17 March 2010 22:49 GMT
AirAsia Indonesia starts flights to Singapore
London City goes 'silent' this month
Easyjet to open more routes from Geneva
Keep flying wise! Sign up for our free e-newsletter The Transiter, which delivers the latest airport travel tips, news and feedback straight to your inbox every month
Transport options
Getting around Beirut is all part of the fun, especially when it comes to mastering the local taxi system.
A bus network does exist, run by the Lebanese Commuting Company, but services are irregular and do not seem to operate to any fixed timetable. They also seem to ignore the concept of bus stops, and will drop off and pick up passengers at almost any point. The route names are displayed in Arabic on the front of the bus, and the fare costs LL600 ($0.40).
Instead, the best way to get around is by taxi. These are identifiable by their red number plates, and are mostly dilapidated Mercedes from the 1960s and 1970s which help to give the city’s streets so much of their character. There are two options when it comes to taxis. The first is to charter your own taxi from the street, which will be reserved exclusively for you and the driver won’t pick up any other passengers. You don’t need to tip, and the price is LL7000 ($4.65). No taxis are metered, but rather there is an unwritten standard fare across the city. The vast majority of drivers adhere to this, but it’s still worth double-checking the fare before you get in.
Alternatively, you can share a taxi with other passengers using the communal ‘service’ system. This costs LL1,500 ($1) per person, but isn’t a door-to-door service and will only take you to the nearest landmark or main road to your final destination. It therefore requires some geographical knowledge of Beirut and the general layout of the city
If you’re heading out of town, then you can catch one of the inter-city buses or minibuses which leave from various points in the city. If you’re heading north up to Byblos or Tripoli, or are crossing over the mountains into Syria, then you need to use the Charles Helou bus ‘station’, under the Charles Helou overpass close to Beirut Port. Buses and minibuses depart regularly from here, as do the old yellow taxis which make the daily run between Beirut and Damascus.
If you’re going south down to Sidon or Tyre, or going up to the Chouf mountains then you should use the informal bus station close to the Cola roundabout, on the way towards the airport. Buses and minibuses leave from here, but they can be difficult to negotiate and are designed more for local residents than for tourists. The advantage, of course, is the bargain basement price: you can go across the country for little more than a couple of dollars.
Alternatively you can rent a car and brave Beirut’s chaotic roads. Most international chains have offices in the city, with some offering pick-up at the airport. Click here to compare prices and book a rental car.
Comments, feedback, tips or advice?
Post it using the box below.