we arrive Tel Aviv airport on Thursday, October 28, 2010 around 11am. We are looking for one-night stay in Tel Aviv in an economical but comfortable hotel close to some sight-seeing attractions. Also, need information on Airport transfer to and from the hotel.
Please reply. Thanks

hi can any body help im leaving eilat on saturday 26th february 2011 at around lunch time,how do i get to airport as flights dont leave until after shabbat,2 adults 1 child.

Dear User,
A taxi would be the best option.
Good luck!

michael london

Hello,
is there a busline from the dead sea to Ben Gurion?
Thank you very much

Hello!

I can see there are lots of duty free shops at Ben Gurion airport. If I buy duty free products from the duty free shops upon arrival, can I carry as much of those products out and use in Israel or do I need to leave them to the airport to wait for my return trip.

Do the normal restrictions (200pcs of cigarettes, 1 liter of liquer etc) apply when I buy it upon arrival from duty free shop, or can I buy as much as I want to and use the products in Israel during my visit?

Dear User,
There are no duty free shops at any airports in the arrivals. Duty free is available only upon departure. As regards the restrictions, yes, they are the amounts you mentioned.
Enjoy your shopping!

Hi,
I arrive at the Ben Gurion Airport at 30 AM and I go to Eilat. I have found a flight from Sde-Dov Airport at 7:30AM. How can I go there? Is it better to book a transfer or can I find a taxi at this time? I don't know if it is easy to find a transport from tel aviv to eilat, something like a shuttle.
Thank you

Dear User,
There are no shuttles from Ben Gurion Airport to Sdeh Dov Airport, but it is very easy to get a taxi at Ben Gurion at any hour of the day or night. At 3 AM, the only option you will have is a taxi, but it's not very far (about 30 min drive and 160 NIS).
Good Luck!

Hi there,
I arrive at Ben Gurion at 6h10 in the morning and have found a flight from the same airport (TLV) to Eilat that leaves at 8h30. Is this enough time to make the transfer?

Answer much appreciated, Thanks!

Dear Juliet,
If all goes smoothly, you should be OK, but any delay might make the transfer a little tight.
At any rate, you can check-in to the Eilat flight up to 30-40 min before take-off (give or take). Remember, however, that you'll have to make your way to another terminal and this can take a while (there's a bus service).
Good luck!

Hi, How much does it cost to get from ben gurion to 17 gordon street? I have 3 bags. I heard it should not go over 150 sheklem... $33? I am arriving Aug 16th at 8 am. Is it cheaper to split the cab with someone? toda

What is the best way to get from Ben Gurion Airport to Modiin?

How much does a taxi / sherut cost?

Is the train easy to get to with 2 suitcases?

Dear User,
A taxi to Modi'in should be about NIS 120.
The train is pretty easy to catch at Ben Gurion Airport. Not sure about the arrival in Modi'in.
Good luck!

My son is going to spend a year at Yeshiva Har Hatzion in Gush in the West Bank. How much approximately will a taxi cst from the Ben Gurion airport in American dollars? thanks so much

Until which hour the airport is open on friday, 17th, before kippur?

Until which hour public transport works??

Thanks a lot,

Florentin

I arrive in Tel Aviv/Ben Gurion Thurs. Aug.8 at 9:30 in the morning. I need transportation to Kibbutz Ginosar (near Tiberius), please. What is the best, safest, easiest way to get there? How much will it cost?

I will need transportation from Jerusalem to TLV/Ben Gurion airport on Tues. Aug.17th in time to make an 11:30pm flight . What time should I plan to be picked up & how much will it cost?

Do you recommend private limo services, which ones & approximately how much would the average rates be for these two trips??

Thank you very much for the information & assistance.

my son will be taking a 11:35am flight on august 30th from TLV/ben Gurion. He will be traveling from Kibbutz Lotan which is 55km north of Eilat. He needs to be at the airport 2 hours ahead of time. I think it's a 4 l/2 hour trip from the kibbutz to the airport. What is the best way to get to the airport? Is there transportation that leaves at 5am?

