Israel Travel Tips

Social Conventions
Israelis are usually very informal but with the European style of hospitality. Israelis are typically blunt and direct in speech, which should not be misinterpreted as rudeness. Visitors should observe normal courtesies when visiting someone's home and should not be afraid to ask questions about the country as most Israelis are happy to talk about their homeland, religion and politics. The expression shalom (‘peace') is used for hello and goodbye. Dress is casual, but in the holy places of all religions modest attire is worn. For places such as the Western Wall, male visitors are given a smart cardboard yarmulke (skull cap) to respect the religious importance of the site. Businesspeople are expected to dress smartly, or at least in smart casual style, although ties are often not worn, while the most expensive of restaurants and nightclubs may expect a similar standard. If formal evening wear is required this will be specified on invitations. It is considered a violation of Shabbat (Sabbath, on Saturday) to smoke on that day. There is usually a sign to remind the visitor of this, and to disregard the warning would be regarded as discourteous.

International Travel:

Getting There by Air
The privatized national airline is El Al Israel Airlines (LY) (www.elal.co.il).

Departure Tax
None.

Main Airports
Tel Aviv (TLV) (Ben Gurion International) is 20km (12 miles) southeast of the city. To/from the airport: There are bus services from the airport to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Be'er Sheva and other smaller towns. The airport has a train station located on level five with services into Tel Aviv. There is also a taxi service (journey time - 20 minutes). A shared sherut (taxi service) is available, charging a fixed rate per passenger. The El Al airline bus goes to the airport terminal in Tel Aviv. Departure depends on El Al flights. The best way to travel to Jerusalem, which is 50km (31 miles) away, is by sherut. Facilities: Banks, restaurants, duty-free shops, general shops, tourist information, car hire desks and VIP lounge.

Eilat Central Airport (ETH) is in the center of the city. To/from the airport: Buses, taxis and limousines are available to the hotel strip and elsewhere in town (journey time - 5 minutes). Facilities: Duty-free shop, light refreshments, a souvenir shop and car hire.

Getting There by Water
Main ports: Ashdod and Haifa. Foreign craft sailing to Israel may use these ports of entry as well as Eilat and the marinas of Ashkelon, Herzliya and Tel Aviv.

There are regular sailings of car/passenger ferries from Haifa to Limassol in Cyprus. The ferry is operated by Rosenfeld Shipping (www.rosenfeld.net).

Many cruise ships also dock at Israel for excursions to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

Getting There by Road
Road access to Israel is limited. From Egypt the main crossing is at Taba (close to the southern resort of Eilat, open 24 hours). A ₪68 departure tax is charged at the border. Tour agencies run trips down to Egypt, including the reliable Mazada Tours (www.mazada.co.il).

To the east, there are many crossing points to and from the Palestinian-controlled West Bank, which it is also possible to enter from Jordan via the Allenby Bridge near Jericho, about 40km (25 miles) from Jerusalem. The Allenby Bridge border is closed at night. EGGED buses and taxi services are also available to the bridge from Jerusalem.

It is also possible to travel in and out of Jordan without entering the West Bank. The Yitzhak Rabin (formerly called Arava) Checkpoint crossing to and from Jordan is situated 4km (3 miles) north of Eilat; closed at night. The Jordan River Crossing (Sheikh Hussein Bridge) to and from Jordan is near Beit She'an, in the north of Israel; closed at night. Transfer of bus or taxi passengers between the Israeli and Jordanian checkpoints is carried out by shuttle service. Transfers on foot are not permitted. 

There is no road access between Israel and Syria or Lebanon. Travelers should note that both Syria and Lebanon refuse entry to travelers who have evidence of a visit to Israel in their passport. Evidence can include an Israeli visa, Israeli border stamps or any visa purchased in Israel. It can also include Jordanian or Egyptian border stamps that indicate the traveller crossed to/from Israel. Border authorities will stamp separate slips of paper upon request. 

Jordanian visas can be obtained at the Yitzhak Rabin and Jordan River border crossings, but not at the Allenby Bridge border crossing. Travelers crossing Allenby Bridge must arrange their visas in advance, either through a tour operator or in person at a Jordanian embassy or consulate. Officially, mobile telephones are not allowed on buses crossing any border.

