Although Israel is in a state of constant conflict with its Arab neighbors, the number of people wishing to visit this ancient country is not decreasing. See with your own eyes the ancient walls of Jerusalem and the legendary relics collected here, visit the Dead Sea, in which it is impossible to drown, relax on the shores of the Red Sea. All this is possible if you rent a car and drive around the country, since the magnificent roads in Israel allow you to do this without any problems.
Highway numbering in Israel and major roads
Due to the geographical features of the country, the road network is not dense here. After all, most of the territory is occupied by deserts, where there are practically no settlements. And local authorities do not consider it necessary to lay additional routes, preferring to develop and extend the existing ones. First of all, this concerns the roads that run from north to south throughout the elongated territory of Israel.
Basically, the numbering of major highways in the country is as follows:
- Roads from north to south are even numbered, increasing as you move east.
- Roads running from west to east tend to get odd numbers in their names. The number of such roads is much greater, because Israel stretches along the length along the Mediterranean coast.
The main road is considered to be highway number 1, which connects the capital, Tel Aviv, with the spiritual center, Jerusalem. When driving along this route, you should be prepared for constant ascent, as a result of which your ears can get blocked.
Another important motorway is Route 2, which runs north from Tel Aviv to Haifa. In general, there are a lot of roads in the central part along the coast, especially near the capital. But in desert areas there are often one or two main roads, which are the only paved path. So, only two routes lead to the Red Sea. The Dead Sea, an extremely popular place for tourists, is located next to the mountains, and therefore you can drive up to it either from the north or from the south.
There are practically no toll roads in the country, with the exception of highway number 6, which largely duplicates routes 2 and 4. There is also a toll tunnel in Haifa, but it is small, and the fare on it is low.
Features of the roads in Israel
Almost all roads in this country are of excellent quality and are paved. Due to the absence of serious temperature changes, the road surface serves for a very long time and does not require frequent repairs.
Due to the relatively small number of roads, their congestion is quite high, especially at the entrances to the capital or at the pass towards Jerusalem. So you should be prepared for traffic jams as well. All road signs have inscriptions not only in Hebrew, but also in English, which greatly facilitates the driver's task. It is not worth breaking the rules - the fines for the slightest violation are very high, and it is almost impossible to avoid paying them.
It is also worth noting the love of Israelis for traffic lights that are turned on at the request of pedestrians. In Tel Aviv, they can be found even at busy intersections, which creates a certain chaos when driving.
Traveling by car in Israel makes it possible to independently visit all significant sights and resorts, while driving along local roads is pleasant and convenient.