Dear User,
There should be an early morning nus passing through Kibbutz Lotan. Your best bet would be to check the bus schedule on Egged's website: mslworld.egged.co.il/eggedtimetable.
Good luck!

hello!!!
I'm a student.I'll arrive at the airport of Tel Aviv on Friday August 6 at 4 p.m.I'd like know if there a taxi Sherut from Tel Aviv (aeroport) to Haifa( 85 Alleby rd) at around 6 p.m.How much is the ticket?Can I book it?
thanks you
Francesca Pellegrino

Hello,

is there are shared taxi going from Ben Gurion to Tel Aviv on Saturday 28th of August at about 3pm?
If yes, where can I get further information and how much would it cost?

Thanks

Dear User,
See the comments and article above for further info.

I will arrive to Ben Gurion Airport on July Sat 17th at 2 pm approximately. Can anyone tell me which bus should I take to reach the Bell Hotel located in Hayarkon St. Thank you.
Gianfranco, Italy.

Dear Gianfranco,
Unfortunately, There are no buses from Ben Gurion Airport on a Saturday (they start after sunset). You will probably have to take a taxi to your hotel (or a shared taxi, if there to Tel Aviv on Saturdays).
The Tel Aviv Guide Team

Hi Im arriving at Ben Gurion airport on the 31st oct and planning to get the train to the central train station Tel aviv,then I`m leaving the next day from central bus station,can anyone recommend a cheap single room with private bathroom that is reasonable close to both these stations.thanks kate

Dear User,
You could try the Subkuch Milega hostel (http://www.telavivguide.net/Hotels_in_Tel_Aviv/Hostels/Subkoch_Milega _Guesthouse_20090715432/) in Florentine. It is reasonably close to the Central Bus Station without being too run-down and is cheap.
We suggest you make your booking through our affiliate website Booking.Com.
Just enter your dates in the orange search box that is located on the right of the screen (which appears on all our website’s pages), and get availability, viewers’ reviews and other options in case your first choice of accommodation is not available.
Kind regards,
Tel Aviv Guide Team

I'm traveling from Warsaw (Poland) via Prague to Ben Gurion. Both me and my husband have medicines (normal pills, not capsules with liquid or sth like that) we have to take every day. Normally we have them in hand luggage (if airlines lose our medicines it will be serious problem) and never had problems. Do you think it could be a problem? Do we need copy of prescription or sth like that? Or is it safe to put pills into main luggage?
pls answer asap, really do not know what to do...

We flew from Heathrow London on the 18th January this year and stayed for 10 days. Between us we had a lot of medication including liquid filled respules for my nebuliser. We put all medication in a carrier bag along with copies of our prescriptions, and a letter from the Doctor to say they were legitimate. We had no problems at all, in fact nobody asked to see the Doctor's letter, and they just had a quick look through the bag. We were able to keep the carrier bag with us at all times including on the plane.

Hope this reply doesn't come to late as you don't say when you are flying.

Hello... first, thank you for this website, it's very informative.

My family and I will be flying out of Ben Gurion on a 50am flight; can you recommend a hotel close to the airport? Does it have shuttle service at that time of day?

Thank you for your help!

Dear User,
There is one nice hotel not far from the airport. It is located in a shopping mall near Assaf Harofeh Hospital and it shouldn't take you more than 10 min to reach the Airport from the hotel at the time of night you mentioned. Try this link for further details: http://www.atlas.co.il/sadot-hotel-tel-aviv/. It's a surprisingly charming hotel with a small number of rooms and the prices are very fair.
Enjoy!
Tel Aviv Guide Team

I am arriving tomorrow and wonder if it is easy to find a shared taxi (sherut) from Tel Aviv airport directly to my hotel in Jerusalem or if I need to hire a private car. Single female traveler.
Thanks
Jen

Sooooooooooooooooo you know them traveling bags that are allowed on the plan with u, well imam put my iPad in it. Is it allowed tho like with the security or will they take it from me? Btw I'm not a Jew imam Muslim going to Palestine. Pls reply asap :-) thanks.

