Tel Aviv Airport: Transfers and Taxi
Tel Aviv-Yafo (Jaffa) is located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean sea and is the economic and cultural center of the country. Fourteen kilometers away is the International Airport named after Ben Gurion, which is the biggest in Israel. In the district of Tel Aviv, there is also Sde Dov air hub, but it receives only domestic flights to Eilat (including Ovda Airport), the Northern District, and Golan Heights.
It is possible to get to Jerusalem, Herzliya, Ein Bokek, and Ashdod in 1-2 hours.
How to get from Tel Aviv to Ben Gurion Airport, train station or neighbouring cities
The main transport modes for tourists are as follows:
- share taxis “monit sherut” and buses. By share taxi, one can get to the airport: one should take a bus №268 of Egged company departing from Tel Aviv Central Bus Station to the Airport City stop, and then take a free shuttle bus № 5;
- Trains. You can also get to the airport from Tel Aviv-HaHagana train station and Tel Aviv-Savidor Center station;
- taxi. It can be taken on the spot, booked by phone or via the app;
- transfer, booked online in advance.
It is possible to get directly from the airport as well as from the central train station of Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Ein Bokek, Netanya, Haifa, Bat Yam, and other cities in Israel.
Keep in mind that public transport stops operating on Friday afternoon and does not run until Saturday evening, as well as holidays and weekends. Only monit sheruts work during this time.
Transfer in Tel Aviv vs. Taxi booked via the app
Advantages of a private transfer
The car will definitely come. The app can endlessly search for a car for you and find nothing. When booking a transfer, you receive an email with a voucher, which 100% confirms your car booking.
Disadvantage of a private transfer
More expensive. GetTaxi, popular in Israel, shows the price of 105 shekels (26,3 euro) for a trip by taxi from Tel Aviv to Ben Gurion Airport, and Kiwitaxi — from 54 euro.
Transfer in Tel Aviv vs. Taxi ordered by phone or taken at the taxi rank
Advantages of a private transfer
Price does not depend on the time of a day, weekend or a number of passengers. On weekdays, from 9 pm to 6 am, taxi rate increases by 25%. The same surcharge applies from Friday evening to Sunday morning (Shabbat). And, a driver will ask extra 4,9 shekels (1,3 euro) for each passenger more than two. If you book a transfer, you will know in advance how much the trip costs and this price will be fixed.
Disadvantage of a private transfer
Much more expensive. If you travel in a pair in Tel Aviv, you can travel with taxi service on weekdays for approximately 150 shekels (36 euro) to the airport, and for 300 shekels (73 euro) to Jerusalem. A trip with Kiwitaxi for four people costs 54 and 106 euro at any time.
Transfer in Tel Aviv vs. Bus and Share taxi
Advantages of a private transfer
No changes. In order to get to the airport, first you will need to get to the bus station from which you can get to the Airport City stop, and there you can take a shuttle bus going to Ben Gurion.
You will not get lost. Tel Aviv Central Bus Station (Tahana Merkazit) is a 7-storey building, which, apart from the station, has nightclubs, galleries, and even the hospital. In short, it is a real maze with signs in Hebrew. Tourists warn than this place is also not very safe at night.
3 hours faster. Buses to the airport run with an interval of 2-3 hours, and share taxis depart only when a bus gets full. Thus, a trip from the bus station to Ben Gurion can take up to 3,5 hours including all the changes and waiting time. Kiwitaxi driver will take you there in 20 minutes.
Disadvantage of a private transfer
More expensive even for a group. A share taxi ticket costs 30–40 shekels (7,5–10 euro), and a bus ticket — 15 shekels (3,8 euro).
Transfer in Tel Aviv vs. Train
Advantages of a private transfer
Travel even after midnight and on Shabbat. Trains from the airport go from 05:35 to 23:35. In addition, it is Shabbat from 14:30 on Fridays to 21:15 on Saturdays, so all public transport stops operating.
No need to keep track of Jewish holidays. Trains (and buses, too) do not run at all on the country’s official holiday. There are at least 9 such holidays and, every year, they fall on different days. If you book a transfer, it will not matter for you: Kiwitaxi operates 24h, without days off.
Disadvantage of a private transfer
38 euro more expensive, if you travel in a group of four. A train ticket costs 16 shekels (4 euro).
What is worth visiting in Tel Aviv?
Tel Aviv is one of the diving centers on the Mediterranean sea. One can also do surfing on the local beaches: 1,5 hours of surfing, including training, cost 200 shekels (around 50 euro).
You can have a walk in the port of Jaffa, a city founded by Noah’s son, or visit Christian shrines and have a look at the main mosque of the city — Mahmoudiya.
You can also learn about Israeli painting and sculpture, as well as see the works of Monet, Renoir, Matisse, Picasso, Pollock in the Museum of Art.
