As you will see when you get your Jordan Pass, one of the included experiences is the Train Ride Adventure of Wadi Rum, which can be translated as the “Train Ride Adventure in Wadi Rum”, also known as Journey Through 1916. If you are wondering what it is and what it consists of, in this post we explain what you should know.
What this Experience is: a Bit of History
As its name indicates, this experience is an ‘adventure’, although without any risk, as everything is theatrical: it is the recreation of a train journey in the year 1916. And best of all: a real train, the Hejaz Railway, which runs on steam, restored specifically for the experience.
Everything takes place in the Wadi Rum desert: in the aforementioned year 1916, this area was the epicenter of the Arab Rebellion, that is, the armed uprising of Arab society to liberate itself from the Ottoman Empire, which had exercised its control over the region for centuries and which at that time was immersed in the First World War, a situation that the Arab rebels under the command of Sharif Hussein bin Ali and with the participation of the famous T.E. Lawrence or Lawrence of Arabia took advantage of.
The Ottoman forces used this railway line to supply soldiers and armaments, connecting Damascus (Syria) with Medina (Saudi Arabia), so because of that importance it was in the sights of the Arab rebels, inferior in terms of armaments and resources, but great connoisseurs of the terrain.
Development of the Experience
Without intending to spoil the experience, if you join it you will live an authentic period trip with surprises. The travelers board this train, which has covered and uncovered wagons. The covered ones are decorated with the original furniture of the train, as can be seen in its benches or windows. And in the uncovered wagons, the journey will allow you to enjoy the desert landscape of Wadi Rum, with its lunar atmosphere and arid rock formations.
During the apparently peaceful journey, you live with Ottoman soldiers, in what seems like just another logistical trip. But in the middle of the march, the train will be surprised by the arrival of Arab raiders, using period military vehicles and riding horses and even dromedaries, brandishing the Arab flag. It will be then when hostilities break out between Ottoman soldiers and Arab rebels.
How to Book the Train Ride Adventure in Jordan
As we said, the Train Ride Adventure in Jordan is included in the Jordan Pass. But to enjoy the experience it is necessary to book your place online. To do this, you need to enter your details on the official website and indicate the number of people who will do the experience, the date and the time.
Generally, the Train Ride Adventure in Jordan takes place twice a week: on Wednesdays and Sundays. The departure time of the train is usually at 4:00 PM and it is required to be 15 minutes before departure to board. The approximate duration of the experience is one hour.
According to the website, the Wadi Rum train station itself can be visited and would be equipped as a museum with audiovisual material, but at the time of your experience it may not be available. And in addition to this free train ride, you can complete the experience with other related activities, such as paintball battles, horseback riding or night sky observation, as well as tasting Bedouin food in a themed dinner for the purpose.