Dear User,
Unfortunately, not absolutely sure about the iPad regulations, but the safe bet would actually be not to pack it in your hand luggage. If you are travelling to Palestine the security inspections will, unfortunately be more in-depth, so better be safe than sorry...
Good luck!

Hi

I need to get from Tel Aviv to the Almog Kibbtuz, the taxi's have quoted me NIS1000, is there a cheaper way to do this?
I will also have a large suitcase with me

Dear User,
1000 NIS sounds like a very high sum...
A taxi from the airport to The Dead Sea should cost between 600-700 NIS, depending on when you land.
Alternatively, you could take a bus to Kibbutz Almog. You would have to make your way to the central bus station in Jerusalem (via bus or shared taxi service) and then catch a bus to Almog Junction. This would be significantly cheaper (about 100 NIS all together).
At any rate, even if you do go for a taxi from Ben Gurion Airport, you can just catch one outside the airport and pay between 600-700 NIS (plus payment for suitcase). If you are already in Tel Aviv, simply take a bus from the Tel Aviv central bus station to the Dead Sea area.
Good luck!

I arrive Sunday 30pm - I have no idea were to start my direction towards a bus. Two adults will need a bus to Eilat. Any information will be a great help. Thank you

Admin Reply
Well, dear user, your best bet would be to travel to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem and catch a bus to Eilat from there - there are no direct buses from the airport to Eilat, only planes. There are about 10 buses a day from Tel Aviv and 5 buses a day from Jerusalem. Check out the bus service timetable:
http://mslworld.egged.co.il/EggedTimeTable/WebForms/wfrmMain.aspx?widt h=1024&language=en&company=1&state=
Good luck!

My family - including two young daughters - arrives in June. We would like them to ride in car seats from the airport to the apartment where we are staying. Is it possible to hire a car service for the ride that will provide car seats?

Thank you,

RDC

There are many taxi near the train station of Ben Gurion Airport. If you are heading to Jerusalem or Haifa, you can take Shelut (Ben Taxi, NIS50 for Jerusalem, NIS70 for Haifa) near the train station of Ben Gurion airport.

Otherwise you can take train (NIS 15 ~ 50 according to distance) to the cities like Haifa, Ashkelon, Modiin, Jerusalem.
You can check train route in http://www.rail.co.il/EN/Pages/HomePage.aspx.
Train normally stops working on 220, on Saturday (shabbat on 130 ~ 140)

Normally train is prefered for economic travel to your destination city.

If you do not want train, to go to the other city, you should go to Tel Aviv Central Bus Station to take bus to your different cities. Normally some buses stop running after 160.

You can check the bus schedule from www.egged.co.il.

Tel Aviv Central Bus Station (Building) is called also Har Tsiyon Bus Station on the Derech Shlomo street.

May this help you.

Hi there! Love your site. My friend and I are flying from USA to TelAviv, have similar itineraries but we flight in different airlines.. We need to know a unique point of reference to meet at the airport ... perhaps a gate number, store, sign... any suggestion?

Thank you.

Dear User,
Thank you for your comment!
A good place to meet would probably be near Hapoalim cash machine - it's difficult to miss.
At any rate, the reception hall is very small, so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding each other.
Enjoy your stay!
Tel Aviv Guide Team

Hi, I'm arriving at Ben Gurion Airport monday morning, approx. 2.30am. I will then need Shekel (I'm taking the train to Tel-Aviv). Is there a possibility to change Euro to Shekel at this early hour?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Shalom,
Tanja
Karlsruhe, Germany
PS: your site is very informative, I love it!

You can take out the Shekel from ATM in the airport by your international check/cash card or credit card.

I am doing this every time when I go to israel.

Shaloam!
I have a connecting flight from Addis Ababa and transit through Ben Gurion Airport - 6 HOUR TRANSIT WAIT- is it possible to get a "small peek of Tel-Aviv" for maybe 3 hours and pop back into the airport? ( I have USA passport) and I have NO CHECKED BAGGAGE. (only carryon)
I appreciate ANY advice!!

