{"id":200330,"date":"2019-02-02T12:51:25","date_gmt":"2019-02-02T17:51:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zmanmekomi.com\/?p=200330"},"modified":"2023-09-09T01:52:23","modified_gmt":"2023-09-08T22:52:23","slug":"personal-travel-guide-to-israel-getting-there-and-getting-around","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zmanmekomi.com\/en\/personal-travel-guide-to-israel-getting-there-and-getting-around\/","title":{"rendered":"A Personal Travel Guide to Israel: Getting There and Getting Around"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>By Douglas E. Duckett<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/zmanmekomi.com\/en\/personal-travel-guide-to-israel-getting-there-and-getting-around\/#GETTING_THERE\" >GETTING THERE<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/zmanmekomi.com\/en\/personal-travel-guide-to-israel-getting-there-and-getting-around\/#GETTING_AROUND\" >GETTING AROUND<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/zmanmekomi.com\/en\/personal-travel-guide-to-israel-getting-there-and-getting-around\/#Hiring_Tour_Guides\" >Hiring Tour Guides<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"GETTING_THERE\"><\/span>GETTING THERE<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You have several carriers to choose from in flying to Israel. Obviously,\u00a0<strong>El Al IsraelAirlines<\/strong>\u00a0serves the country with the most flights, including direct flights from several American cities. The cost is competitive, and El Al also offers an early start to your Israel experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also rank El Al\u2019s rigorous security measures as a plus, though the process can feel intrusive to those not used to it. On the negative side, El Al may have less solicitous service and seemingly a more chaotic clientele, including ultra-Orthodox men who sometimes balk at sitting next to women. (Note that I have not flown El Al in over two decades, and I have heard the service has improved since then.) But remember that El Al does not fly on Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath, which runs from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This can cut into your available vacation time, particularly if you need to time your trips to fly on weekends. I flew El Al the first two times, largely to support Israel, but have since found other airlines more convenient.\u00a0<strong>Delta Air Lines<\/strong>\u00a0offers nonstop flights from New\u00a0<strong>York\/JFK<\/strong>\u00a0to\u00a0<strong>Ben Gurion Airport<\/strong>\u00a0and back. I have flown this route many times now and really like it.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>United<\/strong>\u00a0also offers non-stop flights to Israel from\u00a0<strong>Newark<\/strong>, and I\u2019ve heard that is a good option. For Canadian (and even American) readers,\u00a0<strong>Air Canada<\/strong>\u00a0offers convenient, nonstop services from\u00a0<strong>Toronto<\/strong>\u00a0(and El Al also serves Toronto).\u00a0<strong>Lufthansa, Air France, KLM,\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>British Airways<\/strong>\u00a0also serve Israel, and they are easy to connect to in Europe via various American carriers. With tourism to Israel booming again, other options may become available. But note: Israel is not the most competitive market for airfares, and flights tend to be expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"attachment_200336\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"860\" height=\"645\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/air-port-996517_1280-e1549127771621.jpg?resize=860%2C645&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"air canada to Israel\" class=\"wp-image-200336\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">From Canada<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"GETTING_AROUND\"><\/span>GETTING AROUND<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you can afford it, I highly recommend renting a car and driving yourself for at least part of the trip. It is the best way to see Israel, particularly if you will be touring\u00a0<strong>Galilee<\/strong>\u00a0and the countryside or the\u00a0<strong>desert south<\/strong>, which are not practical to tour using public transportation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Israel is very small (about the size of New Jersey), and nothing is very far apart (except for\u00a0<strong>Eilat<\/strong>, at the southern tip of the country on the\u00a0<strong>Red Sea<\/strong>). Indeed, you could drive from the northernmost tip to Eilat in five to six hours, though no one would ever do that since there are so many amazing places in between. Most road signs are in English as well as Hebrew and Arabic, and it is fairly easy to get around, at least outside the cities.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By renting a car, you are not tied to bus schedules or someone else\u2019s idea of what you should see and when. That said, bus service is quite extensive, inexpensive, and a good option for intercity travel, and you can even put your luggage underneath in the cargo hold. Trains are also an option for some routes, and you can read more on both below. If you are renting a car, definitely do so on-line before you leave; you will save a lot of money over waiting to rent once you arrive in Israel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I recommend an Israeli company called\u00a0<strong>Eldan<\/strong>\u00a0for rental cars. On my last several trips, they had the best rate, with a 20% discount for Internet bookings through\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.eldan.co.il\/\">www.eldan.co.il<\/a>, and I have generally found the service very good. Eldan also has a hotel in Jerusalem next to the YMCA; you can book the hotel with the car as a package deal.