Israel Information
Joined: 19 Oct 2006
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 Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2006 11:44 am Post subject: GETTING AROUND IN ISRAEL/ ISRAEL TRANSPORTATION GUIDE |
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GETTING AROUND IN ISRAEL
RAIL
Trains are even cheaper than buses, but Israel Railways trains don?t run nearly as often, and at press time, only cities along the coast are served--Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Nahariya (with local stops made along the way). Although some of the trains are ancient, they are usually roomy, and the routes run through some of central Israel's most beautiful areas. At press time, service to Jerusalem has been suspended, but check to see if it has been restored when you're in Israel. Unlike the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway route, the final portion of the train route runs through the beautiful Judean Hills, a winding, mountain-clinging ride through a magical and rugged landscape. The International Student Identity Card holder obtains a 25% to 50% train discount.
Excepting the Sabbath and religious holidays, trains run daily. Operations close earlier on Friday and before holidays. For train information, call tel. 03/577-4000. In Tel Aviv, the Central Train Station (sometimes called North Station) is on Arlosoroff Street near Haifa Road.
BUS
Most city and intercity bus routes are operated by two cooperative-shareholder companies, Dan and Egged. Their equipment varies widely. Depending on the whim of fortune, you'll take your intercity bus ride in either spanking-new buses with red upholstery and efficient air-conditioning or in a run-down, torn-upholstered, dirty-windowed, breathlessly hot bus.
Buses run from about 5:30am until late evening. In major cities, most routes operate until midnight. If possible, you should avoid bus travel at rush hours (7 to 8am and 4 to 6pm). On Friday and the eves of Jewish holidays, most buses run only until about 2 or 3 hours before sunset. Except for partial city bus service in East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Haifa, there is no bus service throughout the country from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening.
Both Dan and Egged have discount fare plans for both city and intercity buses. For instance, in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, or Haifa, ask for a 25-ride kartisiya, one of the multifare cards that are right at the driver's fingertips next to the single-fare tickets. The kartisiya gives you one or two free rides, and frees you from having to fumble for change. If you are a senior citizen or a student, show your identification. The driver will sell you a multifare card at a regular, senior, or student discount. The color of the card is different for each category. Each time you get on a bus, the driver will punch your card. At $1.20, city bus tickets are not all that expensive, but why pay even that when you can pay less? The kartisiya is not supposed to be transferable, but there is rarely a problem if two people together present it as a fare. Just say pa-mai-yim and the driver will punch the kartisiya twice.
As for intercity travel, Egged offers 14-, 21-, and 30-day passes good for unlimited travel throughout the country. Ask at any Egged Tours office for details. Egged offices are open Sunday through Thursday from 7am to 8pm, on Friday from 7am to 2pm and closed Saturday. Students can apply for discounts here.
TAXI
Each municipality sets taxi fares and issues a chart quoting current fares. But in all cases, it's good to agree on an amount before you get in the cab, as many cabbies ignore the meters. That avoids any unpleasantness at the end--and there is often unpleasantness. Having trouble finding a taxi on Shabbat? Go to a big hotel entrance.
CAR RENTAL
Remember that Israeli rental cars are not insured for travel in the West Bank or Gaza! From Jerusalem, however, there is one road passing through the West Bank that your rental car is currently insured to travel (although you should re-check with your car rental agency). At present, you ARE permitted to drive on Highway One between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea, which runs through a largely uninhabited part of the West Bank, and is the main road from Jerusalem to the east. Highway One ends at the north-south running Highway 90. You can take Highway 90 south along the Dead Sea to the beach resorts along the Dead Sea, to Masada and on down to Eilat, but currently it is NOT safe to drive on the part of Highway 90 that runs from Highway One north through the Jordan Valley toward Bet Shean and onward to the Sea of Galilee (the usual route from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee). Until further notice, drivers from Jerusalem to the eastern Galilee must stay within the 1948 borders of Israel by detouring westward to the outskirts of Tel Aviv, and from there driving north along the coast to the Galilee. Many agencies do not insure vehicles for East Jerusalem either, so it's best to verify any possible travel restrictions when you sign your rental agreement.
Avis (tel. 800/638-4016 or 201/750-2050) and Sixt/Reliable (tel. 877/4-SHALOM or 212/541-5029) are two international car-rental companies represented in North America by packagers that specialize in car rentals in Israel. Avis (Dan Rent-A-Car) is staffed by Israeli agents who can advise you about your driving plans, and offers free maps. Both offices are worth checking out.
Driving is one of the best ways to see Israel, but it can be extraordinarily expensive if you don't realize what's involved. The very cheapest cars are often not available, even though their rental prices are widely publicized by agencies. Your best deal will be on a weekly, unlimited-kilometer basis. As the deductible on the agency-provided collision insurance is a staggering $750 to $1,000, you'll want to protect yourself against that much liability for damage to the car. So you must initial the little block that shows you want the collision damage waiver insurance, which will cost $10 to $12 per day. In Israel only a gold MasterCard will exempt you from other mandatory insurance charges. Thus, a balance sheet of what you'll actually end up paying for an economy car rental may look like this:
Basic weekly charge, unlimited kilometers $290
Collision damage waiver, 7 days at $10 per day $70
Gasoline, 100 liters at 90" per liter $90
Total $450
This works out to $66.70 per day for one of the cheapest cars available at the best rates offered by the big companies.
