Public transport in Tel Aviv. City transport: moving around Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv has a developed network public transport represented by buses, minibuses and trains. The most comfortable and fastest mode of transport are trains, the cheapest are city buses and minibuses. Attention! On Shabbat - on Saturdays - transport in Israel does not go, with the exception of some sheruts and taxis, which have an increased tariff at this time.
Payment for travel in Tel Aviv
The official currency of Israel is the shekel (NIS), 1 shekel is equal to $ 0.25 or 16.2 rubles. Payment for travel on public transport in Tel Aviv is carried out in the following ways:
- Buses. Directly to the driver or at the ticket offices at bus stations.
- Trains. At ticket offices at railway stations or in special machines.
- Minibus Sherut. Directly to the driver, the Rav Kav pass in Sherut does not work.
Rav Kav Pass
Rav Kav Is a personal electronic card that can be replenished with the required number of trips at railway stations and used to travel by train or bus in the territory of your chosen city of Israel. Rav Kav will suit you if you plan to travel a lot on buses of the same company in the same city. Bus routes in Israel are served by different companies, so if you are planning trips with different bus carriers, you will have to pay separately for travel in each company and put these funds on your Rav Kav card. In total, tickets of 8 carriers can be credited to the card.
The rules for using Rav Kav are different in different cities of Israel. In Tel Aviv, you must put a minimum of 30 shekels ($ 7.7) on this card on this pass. When using the card, you can save up to 20% compared to the regular tariff. Upon entering the bus, the card will be scanned by the driver and the ticket price will be deducted from it in the direction in which you are traveling.
There are two types of Rav Kav pass: personal (registered) and anonymous. For tourists, the anonymous Rav Kav pass is suitable. The cost of such a pass is 5 shekels ($ 1.28) + the funds that you will put in to pay for the trip. To avoid confusion, you can purchase a separate Rav Kav card for each bus company you intend to travel. When rides are credited to your Rav Kav Pass, you will receive a discount, for example, instead of 66 shekels ($ 17) for 10 rides, you will pay 52.8 shekels ($ 13.6).
Where to buy the Rav Kav Anonymous Pass?
- At the bus drivers or at the bus stations.
Where to top up anonymous Rav Kav pass?
- Any cashier at the central bus station in Tel Aviv;
- Any bus company other than Egged;
- In special machines at railway stations.
Bus ticket prices in Tel Aviv and nearby cities
Tel Aviv and the Central District are merged into the Gush Dan metropolitan area, which has a unified fare system for Dan, Egged, Kavim and Metropoline buses. Gush Dan is divided into 3 zones:
- Zone 1: Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Petah Tikva, Holon, Rishon Lezion, Bat Yam, etc.
- Zone 21: Herzliya, Ra'anana, Ramat Hasharon, Hod Hasharon, etc.
- Zone 22: Rosh HaAyin, Petah Tikva, etc.
The cost of a ticket for travel within 1.5 hours within one of these zones is 6.60 shekels ($ 1.7), for trips between zones - 10.4 shekels ($ 2.7). Please note that transfers within the specified times are only possible if you are traveling with the Rav Kav Pass. If you purchased a paper ticket from the driver, then you cannot change trains, and if you change, you will have to buy another ticket.
The cost of a ticket for 1 day in zone 1 is 14.5 shekels ($ 3.7). To use it, you will need to purchase an anonymous Rav Kav pass from the driver for 5 shekels. A 1-day ticket is valid from 9 am.
Children under 5 years old travel for free. Travel discounts for Israeli pensioners and students of local universities do not apply to tourists. A 1-month pass can only be purchased by residents of Israel with a personalized Rav Kav card.
Buses in Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv has an expanded bus network served by several bus companies: Dan, Kavim, Egged and others. Information on fares and tickets for buses is available on the official website of the Egged carrier (there is a version in Russian). The websites of the other listed carriers are, unfortunately, only in Hebrew.
