Getting Around Israel: Trains, Buses, Car Rental and Apps

Getting around Israel

Israel is small and well-connected, so you can cross the whole country in a few hours. The biggest thing to plan around is Shabbat: most public transport stops from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening.

Trains

Israel Railways runs a clean, modern network along the coast and into the interior. The flagship line links Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem-Yitzhak Navon in about 35 minutes — fast and far better than driving. Other useful routes connect Haifa, Akko, Beersheba and Nahariya.

• Buy tickets at station machines, counters, or use a Rav-Kav card.
• Trains do not run on Shabbat.

Buses and light rail

Buses are the backbone of Israeli transport. Egged and Dan run city and intercity routes, and they are cheap and frequent. Tel Aviv has a growing Light Rail (the Red Line), and Jerusalem has its own efficient light rail running through the city centre.

Get a Rav-Kav smartcard (free or a few shekels) or use the Rav-Kav Online and Moovit apps to plan and pay. Fares are distance-based and modest — most city rides cost around 6 NIS.

Ride apps and taxis

• Gett is the dominant taxi app; it uses licensed metered cabs.
• Yango also operates in major cities.
• Uber runs only black-cab style services here.

Insist on the meter ("moneh") for street taxis, or agree a price first. Airport taxis from Ben Gurion are plentiful.

Car rental

Renting gives freedom for the Negev, Galilee, Golan Heights and Dead Sea. International chains (Hertz, Avis) and local firms (Shlomo Sixt, Eldan) operate everywhere.

• Drive on the right; an international permit plus your home licence is fine.
• Highway 6 is a tolled road billed automatically — check it's covered by your rental.
• Tel Aviv parking is scarce; look for blue-and-white marked zones and pay via the Pango or Cellopark apps.

Intercity tips

• Plan long trips before Friday — book the last bus or train before Shabbat early.
• Sherut shared minibuses run set routes (and some on Shabbat), great between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
• For Eilat, fly with Arkia or Israir, or take the long but scenic bus south.

Stay connected in Israel

A HelloSIM eSIM keeps you online the moment you land, so maps, translation, ride apps and bookings all work without roaming fees.