Hejaz Railway

Amman


The Hejaz Railway once ferried pilgrims from Damascus in Syria to Amman and then on to Medina in Saudi Arabia, but only the breeze rolls through this historic old station at present. There's a small on-site museum, and you can sit in the elaborately decked Royal Carriage. Very occasionally, there are rumours that a tourist service will start using the splendid steam locomotive, but plans seem forever to run into the buffers. We live in hope.

The station is 2.5km east of the Roman Theatre, on the edge of downtown in the Mahatta district. If the museum is closed, there's usually someone who'll let you poke about the engine sheds and admire the old locos.