Important bus routes in Tel Aviv:
- # 4 from the north of Tel Aviv to the center of Tel Aviv, the route runs along Ben Yehuda Street, parallel to the beach;
- No. 5, 72, 172, 39, 239 follow from the north of Tel Aviv to the Dizengoff Center shopping center along Dizengoff Street, also parallel to the beach;
- # 5 from Dizengoff Street to Tel Aviv Central Bus Station and Tel Aviv-HaHagana Main Railway Station;
- No. 63, 239 from Dizengoff Street to Azrieli Shopping Center and Tel Aviv HaShalom Train Station.
Buses run from 05:00 to 24:00. Night buses in Tel Aviv are very rare, so if you go out late, I recommend direct to the hotel.
From Tel Aviv, it is very easy to get to the various cities along the Mediterranean Sea- Akko, Haifa, Caesarea, Netanya, Bat Yam, Ashdod, Ashkelon. It is also quite easy and quick to get to Jerusalem, both by bus and train. Tel Aviv has two bus stations:
- The central bus station is located at the Tel Aviv-HaHagana railway station in the south of the city
- The Arlozorov bus station is located in the north of the city near the Tel Aviv Center - Savidor railway station.
Tel Aviv by train
If your hotel is close to one of Tel Aviv's 4 train stations, then you may well consider taking the train around the city. Trains run from 05:24 to 0:04. Train timetables and ticket prices are available on the Israel Railways website.
The fare from the southernmost railway station in the city of Tel Aviv-HaHagana to the northernmost Tel Aviv - University will be 7 shekels ($ 1.8), travel time is 14 minutes. Trains in Israel are modernized, and travel in them is very comfortable and pleasant. Please note that trains do not run on Shabbat (Friday evening to Saturday evening). There are always a lot of people on the trains on Sunday mornings. the military are returning from service, the students are going to study.
If you are traveling to Tel Aviv from another city in Israel, get off at Tel Aviv Center - Savidor station located in the center, or Tel Aviv HaShalom station located in the large Azrieli shopping center.
By train you can get from Tel Aviv to any city in the country. The site of the Israeli Railways will help you (there is a version in Russian). Map railway stations Israel can be viewed below. I indicated the distance to the main cities of Israel in the article.
Minibuses Sherut
Sherut taxis operate on major routes in Tel Aviv and throughout Israel. As a rule, these are yellow minibuses with a number on the windshield. They include 10-12 people. Unlike a bus, minibuses travel faster, and their fares are similar to those on a bus.
A trip to Tel Aviv in a minibus will cost you 6-8 shekels per person ($ 1.5-2). Sherut also work on Shabbat - on Saturdays, but prices on this day rise by 2-3 shekels. They usually travel along the same routes in the city as municipal buses. The most popular routes of Sherut are # 4 and # 5.
- No. 4 follows the route Tel Aviv Central Bus Station - Reading Power Station through Allenby and Ben Yehuda streets;
- No. 5 follows the route Tel Aviv Central Bus Station - Weizman Street through Rothschild Boulevard, shopping center Dizengoff Center and Dizengoff Street.
Intercity minibuses depart from Tel Aviv Central Bus Station to the bus station at your destination. On Shabbat, about 10 shekels are added to the fare.
Taxi
In Israel, ordering a taxi via the Internet is very popular, and this is where the Uber taxi service came from. It is important for tourists to know the following information about taxi in Israel:
- Taxi fares increase by 25% on Shabbat, on holidays;
- There is a day and night rate. The night fare is valid from 21:00 to 05:30 with an increase of 25% to the fare;
- When traveling more than 2 people, the taxi driver may ask for an additional 4.9 shekels ($ 1.2) for each subsequent passenger;
- When ordering a taxi by phone, there is an additional fee of 5.2 NIS ($ 1.3).
Taxi drivers in Israel are also not famous for their decency, so if you need, for example, a hotel or to resorts, then for reliability and safety it is better to order a taxi transfer in advance from a reliable Russian company.
