
How to Get to Tel Aviv, Israel
From Moscow (Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo) to Tel Aviv, direct flights are made by Aeroflot, El Al and Es Seven. On the way – about 4 hours, the cost – from 900 USD in both directions. One-stop options with Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines (via Istanbul) – from 1200 USD. Among the “Europeans”, convenient routes are offered by Lufthansa (changes in Frankfurt or Munich), Aegean Airlines (in Athens), Czech Airlines (in Prague). Prices on the page are for July 2022.
Aeroflot and El Al fly directly from Pulkovo in St. Petersburg. Departures are daily, the journey takes 4 hours 40 minutes, tickets – from 1300 USD in both directions. Airbaltic, Es Seven, Turkish Airlines, Aegean Airlines have budget options with one transfer – from 1500 USD. Flights from the regions are about twice as expensive as from Moscow.
From airport to city
According to Best-medical-schools, the airport is located 10 km from Tel Aviv. Terminal 1 accepts charter and domestic flights. Most international flights are terminal 3. A free shuttle runs through the airport.
Official taxi – HadarLod (order at the control towers – level G, Gate 03). The cost of the car is from 145 ILS on weekdays and from 170-180 ILS from Friday evening to Saturday evening (on Shabbat). Individual transfer from 6 people – from 310 ILS for all.
All public transport does not run at the airport on Shabbat and exchangers do not work. The only option to go to the city is a taxi. You can agree with the driver to pay in USD or EUR, but the exchange rate will differ from the bank one.
The train is the cheapest option. On weekdays, it runs around the clock (the schedule is on the Israel Railways website). Break – from 15:00 Friday to 20:00 Saturday. Adult ticket – from 20 ILS. They go either to the HaHagana station (from there by buses No. 4, 104, 204), or to the building of the Central Station. Travel time is 10-20 minutes. Many people order a taxi when they get off the train – from 80 ILS.
If the bus is chosen, then the shuttle goes to the bus station (5 km from the airport). These are shuttles of the 5th line (working hours – from 5:00 to 22:00), a stop at the exit from terminal 3. Routes No. 475 (to the bus station) and No. 222 (to the railway station) go to Tel Aviv. The cost is from 14.50 ILS.
Transportation
All railway lines of the country converge in the city. From 4 stations in Tel Aviv, trains leave for Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beersheba, Haifa, Nahariya, Jerusalem and the airport. There, and on suburban routes, Egged buses go (off site).
Dan buses serve the city from 5:00 to 0:00 (off. site). Tickets – from 6.60 ILS, day pass – from 14.5 ILS. The whole city is divided into zones, the more zones in the travel card, the more expensive it is.
The only mode of transport that operates daily is the taxi. Cars are equipped with counters, and a check is issued at the time of payment. The cost of trips in the center – from 40 ILS, to the suburbs – from 70 ILS. There is an extra charge of approximately 5 ILS for the passage of a third passenger and baggage. The night rate is valid on Saturday and holidays – 25% more expensive than usual.
The most popular bus routes for tourists, Nos. 5 and 18, pass through the city center. Routes No. 4, 5, 16, 51 and 66 are operated by fixed-route taxis: the fare is the same as in a bus, stops at the request of the passenger. Minibuses operate on Saturdays and holidays.
There is a city bike rental: green (rather heavy) Tel-o-Fun bikes (off. site) and more than 100 automated parking lots. Principle of operation: a subscription is paid, a deposit is debited from a bank card, the first half hour is free, then for every 30 minutes 0.5 ILS. In case of non-return after the first 24 hours, the bike is considered lost and fines begin – from 1000 ILS. Incorrect installation of a parking lot leads to the fact that the system “does not see” it and continues to record the time. There are many unofficial bike rentals in the city that do not require a deposit, and you can also rent a bike from hotels or sports shops.
You can save money by taking 10-minute breaks between trips (you drive for 25 minutes, you wait another 10 minutes for the system to count the return). But there are debit card overlays when the deposit is returned for a month or longer.
- Tel Aviv
Rent a Car
International Hertz, Sixt, Avis, Europcar operate in Tel Aviv, most have offices right at the airport (a fee is added here). Rates – from 200 ILS for an economy class car, deposit – from 2000 ILS, the amount of which decreases when paying for insurance (the simplest ones are from 10% of the rental price). Services of local distributors are 20% or more cheaper.
In Israel, it is worth taking out insurance: the fleet of cars is noticeably worn out, and an extra scratch, unnoticed during the initial inspection, turns into expenses. It is worth overpaying for a car, abandoning a low-power engine if you plan to drive towards the Dead Sea (many climbs).
The roads are excellent. There is only one toll road, the northern section on road number 6 (Tel Aviv – Haifa). The system itself fixes the number of the car and sends an invoice to the owner depending on the length of the section traveled (on average 450-550 ILS), however, rental offices may add additional “entry fees” to this amount. The paid section can be bypassed along the road number 2, which runs along the sea.
It is difficult to park in Tel Aviv even for a fee, it is easier to leave the car at the hotel. Parking zones differ in the color of the curb (gray is a free zone, white and blue are paid zones, there is a machine next to it). The difficulty is that these parking lots are for residents of the city, and after 17:00-19:00 in many areas, non-residents are required to vacate the paid zone (up to evacuation). It is better to immediately decide where to park the car (there are several large parking lots in the city) and find out if the night time is free. More details on the page ” Rent a car in Tel Aviv “.