Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV)
Tel: (03) 975 5555.
Website: www.iaa.gov.il

Ben Gurion International Airport, also known as Tel Aviv Airport, is located near Lod on the main Tel Aviv-Jerusalem highway (Highway 1), about 20km (12 miles) southeast of Tel Aviv and approximately 45km (29 miles) west of Jerusalem. It is Israel's principal hub for international and domestic air traffic.

Whether flying in or out of Israel, the normal check-in period is three hours prior to departure. All passengers are normally subject to one-to-one interview by security personnel. High-tech body scanning machines may also be used.

Approximate flight times: Flight time from London is 4 hours 30 minutes, from Los Angeles 17 hours, from New York 11 hours, from Toronto is 10 hours 55 minutes if direct and from Sydney 14 hours 35 minutes.

Airport facilities: Facilities include 24-hour banks, restaurants, duty-free shops, general shops, post office and 24-hour tourist information. Avis, Budget, Eldan, Hertz and Sixt all provide car hire services. It is worth noting that most airport services (including public transport) are reduced on Shabbat (approximately one hour before Friday sunset to one hour after Saturday sunset).

Transport to the city: Public transportation services from the airport are located in the three-storey bridge on the second floor, next to Gates 21 and 23. Israel's national bus network is mainly operated by the Egged National Bus Co-operative (tel: (03) 694 8888; website: www.egged.co.il/Eng). Egged run a shuttle bus around the airport connecting with bus services to Jerusalem (buses 945 and 947). The fare can be paid on the bus. Buses terminate at Jerusalem's Central Bus Station on Jaffa Road in west Jerusalem. Taxis are located on the right outside the airport arrivals hall: the fare to Jerusalem is about NIS225. The Nesher Company (tel: (02) 623 1231) runs a sherut (shared taxi) service between the airport and Jerusalem, charging a fixed rate per passenger of around NIS45. For an extra charge, they will take passengers and their baggage to (or collect from) anywhere in the city. It is also possible to travel to Jerusalem by train direct from the airport: the station is at the entrance to Terminal 3.