In Tel Aviv, it's easy to get to the right place, even if you don't want to drive. Tel Aviv is not that big and very comfortable to walk. In addition, there is a comfortable and cheap public transport, and - the traffic flow allows - you can easily get from anywhere in the city to any other. Israeli Railways, with four stations in Tel Aviv (as well as one in Herzliya and one in Bat Yam), have comfortable and inexpensive trains, and two local airlines provide domestic flights between Eilat and Ben Gurion Airport, Dov Airfield in North Tel Aviv and Haifa.
Biking in the park
Buses are the most popular form of public transport in Israel for both local and intercity travel. Most of the intercity bus routes are operated by Egged, and in the Tel Aviv area, where there is also a private bus service, Dan is responsible for public local and intercity transport. Most city buses run from about 5:30 am to midnight. Buses - like trains, by the way - are comfortable and air-conditioned, and there is regular bus service on busy routes.
Public transport does not operate in Tel Aviv on Jewish religious holidays and on Shabbat (Friday sunset until Saturday evening). However, taxis and minibuses (public transport called “sherutim” in Hebrew) operate all the time, except for Yom Kippur (“Doomsday”), which Jews consider the most sacred day of the year.
City buses start operating from 5:30 am to midnight
Taxis are plentiful, although problems can sometimes arise during peak hours. You can "catch" a taxi on the street, and also call it by phone using a special application, for example Gett.
A ride on the bicycle
Tel Aviv has over 100 kilometers of bike paths and bike rental services from the municipality under the Tel-O-Fun project. Distinguished bike racks scattered throughout Tel Aviv make it easy to cycle for hours or days; You can rent a bike at one of the many self-service points and return it to any of them. You can also rent an electric bike from private suppliers.
Ben Gurion Airport is located near the city of Tel Aviv. It is now possible to get to Jerusalem directly.
How much does it cost to get from the airport
- By train to Tel Aviv 12 minutes 3,5 USD = 13 ILS
- By train to Jerusalem 2 hours price 4,7 USD = 20 ILS
- By bus to Tel Aviv 50 minutes on the way 3,2 USD = 12 ILS
- Taxi cost 35 USD = 140 ILS
Useful Resources
- Airport website: iaa.gov.il
- Railways website: rail.co.il
Airfare to Israel
Straight most cheap ticket from Aeroflot to Tel Aviv will cost about 15,000 rubles in the off-season. This is subject to purchase in advance. Flights of other airlines are about the same for the price.
All flight options from your city are conveniently viewed on Aviasales
Car rental in Israel
Approximate prices for car rental per day from Tel Aviv airport from international rental companies xt
- Hyndai i20, automatic 2,8 USD = 24 EUR
- Opel Corsa, automatic 2 1,7 USD = 28 EUR
- Mazda 3, automatic 4,8 USD = 33 EUR
For full insurance without a deductible 11,5 USD = 10 EUR per day
Compare arena prices in various car rental companies and recommend booking a car using a popular international service
Petrol in Israel worth 1,7 USD = 6.63 ILS per liter 95th. P>
Parking prices in Israel
- Through the phone. I called the number - parking started. Called more races ended. payment per minute 1,4 USD = 5.2 ILS per hour
- Parking through a parking machine costs 2.80 - 5.40 USD = 10 - 20 ILS per hour
- There are parking lots with a price of 2,1 - 8,1 USD = 10 - 30 ILS per entry
- Penalty for parking in the wrong place 2,8 USD = 100 ILS
Bicycle rental prices in Tel Aviv
- Access to the street rental system for 3 days 11,9 USD = 48. ILS for a week 1 267 USD = 70 ILS
- Hourly pay 1 hour 1,086 USD = 60 ILS
Prices for intercity buses in Israel
- Tel Aviv - Ben Gurion Airport 50 minutes on the way 3,2 USD = 12 ILS
- Tel Aviv - Haifa 3 hours on the way 8,5 USD = 30 ILS
- Haifa - Nazareth, bus 331 and 2.5 hours 8,5 USD = 30 ILS
- Haifa - Yardenit, bus 431, about an hour to go 4,4 USD = 19 ILS
- Tiberias - Jerusalem 961 to go 3 hours 10 USD = 40 ILS
- Jerusalem - Ein Gedi nature reserve 9,5 USD = 36 ILS 1.5 hour ride
- Ein Gedi (Dead Sea) - Eilat 12 USD = 45 ILS 3 hours
- Ein Gedi - Masada 4,7 USD = 20 ILS
Official website of Israel buses: mslworld.egged.co.il
Transport in Tel Aviv
- Tickets for 1 trip within 1.5 hours by tram and bus 1,7 USD = 6.40 ILS
- Subscription for a day costs 3,3 USD = 14 ILS
- Travel in a minibus in the city 2,3 - 5,2 USD = 10 - 20 ILS
- And here
Examples of taxi prices in Tel Aviv
By the meter according to the tariffs established by the Ministry of Transport.
