The train to Latakia and other Aleppo, Syria Transportation Tips

'Mode': TO
Category: Train
Getting TO/AROUND: From Aleppo I took the train together with Morgan and Katjalin from France (and Firas was there to say goodbye to us). We got seats in second class, which have quite hard seats with straight backs. First class looks much more comfortable with soft seats which you can lean back in and with air-condition. Unfortunately there were no seats left there.
I wanted to buy something to drink on the train but there was nothing. But luckly when the train stopped, sellers entered to sell soft drinks.
It took about 3,5 hours to go to Latakia.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: The Luxury Bus Station (Ibrahim Hanano) in Aleppo is less then a km away from the Clock Tower.

In Aleppo I stayed at Spring Flower Hostel and they wanted to sell me a ticket to Hamah with a morning bus and said there were no others. But of course there are, and I went to the busstation to buy one for a later bus (so I could visit the museum first). The busride to Hamah took about two and a half hours and there the bus stopped close to the tourist office (which is not too far from Cairo Hotel and Riad Hotel). In July 2002 I paid 65 SP from Aleppo to Hamah (big bus with broken AC).

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'Mode': TO
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Buses to Beirut from Aleppo cost 300 SP and takes about 6 hours. When I travelled it took 6,5 hours as it took quite long time at the border. The buses leave from Karajat Hanano (Ibrahim Hanano) an to go there by taxi from the clock tower is 25 SP.
In Beirut the bus stops at Charles Helou Station.
I travelled with Serraj bus company, which had good confortable buses and gave everyone a small bottle of water in the beginning of the ride.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Buses to Aleppo leaves from Karajat Harasta in Damascus. To go to Harasta you can take a microbus from Sharia Soukri al-Quwatli for 5 SP. It is the microbus with green signs that are going to Harasta.
From Harasta buses are leaving for Aleppo every hour. The bus company I travelled with had buses leaving every hour from 6.00 to 20.00. The bus ride between Damascus and Aleppo took 4,5 hours and was 125 SP. On the bus water is served (and a candy).
In Aleppo the bus did not stop at Karajat Hanano (Ibrahim Hanano) as it used to do, but futher away from the centre, close to the stadion. The first taxidriver wanted to have 200 SP. I said 25 SP (chamsa wa ashrin) which is the right tax for taxises within Aleppo. I found a driver who agreed to take me for 25 SP but he changed his mind in the car. When I wanted to go out of the car he changed to 25 SP again.

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