“How will I get around?” That’s one of the main questions people ask before arriving in an unknown country. In Israel, you can choose to explore the country in various ways. You can join an organized tour, rent a car, or use different forms of public transportation. In this post, I’ll try and make public transportation in Israel a bit easier for you.
Let’s start with the two most important things you need to know when using public transportation in Israel: Shabbat and the Rav Kav.
Table of Contents
Public transportation on Shabbat in Israel
Shabbat is the holy day of the week for the Jewish people. It begins on Friday evening and ends on Saturday night. According to the Jewish religious laws, you cannot ride or drive a vehicle during Shabbat. Israel is a Jewish democracy. That’s why most public transportation does not operate on Shabbat.
Taxis operate on Shabbat. There are also some places where there is public transportation. For example, Palestinian buses operate in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Some public transportation lines also operate in Haifa because it is a city of both Jews and Arabs. And some private transport companies operate in the main cities. Lately, Tel Aviv has started operating free public lines on Shabbat (read more on their website – Weekend Transportation). But other than those, most public lines do not operate from Friday evening to Saturday night. You should take this into account when planning your trip.
Need to travel on Shabbat? Learn about transportation options on Shabbat in Israel.
The Rav Kav, Israel's public transport card
The Rav Kav is Israel’s public transportation smartcard. It is how you pay for bus and train rides in Israel. On some buses (like the bus to Eilat) and on trains, you can still buy a ticket in the ticket office. But on most buses, you will need a Rav Kav or a public transport payment app, which I’ll write about later.
Where can you get the Rav Kav?
Are you landing at Ben Gurion Airport? If so, you can get the card at the Public Transportation Service Center at the airport. It’s located in the Arrivals Hall. The service center is open Sundays to Thursdays from 8 AM to 1 PM and from 1:30 PM to 6 PM.
If you’re landing at Ramon Airport, there’s supposed to be a service center there, too. And if you can’t make it to any of those centers, you can get the card at any service center in the main cities or central bus stations. Tourists can pick up a special Rav Kav for tourists at Abraham Hostel in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. Read more about this Rav Kav here.
How much does the Rav Kav cost?
Someone told me that tourists can get the card for free by showing their passports. If not, it costs 5 ILS to purchase the card. Then, you will need to load it with money to use it.
You can load money in several ways:
- Daily Pass: This all-day pass is good if you’re planning to take at least three rides in one of the cities. Keep in mind that you can board as many buses as you want in the city within 90 minutes and still pay the same price. Following the “One Way” revolution, there are multiple daily passes based on distances, each one in a different color. If you’re traveling within a city, the yellow one should be enough. If you’re traveling outside the city, check your travel distances. It is a personal pass, so there is no way to share it with other people.
- Nation-Wide Monthly Pass: Now, you can use a nationwide monthly pass to travel all around Israel for only 225 ILS! If you want to use the train, too, you will need to purchase the unlimited monthly pass, which includes both bus and train, so you will need to pay more. It starts from 255 ILS. If you’re going to travel more than 225 km, you will need to pay 610 ILS for the pass. And it’s personal, so there is no way to share it.
- “Stored Value”: With stored value, you can load 30, 500, 100, 150, or 200 ILS to the card. With the “stored value” you can buy several tickets using the same card on the bus. On the light-rail train in Jerusalem, it isn’t possible to do that. In the past, you got additional value when loading the “Stored value”, but since the “One Way” revolution in public transport, you only get what you load.
For more information about options and prices, check out the Rav Kav website.
Where can you load your Rav Kav?
I recommend loading it in central bus stations and train stations. But, there are loading points all around the main cities, wherever you see the “Charge your Rav Kav here” sign. In Jerusalem, there are plenty of points on Jaffa Street and inside the Old City. In Tel Aviv, there are some points around Rothschild Boulevard and a lot of points near Gordon Beach. You can also load your Rav Kav by using the machines at the new Dan Kal light rail stations. You can load money with shekels or a credit card.
If your phone has an NFC feature, you should also be able to load money using the HopOn app or the official Rav Kav app. Make sure to load before getting on the transportation.
How do you validate your ticket?
There are several ways to validate your public transport card:
- On buses – There are several Rav Kav scanners on every internal bus. Place your card on the card scanner and wait for the green light, which confirms you’ve paid for the ride.
- On trains – Simply place your Rav Kav on the station barrier, and it should open. You’ll need to swipe the card again at your exit station so it can calculate how much you need to pay. If you don’t have money on your card, you’ll need to load it at the station.
- On the light-rail train in Jerusalem – Place your Rav Kav on the scanner when entering the train and wait for the green light, which confirms you’ve paid.
- On the Dan Kal light-rail train in Tel Aviv – At the underground stations, there are station barriers. You need to place your loaded Rav Kav on the barrier or scan a barcode with your public transport application to open the gateway. At the regular stations, there are validation stands where you need to validate your ticket before boarding the train. There is no way to validate your ride on the train itself.