\u00a0<strong>Hertz, Avis,\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0<strong>Budget<\/strong>\u00a0also offer rental cars in Israel. Book through each company\u2019s Israel web site (with the suffix .co.il), not the US sites or third-party sites, as you may not get the full price including the required insurance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have used avis in the past and was happy with it; see\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.avis.co.il\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.avis.co.il<\/a>. Hertz is a quite good option but tends to be more expensive;\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hertz.co.il\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.hertz.co.il<\/a>. Budget is a newer player in Israel, and I used them in 2006, but I had a very bad customer-service experience with Budget\u2019s Tel Aviv office, and others have also reported negative experiences more recently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I avoid\u00a0<strong>Sixt<\/strong>\u00a0Israe as their Israeli franchisee has scores of negative reports on TripAdvisor! I note that\u00a0<strong>Thrifty<\/strong>\u00a0and some other American operators now have a presence in Israel through local franchisees, but reports have been mixed. I would stick with Eldan. (And in Israel, Enterprise is Eldan, so just use the Eldan site to book.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Note: You probably don\u2019t need an international driver\u2019s license so long as your license has the information in Latin letters. If not, you may need to obtain the international driver\u2019s license, which basically translates the information into English. But confirm what you need directly through your rental car company.Most US bank credit cards do not offer \u201cCDW\u201d coverage for rental cars in Israel, which allows visitors to avoid part of the expensive insurance coverage sold by the car rental companies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are exceptions\u2014<strong>MasterCard World Cards<\/strong>\u00a0offer the CDW coverage (I have one for just this purpose) and all\u00a0<strong>Chase<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Citi<\/strong>\u00a0cards and my\u00a0<strong>Delta American Express Platinum card<\/strong>\u00a0in the US now offer CDW in Israel as well. Unless you have a card that offers CDW, you will need to purchase a package of vehicle insurance plus the third-party liability insurance, and this adds toalready high costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Note: even if your credit card provides CDW coverage, you always arerequired to purchase third-party liability coverage, which is usually coded\u201cLI.\u201d For Canadian readers, more Canadian bank cards seem to offer CDW coverage in Israel\u2014check to be sure.If your card does offer CDW, you will need to bring written verification of that coverage with you; my company sends me a .pdf letter to that effect upon request through the customer service line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have another suggestion to reduce both rental car costs and hassles. If you follow the itinerary recommend, starting your trip in<strong>\u00a0Tel Aviv<\/strong>\u00a0and ending in\u00a0<strong>Jerusalem<\/strong>, you won\u2019t really need or even want a car in either of those cities. (Remember that despite the \u201c<strong>TLV<\/strong>\u201d code, the airport is not in Tel Aviv but between that city and Jerusalem, easily accessible to or from both.)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"attachment_200340\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/45609694_10156094911153721_6813522494738137088_n.jpg?resize=960%2C720&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Israel train\" class=\"wp-image-200340\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/45609694_10156094911153721_6813522494738137088_n.jpg?w=960&amp;ssl=1 960w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/45609694_10156094911153721_6813522494738137088_n.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/45609694_10156094911153721_6813522494738137088_n.jpg?resize=768%2C576&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/45609694_10156094911153721_6813522494738137088_n.jpg?resize=86%2C64&amp;ssl=1 86w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Israel train<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both cities are quite confusing to drive in, city traffic is far worse than in the countryside, and trust me\u2014 parking in either city is a real nightmare. So, you can rent the car for pick up in Tel Aviv on the day you leave the city to head north (or south), and then drop it off once you arrive in Jerusalem, or vice versa. All the car rental companies have offices in both cities. This cuts both costs and stress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have done this for years now and never missed having a car in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. Cab or bus fares are far less than rental costs for those days, and it\u2019s easy to take a cab or train to Tel Aviv, or a cab (or\u00a0<strong>sherut<\/strong>\/group taxi) to or from Jerusalem, with a rail option scheduled to open in the not-distant future. Ask for air conditioning\u2014you\u2019ll need it in warmer months or areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Note that rental costs generally are high compared to the US at least, particularly with the required insurance. I still find the convenience worth it. Be aware that rental cars (at least the less expensive ones) are much smaller than the cars that most North Americans are used to driving. For Europeans, it will be no surprise. Gasoline is also very expensive in Israel (as in Europe)\u2014about twice as high or more than in the US\u2014but the country is so small that you won\u2019t use that much.