ARRIVING IN ISRAEL – BEN GURION AIRPORT
Arriving in Israel – How to get from Ben Gurion Airport to your destination in Israel
Located 20km from Tel Aviv and 50km from Jerusalem, Ben Gurion Airport is Israel’s biggest international airport and a convenient gateway for travelers to Israel that will appreciate its elegant architecture, free wi-fi and 24/7 duty free shopping.
Depending on where you travel to and how familiar you are with the country, there are a few options to organize and book your airport transfer:
Train station – Ben Gurion Airport
Although the Israeli trains are modern and comfortable, offering wi-fi and air conditioning, they run at limited hours during the night and not at all during the Jewish Shabbat (from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening).
During the day it’s an inexpensive way to go from the airport to Tel Aviv in around 20 minutes, or to cities such as Haifa, Akko, and Beersheba, but stations are limited and non-Hebrew speakers might find announcements daunting.
Car Rental
If you plan to explore Israel independently at your own pace and are a confident driver, hiring a car is highly recommended. You can find car rental companies at the airport or book online at Car Rental Ben Gurion Airport. A valid driver’s licence is required and taking an insurance a must.
We suggest also to include GPS services. Please check out the specific parking regulations for rented cars with your car rental company.
Taxis
Only use the official taxi station at the airport’s arrival hall as you can get an estimate of your fare at the machine in front of the taxi rank — it depends on the number of people, the amount of luggage, the time of the day/week and the destination. You can expect to pay 130-170 NIS to Tel Aviv and 350-400 NIS to Jerusalem
Most drivers have a good command of English but it helps to have the address of your destination, if it’s not a hotel, written on a piece of paper. Local representatives are present at the taxi rank to help.
Shuttles
Reasonably priced shuttles, called “sherut”, are available to take you to Jerusalem and Haifa. The signs to the Nesher sherut are clearly indicated at the airport. These shared taxis only depart when full and run frequently, every day of the week and round the clock. They stop at every passenger’s exact destination which can make the journey longer and more fastidious.
A new service has been introduced linking Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv — FloBus Tel Aviv runs every hour on the hour and takes in the city’s main hotels. The length of the journey depends on where your hotel is on the itinerary.
Ben Gurion Airport Transfers
If you want the spare yourself the hassle of organizing logistics once you’ve landed, save time and head directly to your destination, Airport transfers might be the most suitable option.
A private driver waits for you inside the baggage claim area after passport control with a name sign and will assist you to the car. Transfer can be booked to anywhere you want throughout Israel including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, the Dead Sea and many more destinations.
You can also add a wide range of VIP Services to fit your personal requirements.
Practical tip: We recommend you pay your transfer in the local currency, the shekel (NIS). Many taxis take dollars, euros and even credit cards, but it will make things easier to pay in shekels. You can find a money exchange as soon as you have been through passport control by the baggage claim area. There are also ATMs in the arrival hall.
Welcome to Israel !
Words: Sonia Esther Soltani