Renting a Car in Syria 2026: Everything You Need to Know with Safarji

Renting a car in Syria is one of the most important decisions to settle before any trip to the country. With public transport in a notably weak state, renting a car in Syria becomes less of a luxury and more of a near-necessity. Between the choice of a self-drive car and a private driver, and between the widely varying prices and booking conditions, this guide lays out everything practical you’ll need to pick what actually suits you.

Self-Drive or With a Driver?

This is the first question worth settling, and it’s a bigger one than it sounds. A self-drive car gives you total freedom to move on your own schedule — no small thing when you’re trying to catch a sunset at just the right moment. But it also demands a fairly good handle on Syrian roads and signage, plus a valid international driving license, which is not something you want to discover you’re missing at the rental counter. The private driver option, meanwhile, is by far the more popular choice among Safarji’s clients — especially foreign visitors — and for good reason: safe travel with someone who actually knows the roads and border crossings, and who, more often than not, ends up doubling as an informal, thoroughly entertaining tour guide along the way.

What Types of Vehicles Are Available?

Safarji offers a range of vehicles to suit pretty much any need:

• Economy cars: Fine for city driving and short hops between nearby areas, and easy on fuel.
• Family vehicles (SUVs): The sensible choice for families or small groups, offering real comfort on longer stretches — say, the drive from Damascus to the coast.
• Luxury cars: For those after a higher level of comfort and privacy, particularly for special occasions or private excursions.
• Minibuses (vans): For larger groups or extended families, with the route customizable to the group’s wishes.

So, How Much Does It Actually Cost?

The honest answer is: it depends — on the type of car, the rental duration, and whether a driver is included. Generally speaking, an economy car without a driver is the cheapest option, while prices climb with family and luxury vehicles, and climb further still once you add a driver to the mix. My advice, for what it’s worth, is to contact the Safarji team directly for a detailed quote tailored to your itinerary, since prices do shift with the season and the number of rental days.

What Documents Will You Actually Need?

For the self-drive option, you’ll typically need a valid passport, an international driving license, and a refundable security deposit, returned once the car comes back in one piece. Choose the driver option instead — the simpler route for most foreign visitors — and the paperwork gets considerably lighter, since Safarji handles all the arrangements and all you really need to do is settle on a pickup time and destination.

Can You Rent for Just a Day, or Only for Longer Periods?

You’ll find flexible options either way — a single day for a short tour around one city, right through to several days or the entire length of your trip. The latter is, unsurprisingly, the more common choice among Safarji’s clients, particularly those planning to visit more than one Syrian city as part of a single itinerary (Damascus, Aleppo, and the coast, for instance).

Do the Drivers Actually Speak Any Foreign Languages?

Given that the majority of Safarji’s clients are international visitors, we make a point of providing drivers who can communicate in basic foreign languages — English and Turkish chief among them — and who are, just as importantly, well versed in the landmarks and historical background of the areas they’re driving you through, which adds genuine value to the trip rather than just getting you from A to B.

City Driving vs. Driving Between Cities — What’s the Difference?

Getting around within a single city, Damascus or Aleppo say, tends to be simpler and cheaper, and can be arranged daily or as needed. Moving between cities — Damascus to the coast, or on to Aleppo — is a different matter and requires some advance planning around distance and timing, which is precisely why most of our clients prefer booking a package that covers the whole trip with Safarji, rather than arranging transport day by day.

How to Book a Car Rental in Syria with Safarji?

The booking process is refreshingly simple: just get in touch through our website (syriatourism.net) with the details of your trip — the cities you plan to visit, the number of days, the number of people — and our team will send you the most suitable offer in short order, with pickup arranged directly from the airport or your hotel if you’d like.