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On my recent trips, I drove all over and refilled no more than two or three times. Be aware when driving that there are no formal borders or markers as such to mark the limits of the West Bank (the area conquered from Jordan in 1967), nor is it typically indicated on Israeli road maps. Israelis call the old border between the territories conquered in 1967 and Israel proper \u201c<strong>the Green Lin<\/strong>e.\u201d Most up-to-date maps do show the areas under the control of the Palestinian Authority (mainly large cities). You can purchase great road maps from\u00a0<strong>Carta Israel<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Carta Touring Atlas and Guide is wonderful as well, and since it is in booklet form, it is easier to use in a car, with touring tips in the margins. Others prefer the more detailed\u00a0<strong>MAPA<\/strong>\u00a0maps, which are also terrific. (You can do a Google search to find places to buy them on-line.) Both products clearly show the areas under Palestinian control and also the security barrier, which is basically the closest we now have to a \u201cborder\u201d between Israel proper and the West Bank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That \u201cseam line\u201d between Israel proper and the West Bank is now far more evident on the ground than it used to be. Of course, Israel has completely withdrawn from the\u00a0<strong>Gaza Strip<\/strong>, now under Hamas rule, and Gaza is closed to travel by tourists. In most places, the controversial security barrier, a high wall in some places, gives you an obvious indication where the Green Line is (or at least the point of Israeli control), but that barrier is not complete all the way around the West Bank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even where there is no barrier, however, there are\u00a0<strong>IDF checkpoints<\/strong>\u00a0at the entrance to the territories. Accordingly, unlike twenty years ago, you can no longer just wander into the West Bank without knowing. You cannot drive an Israeli rental car into the areas under Palestinian Authority control (called \u201c<strong>Area A<\/strong>\u201d); as noted above (the cities of\u00a0<strong>Jericho<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Bethlehem<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Ramallah<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Nablus<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Jenin<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Qalqilya<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Tulkarm<\/strong>, and most of\u00a0<strong>Hebron<\/strong>, among others). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I would use some caution about driving on your own in other areas of the West Bank, except as noted below. I have toured Hebron with a guide on two trips and felt safe, though Hebron is at times the focus of disturbances.\u00a0<strong>Abraham Tours<\/strong>\u00a0(<a href=\"http:\/\/www.abrahamtours.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.abrahamtours.com<\/a>) offers tours to parts of the West Bank, including Palestinian cities such as Ramallah, Nablus, and Jenin, and that\u2019s a very good option.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"attachment_200337\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"860\" height=\"587\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/51176064_2088896954519825_6501142982064865280_n-e1549128570739.jpg?resize=860%2C587&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Abraham Tours\" class=\"wp-image-200337\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Courtesy ofAbraham Tours<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bethlehem and Jericho are very safe to visit on your own, but again, not with an Israeli rental car, because those are \u201cArea A\u201d territories. Most of the West Bank outside of the cities, however, is under Israeli security control (<strong>Area C<\/strong>), and Area C is not barred to Israeli rental cars. Please note that it is very safe and absolutely permitted to drive on your own to\u00a0<strong>Masada<\/strong>\u00a0through the West Bank from Jerusalem on\u00a0<strong>Highway 1<\/strong>, then south on\u00a0<strong>Route 90<\/strong>\u00a0along the\u00a0<strong>Dead Sea<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also drive Route 90 south from\u00a0<strong>Tiberias<\/strong>\u00a0to the Dead Sea through the\u00a0<strong>Jordan Valley<\/strong>, a route I have driven many times. Be aware that it is a winding, two-lane road with lots of truck traffic and the attendant risk of accidents, and don\u2019t drive this route at night. In the winter\/rainy season, there can also be the risk of flash floods and wash-outs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Check with your rental car company on any specific restrictions to be safe. Even if covered, use good sense, and ask locals before setting out. You can take an Arab cab or Arab bus from Jerusalem for the short trip into Bethlehem; more information on that in the Jerusalem section later in this guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Israeli drivers are less patient and more aggressive than what most North Americans are used to, at least outside of cities like New York, <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/zmanmekomi.com\/en\/category\/%d7%90%d7%a8%d7%a6%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%94%d7%91%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%aa-2\/illinois\/\"   title=\"Illinois\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"597\">Chicago<\/a>, or Los Angeles.