Latakia is connected to Damascus and Aleppo by frequent bus and shared taxi services. The journey from Damascus takes around four to five hours; from Aleppo around three. Buses operated by Pullman coaches (the main intercity company) depart from the main bus station on the eastern edge of the city. Karnak, the state bus operator, also runs on these routes.
Latakia has an international airport — Bassel al-Assad International — with flights that have historically served Beirut, Cairo, and other Middle Eastern cities, though schedules have been disrupted in recent years. Ferries connecting Latakia to Cyprus (Limassol) have also operated intermittently. The main overland route to Turkey passes through the border crossing at Kassab; buses to Antakya (Antioch) and beyond are available.
Within Syria, minibuses connect Latakia to the smaller coastal towns and to the Crusader castles in the mountains inland.