Chapter 2- City buses

This is the most common form of mass city transit in a country that has virtually no subway systems. There are some differences between cities in the companies operating the busses and fare rates, but in almost all of them the bus lines are numbered and have a set schedule. Make sure to find out which company runs the lines in the city you're planning on visiting- and check their website for information. 

"Dan" buses run in the greater Tel Aviv area

This site gives a lot of information about the diefferent regions:

OTOBUSIM

Line in a crowded stop

Apart from a few exceptions, city buses do not run on Shabbat, so if you're visiting around the weekend always make sure to find out what time the services stop on Friday and when they resume- on Saturday night or on Sunday morning. Bus stations are clearly marked and will have a sign with the numbers of all of the lines stopping at them. Feel free to ask people waiting at the bus stop for help with the line you need- Israelis do it all the time. Many bus stops are well lit, and the buses are clean, air conditioned and safe. Women traveling alone should not hesitate for a minute about using the bus- at any time of day. 

Passenger paying with Rav Kav card

During rush hours, some lines do get extremely crowded, so be ready to waver your right for personal space- a rare term in Israel as it is. As far as payment goes- there is no need to purchase tickets in advance, just get on the bus and pay the driver. Drivers will give you change, but try not to use large bills. For people who use public transportation regularly in Israel a special pass card exists called "Rav Kav". If you are planning on spending an extended period of time in one area of the country (a few weeks or longer), and you intend on using the buses often- consider investing in one of these.

Transportation in Israel Chapter 1

One of the best things about Israel, speaking from a visitor's point of view, is the combination of accessibility and diversity. On one hand Israel has cultural sites, religious highlights, great spots for partying and sites of agricultural and industrial entrepreneurship and invention, but also breathtaking views: Mediterranean forests, beautiful streams, deep canyons and vast deserts. On the other hand, the county is very small (only 6 hours driving across, the long way) and well mapped, with completely modern highways and roads. Cellphone coverage is very good almost all around the country- even in many remote hiking destinations. Maybe most important of all- Almost all of the signs have English on them, as well as Hebrew, and Israelis, for the most part, speak English to a reasonable degree and are happy to assist a traveler in need- sometimes without being asked to.

Israel also has a very good system of public transportation that extends outside of the major cities and to all of the remote communities in the country. Prices are fixed and regulated so, in most cases, you won't have to haggle. Services are usually regular and, apart from a few exceptions; do not depend on a minimum number of passengers.

The main disadvantage of the public transportation system in Israel is that it is not unified. Different services and different regions are operated by different companies, and though all of the information is available online- it's not always easy to find or easy to understand which company's website you need to be on, in order to find. Additionally, not all of the online information about transportation in Israel can be found in a language that is not Hebrew. Like other businesses in Israel, most public transportation services shut down on weekends and during Jewish holidays- and the information about what is still working is not always easily available to the outside visitor- simply because we take it for granted.

Another public transportation challenge, that is unique to Israel, has to do with our security reality. No, it has nothing to do with any real or imaginary terrorist threats, though you will encounter a metal detector at the entrance to most malls and bus stations, no, it is, in fact, the weekend soldier traffic. Israel has a large military, and joining the military at the age of 18 for 2-3 years is compulsory. Young soldiers rely on public transportation, and any soldiers in uniform can use busses and trains for free. On the other hand, being the army of the Jewish state, the IDF shuts down all none-combat related activities for Shabbat- the Jewish weekend. Most soldiers are released home for a weekend -leave between twice and four times a month, and Shabbat dinners and religious services are held at all military units that remain on duty.

This means that on Sunday morning (the Israeli work week starts on Sunday and ends on Thursday or Friday) thousands of soldiers crowd all of the public transportation services- busses and trains to the most extreme degree, on their way to various military bases. This phenomenon repeats itself on Thursdays and, to a lesser degree, on Fridays, when soldiers are moving in the opposite direction- from their bases to their homes for the weekend, with plans of going out with their friends, after a week of being shouted at by a drill-Sargent, and eating mom's cooking, after a week of mess-hall army food. At some of the central transportation hubs like the Tel Aviv central bus and train stations, and the Beer Sheva central bus station, crowded lines of pushing soldiers, trying to get on the bus with their huge backpacks, and the threat of disciplinary action hanging over their head, will give you a very aggressive response, passive as it might be, to any attempt you make at getting on the bus with them. We've had many cases of tourists that were not warned about this weekly ritual, being delayed for a number of hours, finally getting to us at The Green Backpackers, asking "Has Israel gone to war? Why are there so many soldiers with guns on the bus? Why were they so pushy?"

Now that you are at least somewhat aware of your challenges, the following posts are dedicated to helping find your transportation solutions.