Beirut

The airport is 7 km from the centre.

• Public minivansimplest1 € 1 September 2026

  every 5 to 10 minutes

  Goes to downtown and Charles Helou station. Price of $1 or 1500 LL, both currencies accepted. Payment on getting off.

• Official Airport-Taxi (airport-approved)15 minprice not stated

  Parked near the arrivals terminal, airport logo on the side. Regulated in theory, but the English source indicates they are not always honest with their fares.

• Regular taxi15 min·10 € 1 September 2026

  Approximate fare Airport–Hamra street: 25 000 LL. Drivers often ask for 30 to 50 US$ for downtown: negotiate starting from $10 and do not exceed $15. Uber offered a fixed fare of $14 to/from the airport (February 2016).

• Free shuttle from the Phoenicia InterContinental hotelprice not stated

  24h/24

  Reserved for guests of this 5-star hotel, located on the western edge of downtown.

Why that one: Cheaper and simple to use (payment in dollars or lira on getting off), unlike taxis whose fares are subject to negotiation or even scams according to sources.

taxi · service (shared taxi) · bus · walking · rental car

Single ticket

3,33 € 1 September 2026

Bus (OCFTC blue and white, LCC red and white minibus): fare of about 600 to 750 LL according to the French source (i.e. about 0.40 to 0.50 US$), or 500 to 1000 LL according to the English source. The service (shared taxi) has a fixed price of 2000 LL (~1€) per person. Hail-taxis have no meter: a typical trip from one end of the city to the other (~3km) costs about 10 000 LL (~5€). Always negotiate the price before getting in.

The sources consulted say nothing about tourist passes. Rather than guess, we say nothing.

Cheap meal

0,33 € 1 September 2026

Beer

5,33 € 1 September 2026

Short taxi ride

5 € 1 September 2026

Man'ouché (street food/breakfast) between 500 and 3000 LL according to the French source (lower bound taken); English source gives 1000 to 3000 LL. Canned beer in a nightclub/bar: 8000 LL according to the English source (a notably higher price than in a supermarket, where alcohol is described as very cheap, with no precise price given). Evening cocktail: 15 000 LL (English source, not converted to cents as the category was not foreseen).

Currency

Lebanese pound (LL/£L/LBP); the US dollar is also commonly used and accepted everywhere, with change possible in either currency.

Languages

Arabic, French, English

Card payments

International cards (Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, American Express) accepted in many shops, hotels, restaurants and bars, but use is still not widespread among small merchants. Usable freely in supermarkets.

Tipping

Tipping taxi drivers is almost never done, except for exceptional service (long wait, etc.). Some drivers ask for it around holidays.

Tap water

Drinkability varies: some accommodations have two separate taps, one for non-potable water (toilet, shower), the other for drinking water. It is recommended to drink bottled water rather than tap water.

Emergencies

Police : 112, 911 ou 999 ; Pompiers : 175 (Beyrouth métropolitaine) ; Défense civile : 125 (hors Beyrouth) ; Croix-Rouge (intervention médicale) : 140

• Overcharging by taxi drivers

  Hail-taxis have no fixed meter; the price must be negotiated before getting in, otherwise the driver will charge the full taxi rate even for a service trip. Drivers at the airport often quote 30 to 50 US$ for downtown, whereas a fare of 10 to 15 US$ is considered reasonable.

• Confusion between service and taxi

  You must clearly state whether you want a 'service' (shared taxi, fixed price of 2000 LL per person) or a 'taxi' (private ride, more expensive), otherwise the driver will apply the taxi rate by default. Pay the 2000 LL as soon as you get into the service to avoid any dispute on arrival.

• Photographing military personnel or in Dahiyeh

  Photographing military personnel or installations is forbidden. Taking photos in the southern suburbs (Dahiyeh) may attract the attention of Hezbollah; it is best to avoid bringing your camera there.

• Exchanging money at a bank in 2024

  The official fixed exchange rate used by banks in 2024 is about ten times lower than the real market rate due to inflation; avoid exchanging money at a bank.

• Areas to avoid

  The town of Arsal (North Bekaa) is not recommended due to kidnappings and former IS cell activity. Southern Lebanon is under Hezbollah control with no government presence; avoid any criticism of Hezbollah/Iran or any praise of Israel/the West in this region. Also avoid the immediate vicinity of the Syrian and Israeli borders, as well as refugee camps without a local guide.