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">People worry about terrorism when traveling to Israel, but road accidents are more of a risk. That said, driving in Israel is very possible to do; I\u2019ve done it on all but two of my seventeen trips. I have found no problem driving in the countryside between cities, but driving in the cities, especially Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, can be daunting and simply not worth it. To some degree, you must drive like the locals to get anywhere. If you wait patiently for someone to let you in at a merge, for instance, you may miss your flight home!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A note on using a GPS. You can use your smartphone for driving directions in Israel (assuming you have a data plan). The two best phone apps are\u00a0<strong>Google Maps<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>Waze<\/strong>\u00a0(an Israeli product). I far prefer Google Maps on my Samsung Galaxy phone; the app even has traffic indicators. Even though Waze can be set to speak in English, the maps are in Hebrew, a problem for most visitors.A challenge with any GPS system, however, is the spelling of cities or roads in English, which can make them confusing and cumbersome to use. While there is only one way to spell a city or a road in Hebrew, there may be several ways to transliterate that into English. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, is it \u201c<strong>Caesarea<\/strong>\u201d or \u201c<strong>Kesaryia<\/strong>\u201d or \u201c<strong>Qesarya<\/strong>\u201d? (Road signs use all three\u2014and more.) A few years back, when I entered into\u00a0<strong>Garmin<\/strong>\u00a0(which I then used) an address on\u00a0<strong>King David Street<\/strong>, one of Jerusalem\u2019s major streets on which the\u00a0<strong>King David Hotel<\/strong>, the\u00a0<strong>YMCA<\/strong>, and all the rental car offices are located, nothing came up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I entered \u201cKing,\u201d I had a whole bunch of other streets, but not King David Street. When I entered just \u201cDavid,\u201d there was no \u201cKing David Street,\u201d but \u201cDavid ha-Melech Street\u201d did turn up. Now, I speak Hebrew and happen to know that is \u201cKing David\u201d in Hebrew, but a non-Hebrew speaker would be flummoxed. So, unless you understand at least enough Hebrew to make educated guesses, have back-up maps. On my recent trips, however, Google Maps worked like a charm with very few problems. I love it now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"attachment_200338\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/3597251829_98123b0f1a_z.jpg?resize=824%2C618&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-200338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/3597251829_98123b0f1a_z.jpg?w=640&amp;ssl=1 640w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/3597251829_98123b0f1a_z.jpg?resize=300%2C225&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/3597251829_98123b0f1a_z.jpg?resize=86%2C64&amp;ssl=1 86w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">King David Hotel. Some rights reserved by zeevvee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hiring_Tour_Guides\"><\/span>Hiring Tour Guides<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If driving makes you nervous, you might consider hiring a guide to drive you for at least a good segment of the trip, with free days in some cities. This works particularly well if you have a group of three or four or more, where the cost can be shared.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tripadvisor.com\/ShowTopic-g293983-i2582-k9805157-Madeleine_Lavine_Professional_Tour_Guide_Report-Jerusalem_Jerusalem_District.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Madeleine Lavine<\/strong>,<\/a>\u00a0based in Jerusalem, is my absolute favorite guide, and she is licensed to drive tourists throughout Israel. You can contact her at madl@zahav.net.il, or at (02) 678-0058 or (054) 450-4098.<a class=\"gv-tel-link\" title=\"Call +1 0544504098 via Google Voice\" href=\"http:\/\/voice.google.com\/calls?a=nc,%2B10544504098\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/voice.google.com\/calls?a=nc,%2B10544504098\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I also love touring with\u00a0Jonathan (Yonatan) Kohn, a former American who is based in Tel Aviv and he is also licensed to drive tourists; (tel. (054) 554-3448,<a class=\"gv-tel-link\" title=\"Call +1 0545543448 via Google Voice\" href=\"http:\/\/voice.google.com\/calls?a=nc,%2B10545543448\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a> jonskohn@hotmail.com).