Jordan and Israel have three operational land crossing pairs: Allenby or King Hussein in the central corridor, Jordan River or Sheikh Hussein in the north, and Yitzhak Rabin or Wadi Araba in the south; the right choice depends on passport eligibility, direction, live terminal operation and the destination after crossing. Distance alone is not enough.
Use the Jordan Dead Sea overview to keep hotels, roads and shore access on the eastern side of the lake.
This guide is current to 29 August 2026. Check the official terminal notice again before leaving, because security conditions and holiday schedules can change.
Quick decision table
| Crossing | Strongest geographic use | Current Israeli-side passenger hours | Important cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allenby / King Hussein | Amman, central routes and the West Bank corridor | Sun and Thu: inbound to Israel 08:00 to 18:30, outbound 08:00 to 17:00; Mon to Wed 08:00 to 17:00; Fri 08:00 to 15:30; Sat closed | Arrive about 3 hours before closing |
| Jordan River / Sheikh Hussein | Northern Jordan and northern Israel | Sun to Thu 08:30 to 18:00; Fri 08:30 to 16:00; Sat closed | Admission currently ends 16:30 Sun to Thu and 14:30 Fri |
| Yitzhak Rabin / Wadi Araba | Aqaba, Eilat, Petra and southern routes | Sun to Thu 06:30 to 20:00; Fri and Sat 08:00 to 20:00 | Vehicle passage ends 19:00; passengers should arrive at least 30 minutes before closing |
Hours are directional and can change for holidays or temporary notices. Check the exact page for the date and direction.
A crossing plan is complete only when it names the terminal, passport permission, last admission, exit fee, shuttle or vehicle rule, and onward ride on the other side.
Allenby or King Hussein Bridge
Use Allenby for central routes only after the Jordan visa question is resolved. Jordan does not issue tourist visas on arrival there; private vehicles do not cross, and passengers change transport across the terminal process.
The current Israeli notice extends inbound-to-Israel processing on Sundays and Thursdays, but outbound processing remains earlier. Do not read one direction’s closing time as applying to the other. Friday is shorter and Saturday is closed.
This crossing can involve shuttles, queues and security processing that make a fixed “crossing time” misleading. Protect a large buffer and avoid a non-refundable onward appointment.
Jordan River or Sheikh Hussein
This northern pair is useful for Irbid, northern Jordan and northern Israel. Jordan visa eligibility is passport-specific. Confirm it before arrival.
Passengers without a private vehicle use the terminal transport process and arrange separate onward transport on each side. Private-vehicle rules require current documents; rental cars and taxis do not cross. Holiday notices can also restrict vehicle passage even when pedestrian passengers are accepted.
Yitzhak Rabin or Wadi Araba
This southern crossing links the Eilat and Aqaba areas and is the natural choice for a route involving Aqaba, Petra or Wadi Rum. It is not automatically the best entry for the northern Dead Sea, because the onward road through Jordan is long.
Official Jordan pages currently conflict on visa-on-arrival wording at Wadi Araba. Resolve the traveller’s nationality and permission through Jordan’s Ministry of Interior before reaching the terminal.
The Israeli authority allows some private vehicles under current document and insurance rules, but rental cars and taxis cannot cross. For private vehicles, the registration and driving documents must meet the published language and ownership requirements, and Jordan third-party insurance is required.
Documents for travel into Israel
Visa-exempt foreign travellers generally need an approved ETA-IL before starting the journey. The official system says approval is normally valid for multiple trips for up to two years or until passport expiry and permits visits of up to 90 days, subject to border control. The official fee is NIS 25.
Travellers who are not ETA-eligible need the appropriate Israeli visa. Passport validity differs by entry route, so check the official eligibility result instead of applying a single rule to everyone.
Carry accommodation details, onward transport, travel insurance and any supporting documents requested for the purpose of the visit; an ETA or visa permits travel to the border; the border authority still decides entry.
Exit fees
The Israeli-side passenger fee schedule effective 15 April 2026 lists NIS 208 at Allenby and NIS 120 at Jordan River and Yitzhak Rabin. Payment method and counter charges can differ, and fees can be updated; confirm the current schedule and whether the fee applies in your direction before paying.
