Petra from Eilat: the Wadi Araba Crossing

Petra from Eilat means crossing into Jordan at the Wadi Araba crossing, which Israel calls the Yitzhak Rabin crossing, then about 2 hours by van to Petra on booking-tours.com's Eilat tour. The Israel Airports Authority lists the passenger terminal as open Sunday to Thursday 06:30 to 20:00 and Friday and Saturday 08:00 to 20:00, and the UK Foreign Office warns that “closures may happen at no notice, including over the weekend” (both November 2026). Petra charges a day visitor who does not stay a night in Jordan 90 JD, not 50 JD. The Eilat day tours include the Petra ticket and a guide, but not the border fees or the visa, and they rate lower than the tours on this site that start inside Jordan.

The crossing

Israel Airports Authority, Yitzhak Rabin terminal opening hours, November 2026.

The UK Foreign Office’s entry page for Jordan says the three land crossings from Israel and Palestine “are open most days from 8 or 8.30am” and that “closures may happen at no notice, including over the weekend” (November 2026). Its travel advice for Jordan, updated 27 October 2026, advises against all travel within 3 km of the border with Syria, far to the north of this crossing. Read both pages again in the week you travel.

What you pay at the border and at Petra

• Jordan’s visa. A visit visa costs 40 JD (UK Foreign Office, November 2026). The Jordan Pass says holders from non-restricted nationalities can get the visa on arrival at Wadi Araba, and the pass waives the visa fee for a stay of at least two nights bought before arrival (jordanpass.jo, November 2026).
• Leaving Jordan. A departure tax of 10 JD in cash at all land crossings (UK Foreign Office, November 2026).
• The Israeli side. The Eilat tours list their own border fees: Tourist Israel Tours 230 NIS, about US$80; booking-tours.com a US$65 border tax.
• Petra. 90 JD for one day if you do not stay a night in Jordan; 50 JD if you do (Visit Petra, November 2026).

The Eilat day tours

GetYourGuide and Viator listings, November 2026. The listings quote the visa at different figures; the UK Foreign Office gives 40 JD.

Two things stand out. The visa figures differ from tour to tour, and booking-tours.com's Eilat tour is marked non-refundable in one line and free to cancel up to 24 hours before in another; ask which applies before you pay. And none of these four is rated as well as the day and 2-day tours that start in Amman or Aqaba.

The alternative: start inside Jordan

If you can sleep a night in Aqaba, the crossing is about 12 km by road from the town centre, Petra drops to the 50 JD rate for a visitor staying overnight, and the Aqaba tours include more for the money. Petra and Wadi Rum from Aqaba has them. With more time, the 2-day tour from Amman adds a night in Wadi Rum.