- From Ramat efal to Rishon LeZion 16 km, 25 minutes 23 USD = 82.41 ILS
- From Sheraton to Herzliya 14 km. go 20 minutes 1 325 USD = 73.15 ILS
Taxi from Tel Aviv to other cities
- Dead Sea 14 377 - 21 USD = 794 - 978 ILS
- Eilight 28 590 - 35 6 USD = 1,579 - 1 958 ILS
- Haifa 8 528 - 10 392 USD = 471 - 574 ILS
- Jerusalem 5 776 - 6 12 USD = 319 - 383 ILS
- Nazareth 9 452 - 14,5 USD = 522 - 637 ILS
Transport in Jerusalem
City buses and trams
Bus and tram connections in Jerusalem and Haifa are well developed. The cities are not very small, and in the event that you have gone quite far, ground transportation will be an affordable helper. The bus stops are very similar to those of the Soviet era. Fare within the city 1,2 USD = 6.9 ILS Pay only in cash! The trams are modern and their speed is high. If you took a bus within the city and want to change to a tram, you need to take a transfer.Bus station in Jerusalem
The bus station in Jerusalem is located in the city center, coordinates: 31.788851, 35.203055. The station is large, with cafes, places for recreation, intercity buses leave from it to the largest cities in Israel. It is advised to avoid the evening time for the trip, as from 16:00 - 18:00 the bulk local population goes home and you may run out of space on the flight you want.
Egged bus company and how to get to Ashdod
Network intercity buses Egged ships from here. The fare to the port city of Ashdod is 4,4 USD = 19 ILS and takes one and a half - two hours, the time depends on traffic jams. Currently, major intercity highways around Jerusalem are expanding with new roads and tunnels under construction.
The ticket can be purchased both at the box office and from the driver. Bus numbers to the port city of Ashdod: 438 and 448. Departures on average every half hour. It was the Egged bus company that until recently was almost a monopoly in Israel's transportation. Now the situation is improving.
The company's website, where you can find out routes, prices and even buy tickets: egged.co.il
Route taxis
An alternative way to travel between cities are fixed-route taxis and a more busy schedule. They leave from the street adjacent to the bus station.
Transport in Haifa
Railway
The railway station of the city of Haifa - "Haifa Center HaShmona" is located near seaport serving and cruise ships. The seaport is connected to the railway station by means of a viaduct, along which you can walk (200 meters), or, if you wish, take a taxi that is waiting near the port and the station itself. Coordinates: 32.822197, 34.996928.
Trains in Israel are very clean with facilities. The fare, for example, from the station "Haifa Hof HaKarmel" - the beach of the city to "Haifa Center HaShmona", is 1,9 USD = 6. ILS A ticket can be purchased at the box office, as well as in a ticket vending machine, by paying in cash or by credit card.
There is a local bus station next to the station where you can take buses 331 and 332 to Nazareth.
Attention: a peculiarity of Israel is the fact that at the entrance to the railway station you will be asked to go through a metal detector, and such things as a laptop or a camera, you will be asked to present for the purpose of inspection. In doing so, you will see that the military, in uniform or civilian clothes, go through the same metal detector without being examined, despite the presence of military firearms.
