Getting Around Israel: Trains, Buses and Rental Cars
Israel looks like an easy country to cross: the distances are short, and the main roads are generally good 🚦. Yet one of the first things we explain to visitors is that a short distance on the map does not always mean a quick or simple journey. Rush-hour traffic, a Friday-afternoon arrival, or a remote desert site can change the picture completely.
You certainly do not need a guide or a driver every day. In fact, we often recommend using the train 🚂 when it makes sense and saving a car for the places public transport does not reach well. Here is the practical way we help travellers think about the options.
Trains and Buses: Good Connections, If You Plan Ahead
For travel between major cities, Israel Railways 🚄 is often our first choice. It is particularly useful between Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion Airport, Jerusalem and Haifa, depending on the route and timetable. Jerusalem’s Yitzhak Navon railway station is deep underground, so allow extra time to get to street level, especially with luggage.
Do not assume that a train shown on the map runs at the time you need it.
One point that often surprises visitors: some railway services, including some airport connections, operate late at night or overnight on certain days. That does not mean every line runs all night, or that service is available on Shabbat. Check the exact journey on the official Israel Railways website rather than relying on an old timetable or a general rule.
🚌 Buses fill many of the gaps, reaching towns and neighbourhoods that trains do not. They are often good value, but always check the return journey before you visit a remote attraction. We have seen perfectly sensible plans fall apart because the last bus back left earlier than expected.
For both planning 📅 and payment 💳, we recommend looking at Rav-Pass by HopOn. It is an authorised public transport app for buses and trains, including light rail and other participating services such as Haifa’s Carmelit and cable car. It can calculate applicable fare caps or discounts, subject to your travel pattern and eligibility.
A Rav-Kav travel card is another option. Check the payment method you intend to use before your first journey—do not expect to pay cash to the bus driver.
The big exception is Shabbat.🕯️🕯️ Most regular trains and intercity buses stop on Friday before Shabbat and restart after it ends on Saturday evening. The stopping time varies considerably by season and route. In summer, Friday daylight lasts much longer than in winter, so the timetable can look very different. Holidays, planned engineering work and security-related changes can also affect service. If you arrive at the airport late on Friday or need a Saturday transfer, arrange an alternative in advance.
Useful links Israel Railways: live schedules · HopOn / Rav-Pass
Renting a Car: Freedom Beyond the Cities
🚗 A car is often the best way to visit several rural sites in one day. We particularly value having one in the Galilee, the Negev and the smaller national parks. On the other hand, we would not automatically rent a car for several days in central Jerusalem or Tel Aviv: traffic can be slow, parking expensive and the oldest streets confusing. Often the most relaxed choice is to collect your car when you leave the city.
📝 Before driving away, check the rental conditions carefully: your licence, any required International Driving Permit, insurance excess, additional drivers, fuel policy and restrictions on where the vehicle may go. A standard rental car is not an invitation to take an unmarked desert track. Stick to permitted roads and recognised access routes. Desert scenery can look deceptively easy from behind the wheel.
📍Navigation apps are very useful, but they are not the final authority. Follow road signs and official instructions, particularly near borders, military areas or temporary closures. In towns, pay attention to colour-coded kerbs and local parking signs. Blue-and-white kerbs often indicate paid parking, but the rules can change by time and municipality. Use the approved parking method and take valuables out of the car before walking away.
And yes, Israeli drivers can be impatient 😤. We have a standing joke that some Israelis go to Manhattan to relax behind the wheel. You do not need to join the competition: give yourself extra time, keep calm and concentrate on the road.
Taxis, Shabbat Travel and the Apps Worth Having
🚕Taxis are useful for the awkward gaps: an airport transfer with luggage, a late return from dinner or the final few kilometres to accommodation. We recommend an authorised taxi and using the meter in the circumstances required by Israeli regulations. The meter is usually a better friend than an improvised ‘special tourist price’. Ask for a receipt and keep your destination written in Hebrew as well as English.
🚖Gett is a well-established taxi-booking app in Israel and is a practical option in areas where drivers are available. Visitors sometimes ask about Uber: its official Israel page currently says its ride service is not available here, so do not plan a journey around it.
App availability, pickup arrangements and fares can change, especially at the airport.
For certain Friday-evening and Saturday journeys in the Tel Aviv area, the free Naim Busofash weekend shuttle network can be very useful. It does not serve every municipality and is not a replacement for the national transport system.
Shared taxis (sherut) and private services can operate in some areas on Shabbat, but routes and frequency vary. Always check the actual schedule rather than assuming a familiar weekday service will be running.
Our quick rule is this: take the train between cities when it is convenient, use a car to explore the countryside, and rely on taxis for the awkward final connection. Above all, plan around the real timetable—not just the distance in kilometres. That simple habit can make a trip around Israel much more enjoyable.
Useful links Gett taxis · Naim Busofash weekend shuttles · Uber availability in Israel