Admin Reply
Well, 6 hours might just be enough time for a quick look at Tel Aviv. Usually, security demands that you arrive at Ben Gurion Airport 2.5 or 3 hours before your flight departs. By taxi, Tel Aviv is about 20-30 min away (more if it's rush hour). If you really have no checked in baggage, you might just make it. Best bet would be to inquire when you land to make sure.
Hope you manage to visit Tel Aviv!
Tel Aviv Guide Team

Shalom,

I heard there could be a possibility to buy duty free liquids (Israely wine...) even if you don't have a direct flight (a stop in Europe before the final destination, in my case stop in Prague before arriving in Paris) if the goods are specialy sealed. Can you confirm if it is Ok or not at the present time ?

Regards

Admin Reply

Yes, there seems to be a certain kind of packaging that allows you to travel with duty free goods that would not usually be allowed. However, these rules tend to change frequently and it would be difficult to know for sure what the situation will be when you go through Natbag.
Best bet would probably be not to count on the duty free option and ask when you're there.
Good Luck!
Tel Aviv Guide Team

My son will be arriving at the airport and I'm comming from a cruise, is there a good restaurant at the airport that would be a good place for him to wait for me until we can pick him up? About 3 hours until our cruise comes in at Ashdod.

Admin's Reply
Well, there aren't actually many restaurants when your arriving in Natbag (Ben Gurion Ariport). In the reception hall itself there's only a small coffee shop and outside the reception hall there are a couple of larger very simple cafe-restaurants. Not much of a choice really...
Good luck and enjoy you stay in Israel!
Tel Aviv Guide Team

i will arrive in tel aviv from sao paulo brasil for 8 business day. can you inform how to spend two days in eilat on the friday and saturday and get back to cesarea

Do the trains going to Haifa and Jerusalem from Tel Aviv have on board restrooms? Thanks

Trains have restrooms
Not always very clean!!!

Hello - We have a flight out of Ben Gurion at 220 on a Sunday, and are wondering if it's reasonable to do a day-trip to the Dead Sea (and Masada?) that day. Are there any tour-providers you know of that would pick us up in Tel Aviv and drop us at the airport? Or would public transport work? Thank you and Shalom! We look forward to our visit -

Admin Reply:
The Dead Sea is a great one day tour. Each direction should take about an hour and a half-two hours. A tour guide would be a more sensible idea if you have a flight to catch, but if you choose another day to go then a bus could also be a good option. For further details, try the tourist department in the Dead Sea are: tamar266@bezeqint.net.
Enjoy your stay!

Hi, I wonder more or less how much I'd have to pay for a private taxi from Ben Gurion airport to the old city of Jerusalem at 3 o'clock in the morning.

Is there any public transport to Ben Gurion on 18th Sept 2010 (on the day of Yom Kippur)? My flight is departing at 200. Thank You!

Admin Reply
Well, actually, not only is there no public transportation on Yom Kipur - the custom is that no one drives and the roads remain empty on that day (until the evening, that is)... The only way of arriving at the airport by 17:30 would be a taxi, and that will probably be hard to come by (unless the day is especially short and night falls early). I would consult the airline. Good luck!
Tel Aviv Guide Team

I have a holiday in Israel booked for July with a Tel Aviv hotel as a base, what is the best way to get to Masada from Tel Aviv.

Thanks

I'll come to Israel sunday 21 february 2010. We'll arrive at +- 11.50 Pm, in the evening. Is it possible to take a bus, sherut or train to jerusalem? If it's not possible, can we take a bus, train or sherut to Tel Aviv at this hour? Thank you

Admin' Reply
Please take a look at the last section of this article which specifies the various forms of transportation to and from the airport. In reply to your question, the Sherut service to Jerusalem operates 24h (their schedule depends on arrivals).
Enjoy your stay!