Public transport in Tel Aviv is represented mainly by buses and route taxis (minibuses). In addition, a light metro begins to operate in the city (information on the Tel Aviv metro can be found on the Nta.co.il website).
Buses in Tel Aviv
Bus service in the city of Tel Aviv is represented by the services of the Dan cooperative. The nearest suburbs of Tel Aviv with the city center are connected by buses belonging to the companies "Egged" and "Kavim".
Intercity bus routes cover the entire city and are the most convenient way to get around Tel Aviv. Bus depot, company-owned Dan is modern and comfortable. The time of movement of buses around the city is from 05.00 to 24.00, everything runs strictly according to the schedule.
The fare in the city is currently 5.8 shekels. You can pay for the fare either directly to the driver, or by purchasing a ticket or transport card at New Central Bus Station - Tel Aviv's central bus station, which is the largest bus station in the world.
The most interesting bus routes for tourists are the 5th and 18th. They pass through the city center and allow you to see almost all the main sights of Tel Aviv. Get more detailed information about the routes, the schedule of buses of the cooperative "Dan" and the cost of transport cards can be found on the website of this organization.
When planning trips, do not forget that there is a break in the movement of public transport in Israel: from 1 pm Friday to Saturday evening, Shabbat lasts, during which work is suspended.
Minibuses in Tel Aviv
Fixed-route taxis run along the most popular routes in the city. These are comfortable minibuses with a capacity of six to twelve people. Therefore, if there is a need to quickly get to a certain place Tel Aviv, use the minibuses.
Israel has always been popular place for tourism (and not only :)) for citizens of the former USSR), and with the advent of inexpensive flights from Budapest (Wizzair) and Warsaw (LOT and El Al during the sale), Kaliningradians should take a closer look at this Middle Eastern country with unique history and a varied present.
On the Internet, you can find quite a few descriptions of the work of Israeli public transport from the point of view of a local resident (the websites of some carrier companies have a Russian version), but almost never in Russian for tourists.
Exclusively important point- almost all public transport in Israel is closed on Saturdays (or rather, from early Friday evening to early Saturday evening - Shabbat). Only city buses work in Haifa and Eilat (both there and there - with reservations), some special routes in other cities (about them - below), as well as regular and route taxis.
Another important note: the Russian transcriptions of Hebrew cited in this article geographical names and proper names are not the only possible ones (as for, by the way, the Latin transcription in other sources).
For example, the name of a station in Tel Aviv - ההגנה - in Russian can be written as Ahagana, HaHagana or HaHagana, similarly in Latin.
The exchange rate of 1 Israeli shekel (NIS) as of January 2019 is approximately 18 rubles, respectively, 1 euro - about 4.20 shekels.
The rest of the data is also given as of January 2019.
Railway
On the routes of the Afikim carrier operating on the routes linking the settlement of Ariel in the West Bank with Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and other cities, thanks to a special subsidy, tickets are sold at a 50% discount (but only for traffic passing through the West Bank).
Egged bus, photo:robinchapmannews.blogspot.ru
Intercity transportation
The largest intercity transport hub Each Israeli city has a central bus station ("tahana merkazit", Central Bus Station / CBS). Sometimes, due to lack of space, a new bus station is organized closer to the edge of the city ("tahana merkazit khadasha") - do not mix up which one you need.
Buying a round-trip ticket will cost, as in the case of the railway, slightly cheaper than two tickets in one direction (by 15%) - this applies to Egged buses.
If you are not traveling with a one-day ticket, then you can buy a ticket for a trip from the bus driver for cash, you can pay with a card at the bus station ticket office. Seat reservation is only possible for flights to or from Eilat.
Urban transportation
The numbering of city routes is different for each carrier company, so it is advisable to remember the company along with the number. In Tel Aviv it is mainly Dan and Egged. On the stop plates, the numbers are indicated next to the company emblems. By no means on all signs the directions are duplicated in Latin, so it is highly advisable to spend a couple of day or two and learn the Hebrew alphabet - otherwise you can easily leave in the opposite direction. However, you can always ask, if not in Russian, then in English - in the overwhelming majority of cases, they will be able to answer you with confidence.
