Public Transportation

The Public Transportation Branch in the Ministry of Transport is in charge of licensing and overseeing all regular public transportation in the country. The branch works in planning bus lines, determining service level characteristics (frequency, fees, the location of all stations), licensing the public transportation companies, overseeing and monitoring plans and their execution, subsidizing and arranging all financial negotiations with public transportation operators.

Ministry of Transport, Public Queries Section - Public Transportation

Submission of online requests and forms to the Ministry of Transport

RavKav

The Rav-Kav is a smart card used as the main form of payment for public transportation in Israel. It can be used to take the train or bus. If you take the bus, it is the only form of payment accepted. The train connects Tel Aviv with major locations throughout Israel, while buses cover a wide range of locations, both within and outside Tel Aviv. At the train ststions, you can also purchase paper tickets through the machine or with ticketing agent.

WHICH TYPE OF RAV-KAV SHOULD I BUY?
There are two types available: a personalized card and an anonymous card. Visitors and travelers generally use the anonymous card, which doesn’t require personal passenger information and can be purchased for a one-time payment of 5 NIS.

WHERE CAN I PURCHASE MY RAV-KAV?
You can purchase your card at tourist information centers (see INFO for addresses), train stations, and the airport. You can also buy it on board any bus for 10.90 NIS- this includes the price of the card itself as well as a ride in the city.

HOW DO I LOAD MY RAV-KAV?
You must load your card with money before boarding. This can be done using the “HopOn” and “Rav-Kav Online” apps (NFC supported devices only). There are also loading locations available throughout the city, including tourist information centers (see INFO for addresses), “Tel-O-Fun” green bike stations, and designated stores and kiosks. A card can be loaded with as much as needed. With 5.90 NIS, you can take as many buses as you like within Tel Aviv as long as you don’t exceed a 90-minute time frame. Afterwards, an additional amount is required.

Buses

The buses in Tel Aviv follow an efficient network of routes, with many stations scattered throughout the city. A ticket for a single ride in Tel Aviv costs 5.90 NIS. To ride the bus, you need to purchase a smart card called "Rav-Kav" (see “Israel’s Travel Card”). To find the best bus route for you, see recommended apps below.

Helpful Apps:

"Moovit" | Available on App Store and Google Play

"Google Maps" | Available on App Store and Google Play

Please Note: Due to infrastructure works taking place across the city, it's recommended to use transportation apps for real-time information.

Free Weekend Transportation System

Free transportation services are now offered on Fridays and Saturdays in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.

1) The buses run approximately every half hour. On Fridays between the hours 5pm and 2am and on Saturdays between the hours 9:30am and 6pm.

2) Real-time information and schedules in English can be found at the BuSofash website as well as at the following transportation apps: "Moovit," "efoBus," "Bus Nearby." Please note: electronic signs at bus stations don't present bus hours.

3) The buses and relevant stations are branded accordingly and feature dedicated maps.

4) A passenger with a motor disability interested in using the service can do so by contacting the call center in advance: +972-39876000

5) At this stage, the transportation service is offered free of charge and passengers are able to move freely from one bus line to another.

6) Food and alcoholic beverages are not allowed on board, but water is ok.

7) During the hours that the service is in operation, you can contact the call center at +972-3967-6000. During non-operating hours, you can call the participating Municipality hotline: 106 (+972-3-5238888).

For a detailed map of the routes, click here.

Information on the buse's departure and arrival times can be found in the "MOOVIT" and "Otobus Karov" apps

Service Taxis – "Moniyot Sherut"

Service taxis, called "Moniyot Sherut" in Hebrew, run along the main roads in the city and throughout the country. Sheruts are in essence minivans that operate as shared taxis; they are generally yellow, with numbers on the windshield indicating their route, and they can transport about 10-12 people at a time.

Pricewise, sherut taxi fares are a set price and similar to bus fares. They usually reach their destination faster and tend to be less crowded. Sheruts operate both inter and intra-city routes and can be easily accessed from right outside the Central Bus Station.

