How to get to Tel Aviv from Ben Gurion Airport (TLV)

Information for tourists and visitors to Israel on how to get to the cultural capital of Tel Aviv from Ben Gurion International Airport. Types of transport: railway (train), ground (taxi, transfer, shuttle, sherut); fare and ticket offices.

Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) is located 14 km from the major city of Israel – Tel Aviv and is the only, today, and the main Israeli airport. According to Travel + Leisure, Ben Gurion Terminal is the sixth safest airport in the world and has been ranked among the best airports in the Middle East for many years.

How to get to Tel Aviv city center

You can get to the city center in three ways. The first one is by taxi, the trip will take 25 minutes. The second way is by public transport. The third way is by transfer, the most comfortable and safe way.

Public transport

Railway trains, shuttle buses, and taxis are the municipal transport of the city of Tel Aviv.
The disadvantage of public transport for a visitor is that in Israel from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening, Shabbat is announced, so the railway and bus stations do not function during this period. The solution to this situation may be a taxi, but the cost of the trip will increase from 25 to 30%. With transfer orders, you pay a fixed cost upon completion of the order, without surcharges.

A train

Compared to buses, the train is one of the most comfortable types of transportation. You book a seat on the train in advance, do not get stuck in traffic jams on highways. The trains regularly carry out sanitary maintenance, and there are also connectors for charging gadgets near the seats.

• How to find it? There is a railway station on the ground floor of Terminal 3 of Ben Gurion Airport. Often planes land at Terminal 1, and in order to get to Terminal 3, you will have to take shuttle number 5.
• Route. The beginning of the path HaShalom → Center → Savidor → University.
• Travel time: up to 30 minutes.
• Indicative schedule. Sun – Thu: 04:15-00:30, with an interval of 30 minutes. Friday: 04:15-15:30. For exact timetables or changes in train movements, please refer to the official website www.rail.co.il. The first train at the end of Shabbat (Saturday) runs 18:00-23:45.
• Fare: about $ 5.
• Where can I buy a ticket? At the railway ticket office or ticket machine at the airport. We warn you that keeping your ticket is mandatory throughout your trip. The passage turnstile functions both at the entrance and at the exit from the carriage.
• Discount travel for children from 5 to 10 years old is 10% cheaper. For children under 5 years old, travel is free.

Sherut – route taxi

Sherut is called a car with a capacity of up to 10 passengers and is a popular type of transport among tourists to get from Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv.

• How to find it? Monit Sherut minibus stops are located near the exit from the terminals.
• Fare: from 9 to 12 $, payment to the driver at the entrance.
• Travel time: up to 1 hour.
• Schedule. There is no exact timetable for the sherut. The minibus leaves only when all the seats in the cabin are occupied. Stops at the request of the passenger.

Bus

In terms of convenience, the bus is not in the first place. You will not be able to get to the center of Tel Aviv from the airport directly and you will have to make one change.

• How to find it? The bus station is located in Terminal 3 of Ben Gurion Airport, next to exits 21 and 23. Buses are reported to be different in color, yours is a green bus №5.
• Schedule. from 05:00 to 22:00.
• Cost: free.

Connecting bus

When you reach Airport City station, change to buses with numbers 268, 249, 947, 950, 423, 930, which head to Tel Aviv. Buses don’t run during Shabbat hours.

• Cost: $ 0.57.
• Travel time: up to 30 minutes.
• Estimated schedule: 07:00 to 20:30, on Fridays at 10:30 and 14:00, on Saturdays at 21:30. The exact timetable can be found at www.egged.co.il.
• Where can I buy a ticket? At the ticket offices at bus stops or at the driver’s place.

Transfer

The maximum comfort and safety on the road will be provided by the transfer service from Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv. You can order the service on the website of the Israel transfer company ORMAX.

The advantage of transfers is the preservation of the car’s reservation regardless of the period.

You can book a car 1, 2, or 3 months in advance with confidence that the car will arrive at the airport for you without delays or misunderstandings. The transfer price is fixed and remains unchanged from the moment of booking confirmation. The driver will meet you with a nameplate at the exit from the terminal and help you to pack your luggage. You can also order an additional excursion service or Fast Track for the transfer.

Estimated cost: from $ 100 for a comfort class sedan.

Taxi

Also a comfortable and convenient form of transport, at an attractive price. You can order a taxi through the dispatch service or applications. Taxis are available at any time of the day or day, regardless of Shabbat.

• Cost: up to $ 50. We remind you that the cost of a taxi ride can unpleasantly surprise you in the end.
• Disadvantage. Additional charges for the time of day, the amount of luggage, Shabbat are added to the announced price.

Car rent

If you are a loner in life and don’t like strangers around you, you are not afraid of GPS navigation systems, then renting a car is a practical option. On the territory of Ben Gurion Airport, there are 24-hour car rental counters of famous car-sharing companies.

• Cost. Car rental price depends on the car class. Small-sized – class A from $ 36, up to $ 40 – for a class B or C car, minivans or SUVs – from $ 52 per day.
• Disadvantage. For the rented car, you will pay $ 30 for its return and refueling at your expense, insurance premiums. Many companies set a mileage limit, and you must also have an international driver’s license.