Getting there & Getting around

Getting there

Kuwait International Airport is 16km (10mi) south of Kuwait City. Kuwait is not a particularly cheap place to fly to or from. The airlines and travel agents tightly control prices, and few discounted fares are available. There's a small airport departure tax that may not be included in your ticket. From the airport, taxis charge a reasonably steep flat fee to the city; buses make the trip a lot cheaper.

Buses operate between Kuwait and Cairo via Aqaba in Jordan and Nuweiba in Egypt. There are also international bus services to Dammam in Saudi Arabia.

Getting around

Kuwait has a very cheap and extensive system of both local and intercity buses. You can also use local taxis to get around, though these have no meters, so get a firm price before starting out.

If you are renting a car and you hold a driving licence and residence permit from another Gulf country, you can drive in Kuwait without any further paperwork. Otherwise you can drive on an International Driving Permit or a local licence from any western country, but you'll also be required to purchase insurance for your licence.

Visa information

Everyone except nationals of other Gulf States needs a visa to enter Kuwait. Kuwait has recently changed its visa entry requirements so that many countries can now obtain visas on arrival. There are currently 34 countries on this list so please check your consular information to see if this is possible. Other countries will need to arrange a visa prior to arrival. If your passport contains an Israeli stamp, you will be refused entry to Kuwait.