By simply raising your hand, you can flag down a sherut and ask the driver to drop you off at any point along the route. You can hand the driver your fare as you get on the taxi, or you can take your seat and pass your money down to the driver. Not to worry-your change will be passed back to you. Note that while sheruts operate on Shabbat (Friday night and Saturday), fares will increase by a few shekels.

Sherut taxis generally follow public bus routes within the city, and are identified by numbers that signify their routes. The most common sheruts are the 4 & 5. Stay up to date with routes changes.

4- Runs from the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station through Allenby Street and Ben Yehuda Street all the way up to the Reading Power Plant.
5- Runs from the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station through Rothschild Avenue, Dizengoff Center and Dizengoff Street up to Weitzman Street in the north. (Notice that the Sherut doesn't go all the way to the Arlozorov train station, as does the number 5 bus).

Taxis

Local and inter-city taxi services are available to and from any point in the country. Fares within the cities are according to the meter. The fares for inter-city taxi services are standard fares set by the Ministry of Transport. It is recommended to verify the fare prior to entering the taxi. Taxis can be ordered by telephone from a local taxi station or stopped on the street.
There is a standard starting fare for taxis. There are also additional charges for telephone orders and for each suitcase (which is not a handbag). Night rates, Saturdays and holidays are 25% more expensive than the normal fare. There is also additional fee for an airport drive.

Drivers must operate the meter for rides within the city. It is advised to request the meter for inter-city rides, even if the driver suggests a fixed price at the beginning of the ride.

If you are looking for honest drivers, great service and fair prices the city of Tel Aviv recommends you download any of the Taxi phone applications to book a cab wherever you are.

The most popular apps are:

"Gett" | Available on App Store and Google Play

"Raxi" | Available on App Store and Google Play.

"Yango" | Available on App Store and Google Play.

Trains

Each year, 14 million passengers commute to Tel Aviv-Yafo by train. The municipal policy for increased train travel is designed to reduce pollution and to promote inter-city access.

Israel Railways runs train services within Israel. Over the last decade, train service has improved considerably throughout the country. Today, trains are a fast and comfortable alternative to buses for many destinations. Train routes connect Tel Aviv-Yafo to Haifa and Be'er-Sheva, as well as to numerous smaller towns and to Ben-Gurion airport. There is also a train route to Jerusalem that follows the 19th century path; while this route is scenic and worth taking at least once, taking the bus on the modern highway takes half the time. A new high-speed line between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem has recently started operating, with expected travel time of only 28 minutes.

Tel Aviv-Yafo has four train stations, all of which are located along the Ayalon Highway. All trains to Tel Aviv-Yafo stop in all four stations. For best access to the city center, use either "Tel Aviv Merkaz" (also known as Arlozorov), or "Hashalom" (located in a large shopping mall). "Tel Aviv Hahagana" Station is close to the New Central Bus Station, though most inter and intra city buses also leave from the terminal outside "Tel Aviv Merkaz" ("Arlozorov") train station.

Note that trains tend to be crowded during rush hours, especially on Sunday morning, when soldiers return to their bases and students to their universities. Train service stops on Friday afternoons, and resumes on Saturdays after sunset, in observance of the Jewish Shabbat.

Notice that you can use your bus pass to pay for train tickets.

Night Lines - A Solution For The Small Hours Of The Night

The Night Lines are public transportation lines that run from residential areas to entertainment centers and back during nighttime. Night Lines enable young people all across the country to enjoy a good night’s outing and return home safely, without risking driving under the influence of alcohol or spending great sums of money on gas, taxis and parking.

The Night Lines fare is the same as regular public transportations and can be paid via all credible payment means including discounts, tickets, all-in-one passes and monthly subscriptions.

During the summer vacation and all other school vacations, most of the night lines operate on a daily basis, except for Fridays. During the school year, Night Lines operate on Thursdays and at the close of Shabbat. The Night Lines arrival frequency is every 20-30 minutes.

The Night Lines are operated by the Ministry of Transport and the public transportation companies (Egged, Dan, kavim, Metropolitan, Nativ Express, Veolia and Metrodan).

For more information about Night Lines routes and arrival frequencies, log onto the Night Lines website (Hebrew) and Facebook page.