A trip to Israel will bring you many surprises and unforgettable impressions. The transport system is well-organized, and due to the fact that Israel is a miniature country, travel between cities will not seem tiresome to you.
Bus service
Buses are the most popular type of urban and intercity transport. The largest service providers are three companies - Egged, Dan and Kavim.
It is worth knowing that all bus traffic stops on Friday afternoon and recovers only late Saturday evening. The only exception is the intracity flights of Eilat and Haifa.
Having decided to take a bus ride around the city, you need to take into account some peculiarities:
- Bus stops are not announced, so you need to know in advance where you get off.
- If there are no people at the bus stop, and no one is preparing to leave, the driver may not stop the car. In order to inform about the intention to exit, you must press the button on the handrail.
Route taxis
Shuttle buses also run on bus routes. Convenience lies in the fact that the driver can stop at the place you want. In addition, the fare is slightly lower than on a city bus.
Minibuses start their work at 6 in the morning and end in the evening. Sometimes even later than buses. Such taxis run on Saturdays, but somewhat less frequently.
Taxi
By taxi, you can move not only around the city, but also make long-distance trips. This transport is the only one in all of Israel that operates on Saturdays and holidays (with the exception of Yom Kippur fast).
A trip at night, as well as on holidays and on Saturdays will cost a little more. As a rule, you will need to pay an additional 25% of the total cost.
Tipping in a taxi is not accepted, but the driver will be pleased if the amount is automatically rounded up. If you wish, you can agree to pay for the service off the counter, but sometimes the trip in this case can be much more expensive.
Underground
Israel's only metro is located in Haifa. The underground line connects the Lower and Upper cities. It is called "Carmelite" and is the shortest in the whole world. The length of the metro is only two kilometers.
Railways
You can also travel between cities by rail. The railway service passes through all the most densely populated areas of the country. Quite often, you can go on a trip on a double-decker carriage.
Please note that you are not buying a ticket for a train, but for a specific direction. And you can transfer from one train to another, but only within the chosen (and paid) direction.
Save your tickets to the terminal station, as they are checked not only at the entrance, but also at the exit from the carriage.
