Friday is the weekly holiday. Banks, government offices and most businesses are closed on Saturdays as well. Many businesses, including airline offices, travel agencies and some shops also close on Thursday afternoon, although department stores and supermarkets remain open. A few businesses and shops close for some of Sunday.
| Business Type |
Timings |
| Banks |
8:30am - 3:00pm (some reopen from 3:30pm - 5:30pm) |
| Business Offices |
8:30am - 1:00pm & 3:30pm - 6:30pm |
| Government Offices |
8:30am - 3:00pm |
| Shops |
Flexible but typically
9:30am - 1:30pm & 1:30pm-10:00pm |
| Please note that earlier closings apply during the month of Holy Ramadan. |
Credit cards are accepted at hotels, restaurants and larger shops, including American Express, Visa, Diners Club, and MasterCard. Please note that many smaller shops still prefer cash payment in the Jordanian currency, and it’s essential for shopping in the local souks.
The main English-language daily is The Jordan Times. A weekly English-language paper, The Star, is published on Thursdays and has a French language supplement. Foreign newspapers are available at hotels and some shops.
Jordan television broadcasts in English and French on Channel 2. Daily program listings can be found in The Jordan Times. CNN and other international stations are available via satellite at larger hotels.
Radio Jordan: 24hr English-language service on 96.3FM.
BBC World Service: 24hr English-language service on 103.1FM.
Radio SAWA: 24hr English-language service on 98.1 FM.
220 AC volts, 50 cycles, requiring rounded two-prong wall plugs. Visitors from the US will need a transformer which most hotels can provide.
October – March: Greenwich Mean Time plus 2 hours (G.M.T. + 2)
April – September: Greenwich Mean Time plus 3 hours (G.M.T. + 3)
Jordan is seven hours ahead of US Eastern Time
Water is a precious resource in Jordan and visitors are encouraged not to waste it. Hotels rated 3 stars and above have their own water filtering systems and their water is considered safe to drink. Elsewhere, bottled water is cheap and readily available.
Medical services are excellent in the larger cities and towns and most doctors are bilingual in Arabic and English. Larger hotels have a doctor on call and embassies can also suggest doctors and hospitals.
Telephone services within Jordan are efficient and reliable. Directories in Arabic and English are widely available and international calls can be made from public and private phones. Fax services are available at most hotels while telegrams can be sent from post offices. Internet access is widespread via Internet cafes and hotels.
National Telephone Codes:
| City |
Dialing Code |
| Ajloun | 02 |
| Al Mafraq | 02 |
| Amman | 06 |
| Aqaba | 03 |
| Dead Sea | 05 |
| Jerash | 02 |
| Karak | 03 |
| Maan | 03 |
| Madaba | 05 |
| Petra | 03 |
| Tafila | 03 |
| Salt | 05 |
| Wadi Rum | 03 |
| Zarqa | 05 |
The local currency is the Jordanian Dinar, symbol JD, which is often called the “jaydee”. There are 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 JD notes. The dinar is divided onto 100 piasters (pronounced “pee-aster”) of 1000 fils (“fills”). The fils is the unit most commonly used and you will usually see prices written as 4,750 (which is 4 JD and 750 fils).
Currency can be exchanged at major banks, exchange booths and at most hotels. Street money-changers are best avoided. Exchange rates are set daily by the Jordanian Central Bank.
As well as post offices, most 4 and 5-star hotels offer postal services.
Post office opening hours are:
Summer: Sat-Thurs 0700-1900, Fri 0700-1300
Winter: Sat-Thurs 0700-1700, Fri 0700-1300
There are also a number of international courier services, including DHL, FedEx, TNT International, UPS, etc.
The population of Jordan has grown rapidly over the last fifty years or so to more than 5 million people. Around 80% of the population lives in urban areas, with approximately 2 million living in the capital, Amman.
Jordan uses the metric system.
Banks, businesses, government offices and many shops close all day for public holidays.
Fixed public holidays include:
- New Year’s Day (1st January)
- Labour Day (1st May)
- Independence Day (25th May)
- Christmas Day (25th December)
A number of public holidays are not fixed. These include Easter and the following Islamic Holidays, which are based on the Lunar calendar:
- Eid al-Fitr A 3 or 4-day feast marking the end of Ramadan
- Eid al-Adha A 4 day feast at the end of the Hajj, or month of pilgrimage to Mecca
- First of Muharam Islamic New Year
- The Birthday of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)
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About Jordan 