Dan city bus, photo: maalit72.weebly.com
The entrance to the bus is through the front door: you must purchase a ticket (but from 2018 this opportunity is gradually canceled), or validate your Rav-Kav card. On March 1, 2013, a project began (first in Tel Aviv, then in Haifa and Jerusalem), within the framework of which validators for reading Rav-Kav cards will be installed at the entrance to the back door of the bus.
As in Europe, to stop the bus at the desired stop, you need to press a button. Most often, the name of the next stop is either written on the board in the cabin (learn the alphabet!), Or announced by voice, but there are exceptions.
Carrier companies
Egged
Dan Tel Aviv Route Map
NTT (Nazareth)
UNBS (Nazareth)
Veolia / Connex (Ashdod, Ashkelon)
Superbus (Ramle, Lod)
Metropolin (Beer Sheva and Sharon region)
Kavim (Petah-Tikva, Afula, Bikat-Ono)
Omni Express (Umm Al Fahm)
Nativ Express (Netanya, Nahariya, Safed)
Golan (Golan Heights)
There is also a convenient site, bus.co.il, which provides the ability to search for bus schedules throughout Israel.
Route taxis
Route taxis (sherut monitors) in Israel are divided into three types.
City route taxis
Some of the city's routes can be served by minibuses - the fare is the same, but Rav Kav cards are not accepted.
Intercity route taxis
The main advantage of intercity minibuses is that they operate on Shabbat. Usually the fare is roughly the same as the fare for a "big" bus in the same direction, but on Shabbat the fare is slightly more expensive. In Tel Aviv, the stop of intercity minibuses is located behind the building of the New Bus Station, in Jerusalem - on HaRav Kuk Street near the intersection with Yafo Street (closer to the Old City than the bus station), in Haifa (in the direction of Nahariya and Akko) - on Herzl Street in Hadar area.
shuttle taxi Jerusalem - Tel Aviv, photo: metaltraveller.com
Route taxis from the airport
Something in between an intercity minibus and a regular taxi - a minibus runs between major cities Israel and Ben Gurion Airport, but for an additional fee (in addition to the already rather big one compared to the bus and train), they can take you both "to the door" and pick you up "from the door" to the airport (in the latter case - upon preliminary booking). More details - in the "Airport" section below.
Night lines
The network of night routes (Kavey-Laila) is aimed at young people, therefore during the school year buses operate only on the night from Thursday to Friday and from Saturday to Sunday (that is, before and after the weekend - Friday and Saturday in Israel), and on vacation - every night except for the night from Friday to Saturday (Shabbat).
The site provides a scheme of night routes in Hebrew, as well as schedules for each of the routes (on the map on the left, select the region you need, and then the route).
Features in different cities
Now let's take a closer look at the nuances of the public transport system in some large cities.
Tel Aviv
In addition to buses (mainly Dan and Egged) and suburban rail services (the branch runs along the Ayalon highway through the entire city), Tel-O-Fun is widely developed in Tel Aviv. You will see the stations of the system at every step in the city center.
Tel-O-Fun station in Tel Aviv, photo: greenprophet.com
Tel Aviv suffers a lot from traffic jams, so the bus schedule is not adhered to. Instead, at significant stops you can find electronic boards indicating the time until the next bus arrives for each of the routes.
Since 2011, the construction of a light rail transport system Tel Aviv, according to optimistic forecasts, the first line will open in 2021.
Jerusalem
The city is actually divided into Jewish and Arab parts (as well as nearby settlements) and has two independent bus networks. The Jewish quarters are served primarily by Egged, while the Arab quarters are served by the East Jerusalem bus company. Jews and Arabs prefer to use "their" carriers, despite the fact that on some sections routes duplicate each other, and Arab buses are cheaper. Different colors of Arab buses (white-blue and white-green) are due to the direction: the former serve the southern part of the network (including Bethlehem), the latter - the northern part (including Ramallah). The fare is paid directly to the driver; Rav-Kav cards are not valid. Arab buses are served by their own bus station located at the Damascus (Shchem) gate of the Old City.