Do not confuse an Israeli exit fee, Jordanian exit fee, shuttle fee and visa fee. They are separate items.
Vehicle rules
- Private vehicles cannot cross at Allenby
- Current Israeli guidance allows eligible private vehicles at Jordan River and Yitzhak Rabin under crossing-specific rules
- Rental cars and taxis do not cross between the countries
- From 1 March 2026, an English vehicle-registration translation is required for private-vehicle departure from Israel to Jordan at Jordan River and Yitzhak Rabin; the service is not provided at the terminals
- If the driver is not the owner, Yitzhak Rabin guidance requires a notarized power of attorney translated into English
- Jordan third-party insurance is required for a vehicle entering Jordan
Recheck the other country’s vehicle rules as well. Meeting one side’s document list does not guarantee the other side will accept the vehicle.
Continue to the Dead Sea without mixing countries
After entering Jordan, use Jordan-side transport to a named Sweimeh hotel, Dead Sea Tourist Beach or other confirmed facility. After entering Israel, use the separate Israel shore pages. The lake is shared, but there is no bridge across it and no interchangeable beach system.
If your destination is Jordan’s shore, continue with the Jordan transport guide. For entry requirements, use the Jordan visa guide.
Border-day checklist
- Correct crossing in both naming systems.
- Passport and nationality-specific permission
- ETA-IL or Israeli visa when entering Israel
- Jordan visa or approval when entering Jordan
- Current direction-specific hours and last admission
- Exit fee and payment method
- Shuttle or vehicle documents
- Onward driver and exact destination
- Holiday and security notice rechecked the same day
Decision facts worth keeping
Border-hours benchmark
The Israeli terminal schedule effective from 26 July 2026 gives Allenby longer inbound-to-Israel processing on Sunday and Thursday than outbound processing. The authority also asks travelers to arrive about 3 hours before closing. One closing time cannot safely be applied to both directions.
Border-fee benchmark
The Israeli-side passenger fee schedule effective 15 April 2026 lists NIS 208 at Allenby and NIS 120 at Jordan River and Yitzhak Rabin. Those are not Jordanian visa, exit or shuttle charges. Confirm direction, payment method and every separate fee before border day.
Next planning decisions
- Jordan trip-planning guide: Use the trip-planning guide to choose the order of access, transport and stay length
- Jordan Dead Sea hotel guide: Compare the hotel guide when an overnight base or private managed shore is part of the plan
- Jordan Dead Sea beach guide: Check the beach guide when the main decision is the type of managed water access
- Jordan day-pass booking guide: Use the day-pass guide to turn a property name into a dated list of included facilities
- Jordan day-pass comparison: Compare public, resort and spa products before treating their headline prices as equivalent
Frequently asked questions
Which crossing is closest to the Dead Sea?
There is no useful single answer until you choose the country and final access point; allenby serves the central corridor, Jordan River the north, and Yitzhak Rabin the south. Compare the full border and onward route, not straight-line distance.
How long does a Jordan-Israel crossing take?
There is no reliable fixed time. Security, passenger volume, shuttles and temporary operations can turn it into a long process. Protect a large buffer and obey the published last-admission cutoff. Confirm the exact operator, stop, direction and return before paying, because a route label does not prove a current connection.
Can I get a Jordan visa at Allenby?
No. Arrange any required Jordan visa before arrival. Keep a flexible alternative when one current detail remains unresolved.
Is Wadi Araba visa on arrival guaranteed with a Jordan Pass?
No. Current official Jordan pages conflict on the wording. Confirm eligibility for the exact passport and stay through Jordan’s Ministry of Interior before travel.
Can I drive a rental car across?
No. Current terminal guidance prohibits rental cars and taxis from crossing. Private vehicles are a separate, document-heavy process at Jordan River and Yitzhak Rabin. Confirm the exact operator, stop, direction and return before paying, because a route label does not prove a current connection.
Is Saturday a normal crossing day?
No. Allenby and Jordan River are currently closed on Saturday, while Yitzhak Rabin publishes Saturday passenger hours. Holiday and security notices can override the normal schedule. Confirm the exact operator, stop, direction and return before paying, because a route label does not prove a current connection.