Hi, great website....I arrive in Tel Aviv early on a Sat morning (my first visit) 3 am or so......Are there any public transport services to the Tel Aviv city centre or should I take cab (if available on the sabbath)....any idea how much NIS for the cab? Many thanks

Admin Reply
Dear Brendan,
Sadly there is no public transport on Saturday mornings, but there are ALWAYS taxis.
A private taxi to the center of Tel Aviv at that hour should be around NIS 130 ($35). You shouldn't have any trouble finding the taxis (plenty of signs). If you're traveling alone, you could, of course, try to share the taxi with other single travelers to reduce costs.
Good luck and hope you have a pleasant stay!
Tel Aviv Guide Team

On 12/29/09 I've paid 50 NIS to go from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem Old City. The driver asked for 10e first.

Ciao,
qualcuno sa dirmi come arrivare dall'aeroporto Ben Gurion alla stazione centrale degli autobus?
From airport to CBS Egged line to Jerusalem.

Hello,
I arrive with my family at 18.30 pm on a Monday. Are there any public transportation to jerusalem in the evening? Or?

1. Can anyone advise the price for a mini van for 8 pass from TLV to Jerusalem and from Tiberias to TLV?

2. How long would it take from Tiberias to TLV ?

6 of us will be arriving Sunday early morning 0.15 am. Our next group will arrive later at 9.am. We will need to regroup with them upon their arrival and start the tour then check in at hotel in Tiberias at the end of the day. What is the recommended hotel for short stay just to get refeshed and showered? and is it safe to take taxi in the middle of the night? Thanks.

Hi there,
In january my dad and I will go to Israel. We will arrive in the middle of the night at the airport. I understand that you can go to Jeruzalem by taxi the whole day (and night) but can somebody tell me how much that aproximately will cost?
Thank you very much!

How do we get to Haifa from the airport in Tel Aviv at 3 a.m. in the morning on a Sunday????

Admin's Reply:
The easiest way would be a regular taxi, but there is also a Sherut service (large taxis shared by a number of passengers) that runs from Ben Gurion Airport to Haifa (Amal Taxis: 04-8676444).Additionally, there are a couple of night trains to Haifa, one leaving at 3:53. Please check the train schedule of the Israeli Rail Service for further information:http://www.rail.co.il/EN/

duty liquor not allowed in us and eurpean flights from this airport.Its a real shame sice are plenty of goody deals to be found
would anybody comment why, and if this policy stands to be changed in the near future ?
the duty free company namely James Richards stands to loose a lot of business with North American and European Passenges >What is going on ???

Very simply, liquids pose a huge security risk all over the world due to the fact that explosivies can be made from liquid, you will now find that no matter where you travel liquids will be restricted on board the aircraft. I think when explained, you will agree it is a small price to pay for security.

Can anyone tell me if it's possible to get a taxi when arriving at 3.00 in the morning at Ben Gurion?

Thanks!
BR,

Reply
Sure! Taxis are available from Ben Gurion all hours of the day and night. Public transport if a little more difficult to come by, but taxis are always available.

Most places in Israel accept dollars, euros and shekels. Sometimes the conversions in the shops favor one or the other -- for instance, anything touristy costs $1 or 1 € or 5 Shekels, which means that dollars are a much better deal. Other times euros will be better, other times shekels.

I' m arriving on sunday at 4;30 pm and what is the easy and safe way to get to Tiberias. please help

you can have cash from ATM at arrivals hall near the water fountain. there is also desk where you can change money if you dont have any cards. but think everyone has cash/debit/credit card...??!! :P

if you travel alone or with a friend, sherut is a good option. you can find sherut (and taxi too) right outside the airport, and in tel aviv outside of central bus station (tzemach david street), and in jerusalem at zion square (corner of jaffa road and ben yehuda), there are other places to get them too but these i know for sure. but you have to wait until sherut is full and it drops off people here and there and it could take a while. i also have not so pleasant experiences with sherut drivers as they dont take you where you want, they just drop you off in the middle of nowhere in terrible hurry. but usually it is nice and cheap way of getting around!

this time i will travel at night with 3 other people and i think we will have a regular taxi from jerusalem to ben gurion. no matter ...

1) How can I go from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem considering that I'll land on Saturday at 4:30 a.m., during Sabbath?

2) Is it possible to pay with other currencies (Euro or Dollar) in Israel, besides NIS?

Thank you in advance!!!