Arab buses and minibuses are difficult to confuse with Egged buses
Useful Arab Bus Routes
218
and 219
Jerusalem-Ramallah
231
Jerusalem-Bethlehem
234
Jerusalem-Bethlehem (Checkpoint 300)
263
Jerusalem-Bethany (Bethany, Bethany)
274
Jerusalem-Kalandia
Since 2011, a tram has been operating in Jerusalem (according to the generally accepted world classification, rather, LRT - Light Rail Transit) - one line with a length of 14 kilometers, which passes, among other things, through the Central Bus Station, the pedestrian street of Yafo and not far from the Jaffa and Damascus (Shechem ) the gate of the old city. Tickets (both paper single-use and transit tickets to Rav-Kav) can be purchased from ticket machines located at tram stops
Jerusalem tram, photo: urbanrail.net
Haifa
The city has two intercity bus terminals: Merkazit HaMifratz (serves routes to the northern suburbs of Haifa and Galilee) and Merkazit HaKarmel (serves southern directions, for example, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem)
City bus
Haifa is one of the few cities in Israel where public transport operates on Saturday. The bus system stops working at 4:00 pm on Friday and restarts on Saturday lunchtime on a limited basis (not all routes work).
The Metronit project (BRT, Bus Rapid Transit) is at the final stage of implementation - dedicated lines for the movement of buses at frequent intervals, the launch is planned for 2013. Payment here will be made using Rav-Kav cards with validation at the stop, or by purchasing a paper ticket also at the stop.
Carmelite - underground funicular
With a certain resemblance to the metro, this system has only six stations and is the fastest mode of transport between the lower and upper parts of the city. Unlike Haifa city buses, Carmelit does not operate on Shabbat (Friday night to Saturday night).
Carmelite, photo: pixgrove.blogspot.ru
To pay for travel, you need to buy a ticket from the machine at any of the stations, the price is the same as on the bus - 6.60 NIS.
Transfer from and to the airport
"Airport" means international Airport named after Ben-Gurion near Tel Aviv, which serves the vast majority of international flights (the rest is taken by Eilat).
Train
The most convenient way to transfer between Ben Gurion Airport and Tel Aviv is by train to Tel Aviv Merkaz (Central) station; in the daytime, trains run to Akko and Nahariya in the north of the country (also via Tel Aviv Central Station and Tel Aviv Ahagana Station, where you can change to either side of the train).
The interval of movement in the daytime is about half an hour, at night - an hour.
For example, a ticket from the airport to Ahagana station in Tel Aviv costs 13.50 shekels, to Haifa - 35.5 shekels.
Since 2018, an electrified line has also opened to the new Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon station (directly opposite the bus station, 17 shekels).
Bus
With the commissioning of the airport-Jerusalem railway line, the bus has ceased to be an actual means of transport for trips from the airport or to the airport.
Route taxis
Route taxis to and from the airport, as already mentioned above, are a symbiosis between regular taxis and minibuses - they are quite expensive, but for an additional fee, they can be delivered to the desired address in the city or, conversely, taken from home on the way to the airport upon prior agreement ...
To book a minibus, contact the transfer company that deals with the transfer between the airport and the city of your choice.
Jerusalem: Nesher Tours, works on Saturday
tel .: 02 625-7227
Cost of transportation for 1 person: 40 NIS (to a given address - about 65 NIS).
Minibus Nesher Tours, photo: blogs.cie.utoronto.ca
Haifa: Amal Sherut
tel .: 04 866-2324
Cost of transportation for 1 person: 74 NIS (to a given address - 115 NIS)
Taxi
There is a government-approved tariff system for regular taxi transfers from the airport to cities in Israel. Two tariffs apply, the increased one is valid from 21:00 to 05:30, as well as on Shabbat and holidays.