Useful public transportation apps for your trip in Israel
Google Maps – This is my favorite. It has great maps in English and you can use it to see exactly where you need to go. It also shows the LIVE bus arrival times. You can also try the Offline Maps.
Moovit – A good navigation app for public transportation. It is possible to type destinations in English, but the map is in Hebrew. It shows you approximate LIVE bus arrival times, but I’ve noticed that it’s less accurate than Google Maps. Also, it underestimates the time it takes to get from one point to another. I always multiply the time it shows, so I won’t be late. Lately, Moovit has also added an option to pay on public transportation rides directly from the app.
HopOn (Rav-Pass)- I downloaded this app a few months ago and use it every time I use public transportation. It’s a great app for paying for public transportation! Instead of using the Rav Kav card, I use HopOn to pay directly through the app. Paying on buses is a bit complicated because you need to scan a barcode, choose the bus line, and then choose your destination. But, paying on the train or light rail is very easy. The payment is reduced from my credit card at the end of every month.
More public transport payment apps include Pango and Cello, which are originally parking payment apps.
Should you pay with the Rav Kav or use a payment app?
The prices are the same on Rav Kav and the payment apps. The only difference is that with the payment apps, you don’t have to know your travel plans in advance. The app will calculate the most profitable price for the travels you made and deduct that price from your credit card. So, personally, I would use the payment apps.
Main public bus companies in Israel
Egged
Where will you find Egged buses? Almost everywhere. Egged is the biggest bus company in Israel. They usually operate as intercity buses, except for some cases in Northern Israel. Egged is also the main player in most Israeli cities, except for the Tel Aviv area. Their buses are completely green. Lately, they’ve also added a fleet of greyish buses.
Check for routes and timetables through the Egged website.
Dan
Where will you find Dan buses? In the central area of Israel. This bus company is the strongest in the Tel Aviv area. The Dan buses are white, with a blue stripe all along the bottom.
Good to know: You can use your credit card or Google Pay to pay for the ride on Dan buses in Tel Aviv. Using a Rav Kav or public transportation app would be better if you’re using public transport a lot, but if you only want to take a one-time ride or you still don’t have the Rav Kav, it’s useful. From what I know, Dan is currently the only bus company in Israel that permits paying with credit card.
Nateev Express
Where will you find Nateev Express buses? In the northern regions of Israel. You will need to take it to reach Safed, for example. There’s no Nateev Express line from Tel Aviv or from Jerusalem. so if you need to use this bus company, you’ll need to take a bus ride to a different northern town, such as Karmiel or Afula, and take Nateev Express from there. The Nateev Express buses are white and orange.
Arab-run buses
Those buses operate in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. They are mostly colored white with blue or green stripes of them. Most of those buses depart from the East Jerusalem Central Bus Station on Sultan Suliman Street near Damascus Gate. Check the main East Jerusalem lines here.
Taxis in Israel
Taxis are very common in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and you can hail them down from the street. Outside of those cities, you’ll see fewer taxis on the streets. If you plan to use a taxi, you should download Gett, which is the leading app for ordering taxis in Israel. With Gett, you can order a taxi wherever you are and pay through the app. You can also use Uber, but in Israel, it’s just like ordering a regular taxi.
Rides inside cities will usually cost between 25 to 70 ILS, depending on the distance. The fare goes up during Shabbat. Taking a taxi from the airport to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv should cost around 150-300 ILS. There are also Sherut Taxis (Shared Taxis) from the airport, which are much cheaper. Learn more about transportation from the airport.
Taxis in Israel are white with a yellow cap. Sherut taxis usually have more yellow on them. Starting 18 August 2019, you can use your Rav-Kav on sherut taxis number 4 and 5 in Tel Aviv (but not on Shabbat, only on weekdays).
Getting around Israel with public transportation
By bus
Egged buses run regularly between the main cities in Israel. You can catch them from the main bus stations in each city. Some towns are reachable only by other bus companies. For example, Safed is reachable by Nateev Express. You can find suitable routes by using Google Maps or Moovit app.
Prices between the cities change. Between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, the price is 18 ILS per way. But, if you take a bus to a farther distance, it will cost you more. For example, a bus from Jerusalem to Eilat costs 70 ILS. You can check the price beforehand by using the Egged website.
Buses also stop at main attractions such as Masada and Ein Gedi. Again, it is best to check the route on the Egged site.
If you are traveling to or from Eilat
It’s recommended to book a seat in advance. If the bus will be full, the driver might not let you board the bus. If he or she will, then you might find yourselves standing the entire way. If you plan to take a ride to Eilat and back, it’s also recommended to book the return ticket when booking the first ticket because that will save you a few shekels. Learn how to buy a bus ticket to or from Eilat in advance.
By train
The Israel Railway is well-connected throughout the country. It can take you from Nahariyya or Acre (Akko) in the north to Be’er Sheva in the south. Though, you’ll need to change some lines for that route.