Reply
Hi,
If you are traveling to Jerusalem you could either take a regular taxi or opt for the taxi-pull service, i.e. taxis that drop people off at various locations around Jerusalem. Naturally, the second option would be the cheaper one. You shouldn't have any problem spotting the service - they wait outside departures and offer their services. You should be able to pay in dollars, but it would be best if you could exchange a bit of money and pay in Shekels.

at my country the coin is the euro.there is any bank at the airport to change them with nis?

Is it possible to get Jerusalem from Ben Gurion aerport by train ? What do I have to do?
Thanks
Clara

Please could you tell me what is the best way of getting from Neve Zohar in the dead sea region to Tel Aviv airport on a Saturday for a flight at about 4 p.m.

If a taxi is the best way, please let me know the approximate costs.

Thank you in advance for your help.

My wife and I arrive Telaviv on Royal Jordonian from India in a 30 member goodwill mission at 7am on Sunday 31st August and take a whole day coach tour ending in Jerusalem. Where in the terminal can we find shower/changing facilities for large group?

i have the same problem as Vas Revi...except that im lanfing on a Tuesday...wich is the best way?!

Hello! Is anybody can tell me the prices for public transportation? Buses etc...

We've yet to book our accomodation in Jerusalem - but how would we get to the airport from Jerusalem (probably the Old Town) in time for a flight leaving at 6.30am? Or would it be better to stay at a hotel near the airport the night before?

Reply by Admin: Dear Claire, there's no need to stay at a hotel by the airport - Ben Gurion is only a 30-40 min drive from Jerusalem. If you'd rather not take a regular taxi, you could order a Nesher Taxi, which picks up 12-16 people across Jerusalem and drives them to the airport. It may take some time to drive through the various stops, but price is substantially lower than a regular cab. Tel: 02-6257227
Good luck!

I signed up for a tour of Israel with a US tour company that will be conducted by Sar-El. Since I bought my own airline tickets, the US company told me I'm responsible for my own transfer arrangements. I'm not getting info from them or Sar-El on how to to it. My wife and I have to get to Netanya upon arrival, and we will be leaving from Jerusalem. Can anyone tell me a reliable company to contact in Israel for transfers?

Admin:
Dear Grant, you could get to Netanya either on a train, bus or taxi (assuming you don't want to hire a car). Try our Getting Around section, the Ben Gurion Airport website (listed above) or the website of Netanya's Municipality: http://www.netanya.muni.il/eng/ for further details. Enjoy your stay!

Check out the updated article above to see the train schedule. For more detailed info try the train service website: http://www.israrail.org.il/english/index.html
(though the site does seem rather disfunctional)

How often does the train run to Tel Aviv and does it run 24 hours/day?

Can anyone recommend a hotel NEAR to the Airport? I have a flight at 8am so need to stay close to the airport the night before. Or if you know a hotel in Tel Aviv that has a shuttle early in the morning I'd be happy to hear from you. Thanks. Shalom! Mark

Very nice indeed, but, quick, correct the grammar to: At the end of the day everyone is trying to do...
and not... everyone are trying to do
See this sentence above."At the end of the day everyone are trying to do their job as best they can, and in this case the job is important and therefore taken seriously."

i dont have words how could i say that,it was a nice ,funny moments that i have ever in airport.

I'm about to take my third trip to Israel since the new complex opened. I remember telling my mother "I thought I was in Hong Kong".

I arrived in May 2005 for my seventh visit to Israel since 1988, and my first since the new terminal at Ben Gurion had opened.

It was amazing! It's a gorgeous, state-of-the-art facility, and completely different from the cattle barn, Third World feel of the old terminal. It was funny -- on our flight were a number of Israelis returning home from living abroad. Several of them, too, had not been home since the new terminal opened. We kept looking around with wide eyes, and finally I said to one, "Anachnu b'Yisrael?" ("Are we in Israel?", and everyone broke up laughing.

It was worth the wait!

Douglas E. Duckett
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

Actually the train ride takes about 12 minutes. I just taken the train from Tel Aviv when I went to cyprus two months ago. Very good article by the way. Keep up the good work.