, tyres, glass and the fuel level with the company present. Read the insurance exclusions, excess, breakdown arrangements and authorised areas of use. Ask what to do after an incident and how an out-of-hours return is recorded.

For mountain travel, discuss the actual season and route with the company. A larger vehicle does not remove the risks of snow, ice or a closed road. Download offline maps and keep a way to reach the company if mobile data fails.

Driving in Lebanon

Drive predictably, hold your line and expect vehicles to pass closely or on either side. Horns are commonly used to signal presence rather than only anger. Check a junction even on green, and avoid unfamiliar routes after dark where practical.

At checkpoints, slow down, follow instructions and keep identification available. Do not photograph military personnel, checkpoints, vehicles or installations.

Roundabouts

Do not assume priority will be interpreted exactly as it is at home. Approach slowly, watch the vehicles already moving and enter only when the movement around you is clear.

Horns are part of the traffic rhythm

Drivers often use the horn to announce that they are approaching, passing or alongside another vehicle. It does not automatically mean that a serious incident has occurred.

Traffic lights, motorcycles and scooters

Check the junction even when the light turns green, as another road user may enter late. Motorcycles and scooters can appear between lanes or close to the kerb, so check mirrors before changing direction or opening a door.

Parking in cities, old towns and at attractions

Choose accommodation with confirmed parking if you hire a car. In old coastal centres, it is often easier to park once outside the busiest lanes and walk between nearby stops than to drive to each entrance.

Check whether hotel parking is on site, a nearby public car park or a valet arrangement. Ask the charge and collection hours before handing over keys, retain the ticket and remove valuables.

For a hired vehicle, check that your agreement permits another person to move it. Do not leave the car on a narrow mountain bend or block a village access road for a photograph; use an established stopping place.

Do you need a car in Beirut?

Most visitors do not need one for a city stay. Use taxis between neighbourhoods and walk within an area where conditions allow; parking and dense traffic can make a hire car more work than help.

Coastal journeys: group nearby stops

Byblos, Batroun and Tripoli lie north of Beirut; Sidon and Tyre lie south. Check official advice for the exact destination and the intervening road before building a day around either direction.

A coastal outing works better with one main town and, if time allows, a nearby stop. Beirut to Byblos with an unhurried harbour and archaeological visit is a different day from trying to add Batroun and Tripoli before returning.

Tell your driver whether you want a one-way transfer, a waiting return or several stops. If taking a bus, check the onward journey between its drop-off and the historic centre before departure.

To Zahle, the Bekaa Valley and Baalbek

The route climbs over Mount Lebanon before descending into the Bekaa Valley. Weather, traffic and current local conditions matter more than the distance alone; use an experienced driver and check official advice for the route and destination.

To Bsharri, Qadisha Valley and the Cedars

The final approach climbs into the mountains and destinations are spread across different elevations. A local driver is useful for combining Bsharri, viewpoints, Qadisha access points and Cedars of God.

In winter, confirm snow, ice, tyre equipment and road status before setting out.

Build realistic days without fixed journey times

Use a live estimate near departure as a starting point, then allow additional time for pickup, stops, traffic and local checks. A kilometre count misses the slow approach to a mountain site or the last stretch through a busy city.

Plan one main destination per day trip. For a multi-stop day, group places on the same corridor and agree a point at which you will drop the optional stop. Museum visits, lunch and walking time need their own space in the plan.

Keep airport day light. An early departure or a final night nearer the airport route provides more resilience than a tightly timed return from another region.

Children, luggage and accessible vehicles

Book an appropriate child seat in advance and reconfirm the seat type, fitting and charge before pickup. Provide the number of passengers and all large bags so that luggage does not compete with a child seat for space.

For limited mobility, explain whether you can transfer into a car, whether a wheelchair folds and what assistance you need at pickup. Confirm the whole journey, including the final path to the hotel or attraction entrance.

Plan breaks on longer journeys and keep essentials in the passenger area. A compact route with room for delays is easier on children and anyone who cannot comfortably remain in a vehicle for a long time.

Paying for taxis, buses and car hire

Cash is important for taxis and many buses. Carry smaller notes and confirm the currency before the trip. For a booked car, establish the payment method with the company in advance.

For car hire, check the deposit, accepted card, fuel policy, insurance excess and the currency in which the final charge will be processed.

Mountain roads and winter conditions

Mountain roads can be steep, narrow and exposed to fog, snow or ice. Check the forecast and road status for the actual elevation, not only Beirut, and avoid an unfamiliar mountain route after dark where practical.

Rene Mouawad Airport and Tripoli

Rene Mouawad Airport (KYE) near Tripoli should not be treated as a regular international passenger alternative to Beirut Airport unless a current official schedule specifically confirms a suitable service. Most visitors arrive through BEY.