\u00a0Eyal Amos Reuven\u00a0is a relatively new guide based in Jerusalem whom I toured with for two days on my last trip, and he is fantastic! He is getting his license to drive tourists as well; see eyal@travelingjerusalem.com; tel. (050) 866-3484).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">David Wexler\u00a0is another driving guide who frequently helps people on TripAdvisor. He works with many Christian groups; see david@davidsland.com;\u00a0www.davidsland.com; cell (054) 330-0941.<a class=\"gv-tel-link\" title=\"Call +1 0543300941 via Google Voice\" href=\"http:\/\/voice.google.com\/calls?a=nc,%2B10543300941\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a> I have also toured with\u00a0Moti Bar-Tuv\u00a0(moti@travel-israel.info; (052) 226-8331; from the United States, call (213) 293-3794). Moti is a native Israeli with excellent English; while he is based in the north, he works all over and is a terrific guide. I and several friends have used\u00a0Richard Woolf, another outstanding choice who hails from the UK originally. While he lives and most often works in the North, he tours elsewhere as well. See (woolfr@netvision.net.il, tel. 04-693- 5377, cell 050-589-4647, website:\u00a0www.safed.co.il\/woolfguide.html). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have toured\u00a0Zikhron Ya\u2019akov\u00a0with a newer guide named\u00a0Russell Abel, and he is enthusiastic and very good at his work. You can reach him at (050) 666-6981 <a class=\"gv-tel-link\" title=\"Call +1 0506666981 via Google Voice\" href=\"http:\/\/voice.google.com\/calls?a=nc,%2B10506666981\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>or Russell@russell.co.il. While touring with Moti, I also met\u00a0Ron Elberg\u00a0(elbergron@gmail.com; tel. (050) 398-5904). I was impressed with his guiding skills\u2014and sense of humor. Finally, if you don\u2019t rent a car, consider using a sherut, an inter-city group taxi, to travel from the airport to Jerusalem or\u00a0Haifa, or between some cities. (Sheruts don\u2019t run between the airport and Tel Aviv because the private taxi fare is not that high.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sheruts leave as soon as they fill up with passengers after any flight. They will either take you directly to your hotel (in some order, of course) or to the central bus station for the city, from which you can either take another cab or a bus to your hotel. (Ask which they will do first so you\u2019re not surprised.) They don\u2019t cost much more than taking a bus about \u20aa69 NIS or $19 USD from the airport to Jerusalem, and it\u2019s quicker. (The currency symbol for the New Israeli Shekel (NIS) is \u20aa, used like $ or \u20ac.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also get a sherut back to the airport, and you can arrange this through your hotel. Or course, taxi service is also available, but at a higher cost. A taxi should run about \u20aa273 ($74 USD) to the airport from Jerusalem for weekdays; \u20aa325 ($88 USD) for evenings, Shabbat, or holidays; there are also small surcharges per-bag or for extra passengers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maximum rates are about \u20aa144 ($39 USD) from Tel Aviv; \u20aa163 ($44 USD) on evenings, Shabbat, or holidays. In both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some sheruts also run on fixed routes within the cities, and there is some intercity sherut service, particularly between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Rates can change, and currency conversion rates were current as of January 2019 (check\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.xe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.xe.com<\/a>\u00a0or its terrific, downloadable app).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also, a usage note: the plural of the word \u201csherut\u201d in this context is not \u201csherutim.\u201d Those are toilets. In Hebrew, the plural would be \u201cmoniot sherut\u201d (\u201cservice taxis\u201d). Ask for \u201csherutim,\u201d and you will likely be surprised.For travel within and between the cities, the bus system is widely used and easy to navigate. Your hotel can help you identify the needed route; you can also post an inquiry on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tripadvisor.com\/ShowForum-g293977-i1733-Israel.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">TripAdvisor forum<\/a>, because the Israelis who post there are remarkably helpful.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Egged<\/strong>\u00a0is the main company (see logo at left.) For bus information from all the bus companies, see\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.bus.co.il\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.bus.co.il<\/a>. But it is not practical to tour the north of the country, the desert areas of the Negev, or the Dead Sea\/Masada area using public transport and buses alone. For those areas, you need a rental car, group tour, or driving guide. But to get from one city to another, or anywhere within the cities, buses are a very practical, inexpensive, and safe option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On two recent trips, I traveled by train from Haifa in the north to\u00a0<strong>Be\u2019er Sheva<\/strong>\u00a0in the Negev region and found that Israel Railways is a delightful way to transit the country. Consider that option when you don\u2019t need the rental car at your destination, though a company like Eldan has offices all over the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\" id=\"attachment_200339\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/israel-2227061_1280-e1549128839764.jpg?resize=860%2C484&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"Israel