Freight to Homs: Central Syria's Road and Rail Hub
Homs sits on the Orontes at the Homs Gap, the central link between Syria's interior cities and the Mediterranean coast. MIDTRANS handles freight to Syria by sea, road and air with customs clearance in Syria; Homs requests are reviewed case by case.
Homs lies on the east bank of the Orontes River, 501 m above sea level and 162 km north of Damascus, overlooking the Homs Gap between the coastal mountains and Mount Lebanon, with the Syrian Desert to the east. The 2004 census counted 652,609 residents, and a 2017 estimate gives 775,404.
Its road and rail network makes it the central link between the interior and the coast, and it has attracted overland trade from the Gulf and Iraq. In the 19th century its cotton-textile trade, with about 5,000 looms in Homs and nearby Hama, earned it the name "Manchester of Syria".
Homs at the Homs Gap, between the coast and Syria's interior. Tap to enlarge the map×
Homs at the Homs Gap, between the coast and Syria's interior.
Economy
Industry and farming in Homs
An oil refinery west of the city opened in 1959, and USGS lists it as one of Syria's two operating refineries in 2021, with Banias.
A fertiliser plant built in 1971 processes phosphates from deposits near Palmyra; USGS also lists ammonia, urea, calcium nitrate, phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid plants at Homs.
Hisyah industrial city, set up in 2001 on 2,500 ha south of Homs on the Homs–Damascus M5 highway, covers textiles, food, chemical and engineering industries and includes a free zone.
Wheat, barley, lentils, sugar beet, cotton and vines grow around the city, and the Homs Irrigation Scheme was the first of its kind in modern Syria.
The city is the hub of an important road and rail network linking the interior with the Mediterranean coast.
Known for
Homs is known for
Oil refining
Phosphate and nitrogen fertilisers
Hisyah industrial city
Grapes used for arak and wine
Historic cotton and silk weaving
Freight access
Moving cargo into Homs
Tartus is the natural port for Homs at about 98 km by road, with Latakia about 178 km. Overland cargo from the Gulf and Jordan enters at Nassib, about 276 km away, and the nearest crossing with Turkey by road is Bab al-Hawa, about 187 km; crossing status and permitted cargo are checked for each shipment. Figures are approximate road distances from OpenStreetMap.
Nassib crossing (Jordan): about 276 km
Nearest crossing with Türkiye (Bab al-Hawa): about 187 km
Port of Latakia: about 178 km
Port of Tartous: about 98 km
Distances are approximate road distances calculated from OpenStreetMap road data. They are a planning guide; the route for each shipment is confirmed before booking.
Shipping to Homs?
Send the cargo details, origin and delivery address, and the route and documents are reviewed before booking.
About 98 km by road, making Tartus the closest port. Latakia port is about 178 km by road.
What is Hisyah industrial city?
An industrial city set up in 2001 on 2,500 ha south of Homs on the M5 highway to Damascus. It covers textiles, food, chemical and engineering industries and includes a free zone.
What industries are based in Homs?
Oil refining, with a refinery opened in 1959, and fertiliser production using phosphates from near Palmyra. Farming around the city includes wheat, barley, lentils, sugar beet, cotton and vines.
How far is Homs from the Nassib border with Jordan?
About 276 km by road. Nassib is the usual road entry for cargo from the Gulf and Jordan.
Can MIDTRANS clear customs for cargo going to Homs?
MIDTRANS handles customs clearance in Syria and freight by sea, road and air. Each Homs request is reviewed case by case for route, documents and delivery.
Which Turkish crossing is closest to Homs by road?
Bab al-Hawa, about 187 km by road. Crossing status and permitted cargo are checked for each shipment.
