Transportation in Israel

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Traveling in Israel is very easy, roads are usually good and the directions are clear (and in English) along the way. You can hire a car in every city, or use public transportation (buses and trains) that gets you almost anywhere. Taxis and shared taxis (Sheruts) are readily available, and you can fly domestically as well.

The only challenge with Israel’s public transportation system, is the Shabbat (this time in the week between Friday afternoon and Saturday night where all services are closed), when most public transportation stops (many shared taxis continue to run, and taxis are readily available. Driving in a private car is also not a problem.) Keep this in mind when you plan your trip, and choose carefully where to spend that time.

Here you can find reliable information about Israel transportation – both traveling throughout the country (using buses, trains and rental cars) and regarding flights to/from Israel.

Major Bus Companies in Israel

BUS COMPANY AREA MAJOR LOCATIONS PHONE WEBSITE
Egged Countrywide Interurban and inner city: Jerusalem,
Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Eilat, Golan Heights,
Galilee, Dead Sea, Negev		 03-6948888 www.egged.co.il
Dan Center Greater Tel-Aviv metropolitan area &
suburbs		 03-6394444 www.dan.co.il
Superbus Center Greater Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv, Ramla,
Lod		 08-9205005 www.superbus.co.il
Kavim Center North Tel-Aviv, Petach Tikva,
Afula, Izrael Valley, Nazareth,
Beit Shean		 03-6066055 www.kavim-t.co.il

Rama-Golan
 North Kazrin, South Golan Heights *3254 www.golanbus.co.il
Nateev Express North Netanya, Hadera, Ma’alot, Karmiel,
Safed, Nahariya, Nazareth, Haifa		 1-599-559-559 www.nateevexpress.com
Metropoline South Beer Sheva interurban – Tel-Aviv,
Sde Boker, Mitzpe Ramon, Arad		 *5900 www.metropoline.com

A combined routes’ search for most bus companies & trains is provided in Otobusim website.
* Public buses and trains do not operate during Shabbat – Friday afternoon until Saturday evening.

Train – Israel Railways

Israel has a network of advanced trains which are excellent for exploring central and northern parts of the country. All trains are air-conditioned. The major routes are between Tel-Aviv and Haifa, Akko, Ben Gurion international airport and Be’er Sheva. You can also check out the detailed Israel Railway Routes Map.

It is recommended to save your seat in advance. Call Israel Railways at 03-6117000 or check online www.rail.co.il

Car Rental Options for Independent Travelers

Car rental around the world is not as difficult to arrange as you might imagine. When you book your holiday there is usually the option of adding car hire to a flight deal or sea crossing as travel companies now realize that most people want to be independent when they travel abroad and prefer to have their own transport when they arrive.

If you are traveling without a fixed agenda then you may choose to rent cars as you go along, traveling to different countries. This has the advantage of letting you be a Spontaneous independent traveler but you may end up paying more for car hire by signing up on the day. You can always book a few days ahead from an internet café whilst travelling and you could still get a discounted rate for car rentals.

Renting a car in Israel is a very good option, as public transportation in rural areas (both in the north and south) is infrequent and doesn’t reach all the tourist attractions. It’s not a pricey option as well – for a couple renting a car will be cheaper than taking buses, mainly if you rent the car for more than 2-3 days. With your own car you will be the one determining the schedule and it will enable you to reach unique travel destinations more easily, such as the Dead Sea and the Negev desert. However, there is no need to have a car in the main cities (Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem) and due to the heavy traffic it should be avoided.

If you hire a car in Israel it will be a left hand drive as traffic drives on the right. Getting around is fairly easy as road signs are in three languages – Hebrew, Arabic and English. Since the country is relatively small the average driving time between the main attractions won’t be more than 2-3 hours.
Road sign formats are similar to the rest of the world and streets that are designated as no parking zones will have red and white markings between the highway and footpath. Blue and white signifies parking with a permit.

Driving in Israel can be a bit daunting for tourists as locals in towns and cities drive aggressively. Road etiquette certainly does not apply here and the best advice is to go with the flow and be acutely aware of what all the other road users are doing in your immediate vicinity.

To drive as a foreign visitor in Israel you will need a full driving license from your home country as well as an International Driving Permit. This is a requirement if you intend to hire a car in Israel.
If you hire a car then you must sign a contract, which includes agreeing that you do not take the car onto Israel`s only toll road, Highway 6. If you break the agreement the rental company will charge you the extra fee when you return your vehicle.

If you intend do travel around once you arrive then you may wish to consider checking out the cheap car hire Israel has to offer. Rental vehicles are available from the airport or other cities or you can book in advance from other car hire companies online, ensuring that your car is ready and waiting when you arrive.

Flights to/from Israel:

Ben-Gurion International airport is the major airport of Israel. It is located only 20 km (12.5 ml) from Tel-Aviv and 50 km (31 ml) from Jerusalem. You can easily reach both cities from the airport by car, bus or train. The best option to get to Tel-Aviv is the train. To Jerusalem you can use the excellent shuttle service by Nesher.

Israeli Airlines:

Low Cost Airlines flying to Israel from Europe:

Other airlines – see the detailed list of airlines flying to Israel. For information on departures and arrivals call 03-9723332 or see www.iaa.gov.il.