For example, to Tel Aviv the tariff is 138 (157) shekels, to Jerusalem - 262 (312) shekels, to Haifa - 521 (637) shekels. Therefore, before starting your trip, check the price with the driver, based on the figures described (valid for February 2013).
The most popular taxi app in Israel is Gett, and Uber doesn't work.
Tariff system
Since 2018, a large-scale reform has begun in Israel, designed to transfer payment for all trips in public transport to the use of electronic Rav-Kav cards and remove the possibility of paying for a ticket to a driver. At first, this happened in Jerusalem, and since the end of 2018, the reform is underway in Tel Aviv.
Rav Kav
Rav-Kav is an electronic card that can be "charged" with one-time travel tickets or travel passes for the required period of time. There are two types of cards - personalized and anonymous.
Personalized Rav-Kav, unlike anonymous, is restored in case of loss.
Anonymous Rav-Kav can be purchased directly for 5 shekels, and for a personalized one, you need to apply with an application and a photo at any point in Rav-Kav (usually at the bus station).
You can charge Rav-Kav with the desired ticket or tickets at the stations railroad, at tram stops in Jerusalem, at "commercial" ATMs (non-bank ATMs, usually located outside shops), and at many retail outlets with vendors (ask them about this).
map of Rav Kav, photo: wikipedia.org
The card is integrated with almost all means of urban transport, except route taxis(and, of course, a taxi).
Payment with Rav-Kav cards is carried out by applying the card to the validator terminal (for example, when entering the bus): if the funds on the card account or a previously activated ticket allow you to travel, the green light will turn on, if not, the red light will turn on.
One-time tickets
In Gush Dan ("Greater Tel Aviv"), Jerusalem (including tram) and Haifa on Rav Kav, you can purchase a transit ticket (no card - no transfer option) worth 5.90 NIS, which allows you to make transfers within 90 minutes from the moment of the first validation. Of course, a transit ticket is valid only within the respective city (or metropolitan area in the case of Gush Dan).
The cost of a single ticket in Eilat is 4.20 NIS.
Kartisia
Kartisia - 10 tickets, which can be purchased only for Rav Kav (both personal and anonymous), with a 20% discount. For example, 10 tickets, each costing 6.60, would cost 52.80 shekels.
Hofshi-yomi
After the 2016 reform, one-day tickets ("hofshi-yomi" in Hebrew) have become a very convenient fare, especially for tourists. The ticket is valid all day - from the beginning of the period of operation of the transport to its end, but the most useful thing is that, in addition to ordinary city tickets, there are tickets for two zones (and even for the whole country), and they are valid on almost ALL types of public transport - buses ( both urban and intercity), trams and even trains. That is, having paid, for example, thirty-two and a half shekels, within one day you can take a bus to the train station in Tel Aviv, then by train - to the train station in Jerusalem, and from there - by tram to the Old City. And back!!!
So, in more detail about the most useful options for day tickets:
- Gush Dan region ("Greater Tel Aviv", code 141), 13.50 NIS
- Jerusalem (code 671), 13.50 NIS
- Gush Dan + Jerusalem (code 924), 32.50 NIS
- Gush Dan + Haifa (code 919), 40.00 NIS
- Gush Dan + Hadera (including Caesarea, code 150), 37.50 NIS
- all of Israel (code 950), 60.00 NIS
Map of the Gush Dan region (the first three regions of the four constitute "zone 1")
Hofshi-shvui
Hofshi-shvui - a travel card for a week. Not available in all areas. A weekly ticket to Gush Dan or Jerusalem costs 64 shekels.
Hofshi Hodshi
Hofshi Hodshi - a travel card for a month. For example, a monthly ticket for Greater Tel Aviv costs 213 shekels.
Children travel
One child under the age of 5 is entitled to free travel when accompanied by one adult. Thus, two children under 5 years old can travel free of charge only when accompanied by two adults.
On Egged buses in the direction of Eilat, children under 5 years old can travel for free only on their parents' lap.
Only Israeli children from 5 to 18 years old can get a 50% discount.