train\" class=\"wp-image-200339\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Israel train<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On one trip, I took the train from Tel Aviv to Haifa as well. You can check out routes, timetables, and prices at&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.rail.co.il\/EN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">www.rail.co.il\/EN<\/a>. I suggest that you spend the extra \u20aa5.00 ($1.34 USD) to get a seat in the reserved car, called \u201c<strong>makom shamur<\/strong>\u201d in Hebrew. It is well worth it, as the regular cars can be packed, particularly around the weekends when soldiers travel for free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, the reserved car tickets are not available during peak travel times on Friday or early Sunday mornings\u2014when they are most needed!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Taxis are also plentiful, and be advised that taxi drivers are required by law to use the meter for travel within the cities. Some drivers may attempt to avoid this by simply not turning the meter on and quoting you a fixed rate in shekels. While quoting a fixed rate is perfectly appropriate for going to the airport, for intercity trips, or for trips where you are asking the driver to stop and wait for you, it is neither advisable nor legal for drivers to insist on a fixed rate for a simple trip within the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You will nearly always do better for trips within a city if you use the meter, so insist that the driver turn on the meter. Get out without paying if the driver refuses, as is your right\u2014the driver is breaking the law by refusing. Don\u2019t be bullied. All the drivers understand some English, but you can say your destination when entering the cab while adding, in Hebrew, \u201cim (eem) moneh\u201d (\u201cwith the meter\u201d). Or just ask for a receipt (\u201ckabbalah\u201d in Hebrew); they must use the meter to generate a receipt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The problem is less endemic than it used to be, but stick to your guns and make sure that that meter has been turned on. But you can simply grab a cab on the street or through your hotel\u2014just make sure that the driver turns the meter on! You will pay slightly more if you or the hotel calls for the cab, rather than flagging one on the street, but it\u2019s a small surcharge. And note\u2014it is not customary in Israel to tip cab drivers unless they perform a special service, like carrying bags into the building. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you give a cab driver \u20aa60 for a \u20aa59 fare, he will look for a shekel coin to give you; you can tell him to round up if you\u2019d like. Neither\u00a0<strong>Uber<\/strong>\u00a0nor\u00a0<strong>Lyft<\/strong>\u00a0ride-sharing apps are legal in Israel at this point. You can download the app for\u00a0<strong>Gett<\/strong>\u00a0to request and pay for cabs\u2014very convenient! I used Gett on my last trip, and I\u2019m sold; it works just like the Uber or Lyft apps, but calls a regular cab. And no arguments over the meter!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u00a92004-2019 Douglas E. Duckett, All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Douglas E. Duckett GETTING THERE You have several carriers to choose from in flying to Israel. Obviously,\u00a0El Al IsraelAirlines\u00a0serves the country with the most flights, including direct flights from several American cities. The cost is competitive, and El Al also offers an early start to your Israel experience. I also rank El Al\u2019s rigorous [&#8230;]\n","protected":false},"author":586,"featured_media":200335,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1317],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-200330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1317"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Personal Travel Guide to Israel: Getting There and Getting Around &#8211; Zman Mekomi<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/zmanmekomi.com\/en\/personal-travel-guide-to-israel-getting-there-and-getting-around\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Personal Travel Guide to Israel: Getting There and Getting Around &#8211; Zman Mekomi\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Douglas E. Duckett GETTING THERE You have several carriers to choose from in flying to Israel. Obviously,\u00a0El Al IsraelAirlines\u00a0serves the country with the most flights, including direct flights from several American cities. The cost is competitive, and El Al also offers an early start to your Israel experience. I also rank El Al\u2019s rigorous [...]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/zmanmekomi.com\/en\/personal-travel-guide-to-israel-getting-there-and-getting-around\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Zman Online Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mekomimag\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-02-02T17:51:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-09-08T22:52:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/zmanmekomi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/bike-2819871_1280-e1549127667910.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"506\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Douglas E. 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