If you want to visit Haifa, Netanya, Acre, Beit She’an, Tel Aviv, and Be’er Sheva, this could be a good option for you. There’s also a new train to Jerusalem that passes through Ben Gurion Airport. Prices change according to destination. If it’s farther away, it’s more expensive. You can check fares on the Israel Railway site. See the full list of stations and lines here.
Public transportation in Jerusalem
Most main attractions in Jerusalem are very near each other. This means you can easily walk between them. You may want to use public transportation from the central bus station to the city center. Or, you can use public transportation to reach far points, like the Israel Museum, Yad Vashem, and Mount Herzl.
In Jerusalem, there are three types of transportation:
The light-rail train (or the tram)
This is the easiest way to get around Jerusalem. It costs 5.5 ILS for a one-way ride. You need a Rav Kav or a payment app to ride the tram. You must validate your Rav Kav or payment app the moment you board the train. Ticket inspectors get on the train very often, sometimes even twice during one ride.
The light-rail train currently (July 2023) has only one line that connects most main points around the city. It is very frequent during the morning and afternoon hours. At night, its frequency drops, and a train arrives every 15 minutes or so. It drives a bit slow, but during rush hours (7-9 AM and 2-6 PM) it is the best way to get around, as it skips all the traffic jams. During these hours, it can be very-very crowded on the tram and there are never enough seats for everyone, so be ready for that.
The train operates from around 6 AM to midnight. On Fridays, it operates only until around 3:30 PM and on Saturdays, it operates only from around 8 PM.
Buses
The main bus company operating in Jerusalem is Egged. You have to use the Rav Kav to take a ride on the buses in Jerusalem, and the card must be preloaded before you board the bus. A bus ride costs 5.5 ILS. If you get on another bus within 90 minutes of your first boarding, you get a free pass. But you still have to validate your card.
Buses in Jerusalem can get you anywhere, but it can be a bit tricky to take them. Most stations don’t have English signs on them. You will also need to figure out which bus direction you need for your destination.
One of the destinations which you’ll probably need a bus to is the Israel Museum. Line number 66 or 66א goes from the city center to the museum. Try checking possible routes with Google Maps or Moovit.
Taxis
Another popular way of transportation in Jerusalem is the taxis. Like mentioned before, taxis are white cabs with yellow tops. You can hail them down, but the best way to get a taxi is by ordering it through the Gett app.
Public Transportation In Tel Aviv
Main attractions in Tel Aviv are a bit farther away from each other compared to Jerusalem. But, you can still walk between most of them if you’d like. The main way to get around Tel Aviv is by bus and the sherut taxis.
In Tel Aviv, there are five types of transportation:
The light-rail train (Dan Kal)
The light-rail train opened in Tel Aviv in August 2023, so it’s pretty new! Currently, there is only one line – the Red Line – running through five different cities, including Tel Aviv. It costs 5.5-12 ILS per ride, depending on your destination. Visit NTA’s website for more information about the Dan Kal in Tel Aviv.
Buses
The main bus company in Tel Aviv is Dan. The ride costs 5.5 ILS, and you have to use a Rav Kav, so make sure to load it before boarding the bus. Bus stations don’t always have signs in English. Try checking which station and which bus line you need through one of the apps I suggested at the beginning of the post.
Sherut taxis
They look like big taxis and have room for about 10-12 passengers. They have specific routes, which they take through Tel Aviv. You can see their line number on the windshield and if it’s good for you, you can wave for it to stop and get on it. Then, you can sit down and ask the driver how much to pay him for a ride to your stop (it should be around 7-10 ILS for a ride inside the city). It is not possible to use Rav Kav on the sherut taxis. Edit: Starting from 18 August 2019 it is possible to use Rav-Kav on sherut lines 4 and 5 (not during Shabbat, only on weekdays).
The sherut taxis have fixed routes, so it’s not like regular taxis. The two most popular lines are line number 4, which goes from Central Bus Station through Allenby and Ben Yehuda streets to the Tel Aviv Port, and line number 5, which goes from Central Bus Station through Rothschild avenue, the Dizengoff Center, Dizengoff street Nordau Street, Ibn Grvirol Boulevard to Weitzman Street and Kikar Hamedina.
What’s good with the sherut taxis is that they operate on Shabbat.
Taxis
Of course, there are also the regular taxis, which are very popular in Tel Aviv. While Gett is the most popular taxi ordering app in Jerusalem, the most popular one in Tel Aviv is Yango.
Train
The Israel railway has four stations in Tel Aviv: University, Savidor Center, HaShalom, and HaHagana. Most likely is that you’ll only use it to get into the city and out of it. But, as I’ve already mentioned, you’ll need to buy your ticket at the ticket vendor area using the ticket machines or through the vendor, and only then will you be able to proceed through the train station barrier. You can also use your Rav Kav.
Conclusion
Taking public transportation might take you more time to travel around Israel, but it will usually be cheaper. There are plenty of ways to get around, including buses, taxis, trains, and even trams. Hope you’ll have an easy trip in Israel!
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Yours,
Lior
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