Travel to Jerusalem
Flying to Jerusalem
Jerusalem is around 50km southeast of Ben Gurion Airport and around 67km southeast of Sde Dov Airport in Tel Aviv. British Airways, easyJet, Wizz Air, and El Al operate direct flights from the UK to Tel Aviv. Airlines running direct flights from the USA include Delta, El Al and United.
El Al does not fly during Shabbat.
Flight times
From London - 5 hours; New York - 10 hours 30 minutes; Los Angeles - 14 hours 15 minutes; Toronto - 10 hours 35 minutes; Sydney - around 23 hours (including stopover).
Travel by road
Israel has an excellent road network and, because the country is relatively small, travelling by car can be a pleasure. However, major roads can be very congested, so motorists are advised to allow plenty of time for journeys. Traffic drives on the right, the minimum legal driving age in Israel is 16 years (although you must be 21 to rent a car), and all passengers must wear seatbelts.
Road signs are international, distances given are in kilometres, and all signposting on major roads is in Hebrew, Arabic and English. The speed limit is 90-120kph (60-75mph) on motorways, 80kph (50mph) on intercity roads and 50kph (31mph) within towns. You must carry either a national driving licence or an International Driving Permit. Insurance is mandatory and is organised by the government. Visitors driving their own vehicles can purchase the insurance through a local agent. The certificate must be carried in the car at all times.
The Automobile and Touring Club of Israel, also known as MEMSI (tel: +972 3 564 1121; www.memsi.co.il, Hebrew only) provides information and assistance, with free services for members of affiliated motoring organisations, such as the AAA (in the USA) and the AA and RAC (in the UK).
Emergency breakdown services
MEMSI (tel: +972 3 564 1121).
Routes
From Tel Aviv (and Ben Gurion International Airport), Highway 1 runs to Jerusalem. Routes from north and south connect with the highway close to Tel Aviv. From the east, route 90 heads north past Jericho and south along the Dead Sea towards Eilat.
Coaches
The Egged Cooperative (tel: *2800, in Israel only or +972 3 694 8888; www.egged.co.il/Eng) is Israel's national bus and coach service operator. The comprehensive network of buses to all parts of the country depart from Jerusalem's Central Bus Station on Jaffa Road. Services come to a complete halt for Shabbat (from around 1500 on Friday to about 1900 on Saturday).
Time to city
From Tel Aviv - 50 minutes; Nazareth -2 hours; Eilat - 4 hours, depending on traffic.
Travel by Rail
Services
Jerusalem’s main railway station Malha is located on the outskirts of the city on Derech Yitshak Moda’I Street.
Operators
Israel Railways (tel: +972 77 232 4000; www.rail.co.il) is the national rail transport operator. Modern air-conditioned trains run down the coast from Nahariya past Acre, Haifa, Netanya and Herzliya to Tel Aviv and inland to Jerusalem’s Malha railway station via Ben Gurion Airport.
However, there are frequent train cancellations, and the journey to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv or the airport takes longer than the bus, though the fare is cheaper. You can buy tickets from railway station kiosks or ticket machines.
Journey times
From Tel Aviv - 1 hour 40 minutes. A high-speed train line between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv is due to open in September 2018 bringing the travel time down to 28 minutes.
Transfer
Jerusalem’s Malha railway station is connected to the city centre via taxi or buses 18, 35 and 38A. A taxi rank is located outside the station.
