If you are arriving in Israel on Friday or Saturday, you might want to know that the transportation situation will be a little bit different on Shabbat, the day of rest. In this article, we will talk about how you will manage your transportation to/from the airport to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv.
The Definition of Shabbat
Shabbat, or Sabbath, starts from Friday evening to Saturday evening. Public transportation stops from 3 PM on Friday to 9 PM on Saturday. It’s possible that you just found the cheapest air ticket to Israel… because you are arriving on Shabbat hours!
Transportation Option From Tel Aviv
By the way, Tel Aviv is only 15km to the airport! These are the options that you have on a Shabbat, and how to arrange them.
1.NEW!Abraham’s Airport Shuttle
This is a new service from Abraham Tours, a well-reputed tour company in Israel. The shuttle bus leaves every 2 hours, on every day including Shabbat. You need to book at least 12 hours ahead. Expect to pay ₪70 ($20).
2.Taxi
From the airport, you will see taxis from the taxi stand, expect to pay ₪150 ($40). There’s no sherut (shared taxi) option.
From Tel Aviv, just ask your hotel reception to assist you in getting a taxi.
3.Flo Taxi?
The other option is by taking Flo Shuttle. It costs $17 per head and you should book advance online. But people don’t recommend it on TripAdvisor as they never show up. So it looks like from on their website, they no longer offer the Airport to Tel Aviv route.
Transportation Option From Jerusalem
Jerusalem is 52km to the airport! These are the options that you have on a Shabbat, and how to arrange them.
1. Sherut Taxi (Cheapest Option)
Since there is no public transportation option on Shabbat, your next option is taking a sherut taxi. It’s like a mini-van, and they do school bus style.
From the airport, you will see sherut taxis from the taxi stand, expect to pay ₪69($19). Or you can pay online (₪75) to Abraham Tours in advance, the taxi will drop you to Abraham Hostel in downtown Jerusalem.
From Jerusalem, just ask your hotel reception to assist you in arranging a sherut pickup.
2.Taxi
From the airport, you will see taxis from the taxi stand, expect to pay ₪273($80). (On regular days it is ₪228)
From Jerusalem, just ask your hotel reception to assist you in getting a taxi.
3.Airport Bus 485
Though there’s no train on Friday, the 485 airport bus runs till 2-3pm. Check their website for schedule. And the bus resumes service on Saturday around 7 pm. A ride costs 16NIS.
Conclusion
If you haven’t booked your air ticket, try not to arrive on a Shabbatas your transportation options are limited to private services. But it’s not the end of the world, as you only need to pay a bit more to hire taxi.