Overview
The following goods may be imported into Israel without incurring customs duty (alcohol and tobacco can only be imported by persons aged 17 years and over):

• 250 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco products.
• 1l of spirits and 2l of wine.
• 250ml of eau de cologne or perfume.
• Personal belongings and gifts up to the value of US$200.

Note:There are a number of exceptions to the value limit on personal belongings, so that provided they are for personal use and re-exported, personal computers, musical instruments, cameras (including video), binoculars, person stereos etc may be brought undeclared through the ‘Green Channel'. However, if any of these items are new, they must be declared and a refundable deposit paid (credit card guarantee may be used).

Requires approval: Approval by customs is required to take the following items into Israel: flowers, plants and seeds, prescription drugs, all animals, mobile phones including built-in computer modem.

Prohibited Imports
All games of chance, cordless telephones with a range of 900 Mhz or more, fresh meat, most kinds of fruit, and dogs and cats aged under three months.

Internal Travel:

Getting Around By Air
A comprehensive service linking Tel Aviv with Eilat and other cities is run by Arkia/Israel Inland Airways (IZ) (www.arkia.co.il) and by Israir (6H) (www.israirairlines.com). Flights operate daily except Shabbat (Friday evening and Saturday).

Getting Around by Water
Ferries operated by Kinneret Sailing Company (tel: (04) 665 8008) run across Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) from Tiberias on the west side to Ein Gev kibbutz on the eastern shore. There is no other navigable water in Israel.

Getting Around by Rail
Israel Railways (tel: (03) 577 4000; www.israrail.org.il) operates six lines, with regular services down the coast from Nahariya to Ben Gurion Airport, stopping at Akko (Acre), three stations in Haifa, Binyamina, four stations in Tel Aviv, and five other smaller locations en route. A second line runs from Binyamina and Caesaria to Ashkelon, via Netanya, Herzliya, Tel Aviv and Ashdod. The other lines run from Tel Aviv to Kfar Saba; to Beersheva; to Rishon le Zion. Tel Aviv and Jerusalem are connected by rail along a scenic route that takes about 75 minutes. A new high-speed rail, expected to be running by 2011, will cut the journey time in half. Reserved seats for trains can be ordered in advance. There is no railway service on Shabbat and public holidays. ISIC card holders get a 20% discount.

Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the right. An excellent system of roads connects all towns. However, driving is aggressive and there are frequent accidents. Hitchhiking is very common, and is considered normal among young people. However, it requires fine judgments about drivers that may be difficult for tourists to make, and is not recommended.

Bus: Israelis make considerable use of buses, with frequent and comprehensive services linking even the smallest communities. The EGGED cooperative (tel: (03) 914 2000; www.egged.co.il) provides these extensive services, which are fast and efficient as well as cheap. With a few exceptions, services are suspended on religious holidays and Shabbat (between sunset on Friday and sunset on Saturday).

Sherut: Unique to Israel, these shared vans seat seven to 10 passengers and follow the intercity and local bus routes. Prices are around 30% higher than the bus. They run during Shabbat and are useful in getting between cities when EGGED is not operating.

Taxi: Services are either run by companies or by individuals. There are both shared taxis and ordinary taxis. Taxi drivers are required by law to operate a meter, but you may have to ask to turn it on as some drivers may attempt to overcharge.

Car hire: Available at airports, ports and all major towns. Hire fees are not cheap.

Regulations: Speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in urban areas, 80kph (50mph) in non-urban, 90kph (56mph) on a divided highway, and 110kph (68mph) on a designated ‘high-speed road' unless signs indicate a different limit. A roadsign showing a house means you are entering an urban area. The internationally recognized ‘motorway' sign indicates a high-speed road. Speed cameras and radar traps operate and fines for speeding are high. It is compulsory for drivers and passengers to wear seat belts.

Documentation: Full driving license and insurance are required.

Getting Around Towns and Cities
The EGGED bus company provides very frequent, inexpensive local services in all the main towns except the Tel Aviv area, where the DAN company (tel: (03) 639 4444; www.dan.co.il) runs the city's transportation system. Taxis are available; they are metered and drivers mostly speak some English. A tip is not expected, and many people do not tip, while others do - 10% is not unusual.

Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Tel Aviv to other major cities and towns in Israel.

	Air	Road	Rail
Jerusalem	-	1.00	1.30
Haifa	-	1.00	1.10
Eilat	1.00	5.00	-

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