These figures are an average of going rates. You'll save significant sums by shopping around. Be sure to ask in advance what the collision damage waiver will cost, because, as you can see from the figures above, it ends up being a significant sum.
You should not be misled by firms offering extremely low daily rental rates, such as $6 or $8. The daily rental rate is only a small portion of the total rental bill, which also includes the collision damage waiver and the kilometer charge.
Your best bargain may be a package purchased with your flight. El Al's "Sunsational" car package, starting at $17 per day with unlimited mileage (available only for El Al passengers), is generally unbeatable. Reserving and prepaying from the United States through the Israel Tourism Center or a travel discounter can also cut costs.
Some smaller Israeli companies offer no rental charge on Shabbat, although you do have to pay Saturday insurance (if it is a religious company, you may be on your honor not to drive on Shabbat). Others offer free transportation from the airport to your hotel if you want to start the rental later in your trip. Companies offering such services are often more expensive, but you may find these extras worthwhile.
Eldan (tel. 800/938-5000 or 888/243-5326 in the U.S. and Canada, or 212/629-6090 in New York; www.eldan.co.il/), the largest Israeli rental car firm, is always worth looking into. Its fleet of cars is larger and more varied than those of the international agencies. Eldan also offers more offices and service centers throughout the country than any of its competitors, so if you have a breakdown, you have a better chance of getting a replacement quickly. In 2000, Eldan plans to have affiliations with a variety of Israeli hotels; packages and discounts at moderately priced hotels will be available in conjunction with Eldan rental cars. Tamir (tel. 800/868-2647) is another Israeli car-rental agency with a North American reservations office. Tamir's services include delivery and pick-up in major Israeli cities, though not in Eilat.
It's a good idea to reserve a car as far in advance as possible. Except in holiday periods, a day in advance should be enough time to secure some kind of vehicle, but keep in mind that cars with automatic transmission are often in short supply. The earlier you reserve, the more certain you can be of getting the car you want, when you want it.
Almost every major car-rental company has a Jerusalem office on King David Street, between the Hilton and King David hotels; in Tel Aviv, the offices are on Ha-Yarkon Street, between the Dan and the Sheraton hotels. If you don't happen to pass the agency you want, your hotel or any travel agent will be glad to arrange the rental.
Special Considerations When Renting a Car in Israel--Be aware: Visitors are cautioned to deal only with reputable rental companies, only to sign contracts after reading them thoroughly in a language completely understood, and to make sure of proper and full insurance coverage. If you are asked to sign a part of your contract written in Hebrew, make certain it is explained to you and note in writing beside your signature that you do not read Hebrew. Car theft incidence in Israel is very high--you do not want to be held responsible for the cost of an entire car!
AIR
If you can afford it, and if traveling overland on hot days just isn't your cup of tea, then by all means use Arkia, Israel's inland air service. There are no flights on the Sabbath, but otherwise daily flights connect Tel Aviv with Eilat and Rosh Pina (Safed/Tiberias), Jerusalem with Eilat and Rosh Pina, and Haifa with Eilat. Other flights are scheduled according to demand, as the seasons change. A round-trip flight from Tel Aviv to Eilat, for example, costs $160. You can book flights on Arkia through your home travel agent. Arkia?s central toll-free number in Israel is tel. 1-800/ 444-888.
Arkia also sponsors very popular air tours, including journeys from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to Eilat. Or you can design your own tour, gather a group of people, and charter an Arkia aircraft, from nine-seaters to Boeing 737s.
SHERUT
The Israeli sherut ("service" in Hebrew) is a shared limo or van that goes from city to city or point to point within a city. They supplement city and intercity bus routes and often go where the bus doesn't go. On Saturday in many parts of the country, they are the only transportation available. Sheruts usually make regular stops close to the central bus stations of the cities they service, but by and large, they'll let you off at any bus stop in or out of the city along their routes. These days they're mostly eight-passenger vans. Sheruts won't depart for intercity runs until each eight-passenger vehicle is full (or almost so).
Sherut fares can be a shekel or so higher than the bus; in times of heavy competition, sheruts will match the fares on Egged. Service is often faster and more comfortable. Sheruts from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv leave from Rav Kook Street, just across Jaffa Road from Zion Square. If you are staying in the center of town, this is much more convenient than taking a bus to Jerusalem's Central Bus Station and waiting on line for the bus to Tel Aviv. There is no charge for a child under 5 traveling on the lap of an adult. Sometimes two children under 5 pay one adult fare. For each additional child under 5, the full fare is required. Smoking is supposed to be forbidden inside sheruts.
Note: When looking for a sherut, always ask before climbing in to see that it truly is a sherut. Otherwise, a gloating driver may whisk you to your destination at taxi rates. |
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