World City Guide

Getting Around

Public Transport
The Egged National Bus Co-operative (tel: (03) 694 8888; website: www.egged.co.il/Eng/), provides an inexpensive, comfortable, efficient urban bus system within west Jerusalem, as well as elsewhere. All routes are based out of the Central Bus Station (tel: (02) 530 4704) on Jaffa Road. Bus services run daily, except on the Sabbath (Friday afternoon to Saturday evening) or on Jewish religious holidays. Ordinary one-way tickets are purchased from the driver. All drivers speak at least enough English to deal with basic enquiries.

Visitors planning to spend more than a few days in Jerusalem should consider buying a kartissiyah, a multi-fare punch card that offers 11 journeys for the price of 10. There is also a special card called hofshi-hodshi (‘freedom for a month’) that is good for one month of unlimited travel on urban buses. The price is equal to 40 ordinary one-way tickets.

Egged buses do not generally cross the ‘Green Line’ into the West Bank, except for the annexed areas, such as Gilo, which are now considered to be fully integrated districts of the city of Jerusalem. Egged buses also travel to the Jewish towns and settlements on the West Bank, many of which are near Jerusalem. Arab bus companies, serving east Jerusalem, as well as Arab towns within Israel and the West Bank, operate from the East Jerusalem Bus Station, at Sultan Suleiman Street, or on Nablus Road, both near Damascus Gate. These buses are painted blue or green and white, and while they tend to be crowded and rickety, they’re cheap and run daily, including Friday and Saturday. Payment is made to the driver upon boarding.

Buses have been a favourite target of suicide bombers and some visitors may feel that bus travel is too risky. Despite the fact that Israeli bus drivers are highly trained to anticipate and deal with danger, this has proved inadequate when dealing with the particular threat of suicide attackers. However, buses remain the most popular and economical form of transport and Israelis are still using them as normal. Bombers can, of course, strike anywhere, not only on buses. It is safer to take long-distance non-stop buses, which depart from a central bus station (where there is high security), rather than buses that stop frequently to pick up more passengers. Visitors who notice anyone or anything suspicious (while waiting for a bus, boarding a bus or during a journey) should walk quickly up to the front of the bus and tell the driver immediately, even if the bus is moving. All bus drivers speak some English.

Taxis
Taxis, which look like ordinary cars with a coloured light displayed, are legally required to use a meter for every journey. However, travellers sometimes need to insist that the meter be turned on. If, as frequently happens, the driver claims that the meter is ‘broken’, it is wise either to agree a fare beforehand or find another taxi. To avoid being cheated, it is worth asking your hotel receptionist or the tourist office for some idea of what the fare to specific destinations should be. Taxis can be hailed in the street or booked in advance. About 20 different taxi companies ply the streets of Jerusalem, including the popular Nesher Taxis (tel: (02) 623 1231), based at the intersection of Ben Yehuda Street and King George V Avenue in west Jerusalem, right across from the City Tower. Other recommended taxi companies are listed on the Jerusalem city website (www.jerusalem.muni.il). In the present situation, for safety reasons, many west Jerusalem taxi drivers prefer not to go into Arab districts at all. Fares are 25% higher at night and on Shabbat. Tipping is not usual, and not expected, although a very small gratuity of say 5% is sometimes given.

Sherutim
An alternative to a taxi or bus is the popular sherut (literally ‘service’, ie service taxi; the plural in Hebrew is sherutim, but visitors should be aware that this also means ‘toilets’). These shared taxis are usually stretched Mercedes or minibuses, seating seven or 12, and they generally follow fixed public bus routes. However, they allow passengers to get on and off anywhere on the journey and may take alternative routes when necessary to dodge heavy traffic. Delays are rare and passengers should board quickly as drivers pull away sharply – both drivers and passengers are very impatient of anyone holding things up. Some sheruts run on Shabbat. Sherut fares are about the same as bus fares, Sheruts running regular set routes within the city are mostly only available in west Jerusalem, but will go to other areas on request (for a fee). They also serve as a popular way of travelling from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv or the airport.

Driving in the City
Driving in all parts of Jerusalem, except the Old City, is fairly straightforward, although traffic on the main roads is bad and driving tends to be aggressive. For most sightseeing or getting around in central west Jerusalem, it is more enjoyable to walk or use local buses. Vehicles are only permitted to enter the Old City through Jaffa Gate, following the road through the Armenian Quarter, where there is limited parking. Alternatively, the Karta parking lot, below the walls of the Old City, near Jaffa Gate, has space for 5,000 vehicles and is open six days a week (closed on Shabbat).

Much of Israel uses the EasyPark smartcard system, an in-car electronic device (about the size of a pocket calculator), which automatically deducts the cost of street parking from the driver’s credit or debit card and which can be read electronically by parking attendants. Most locals have one of these devices in their cars, but it is also possible to buy traditional parking cards. These can be obtained from street kiosks, post offices and gas stations. The traditional parking card is a strip of paper with punched tabs for the hours of the day; drivers tear a tab to designate the month, day and hour they parked. Five different kerbside colour codes indicate what parking is permitted – blue and white means parking is allowed with pre-paid parking cards only. Visitors should not park where there is any other kerbside colour as they all represent restrictions and parking regulations are rigorously enforced.

Car Hire
The majority of car hire companies are located in central west Jerusalem. If a car is hired locally, rental fees are moderate, pre-booking through an agency abroad may result in a higher price. Rates tend to go up at peak holiday times. To rent a car, drivers must be over 24 years and in possession of a full national driving licence with at least two years’ driving experience, insurance and an international credit card. Car hire companies will not allow hire cars to be driven into the West Bank at the moment.

Eldan, 24 King David Street (tel: (02) 625 2151/2/3; website: www.eldan.co.il), is the main Israeli car hire company. It has a user-friendly website accepting secure online payment and offers substantial price discounts for Internet bookings. International companies include Avis, 22 King David Street (tel: (02) 624 9001; website: www.avis.co.il), Budget Rent-A-Car, 23 King David Street (tel: (02) 624 8991; website: www.budget.co.il) and Hertz, 18 King David Street (tel: (02) 623 1351 or 625 6334; website: www.hertz.com).

Bicycle Hire
Despite the hills, cycling is popular in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, as in most major cities, there is something of a love-hate relationship between cyclists and motorists (particularly during rush hour, when traffic is intense and tempers are even shorter than usual). Recently, cycling organisations have been making an effort to increase public awareness about two-wheeled commuters and the need for better cycling paths. This has bolstered an interest in cycling and has inspired the ongoing construction of a bike path around Jerusalem, as well as the fact that some now consider the bicycle a safer means of getting around than public transport, which has often been targeted by suicide bombers.

However, bike hire in the city is almost unknown. The Jerusalem Cyclists Club, 16 Harazim Street (tel: (02) 643 8386) may be able to advise, while a useful website for cyclists visiting Israel is The Green Wheelers (Mountain Biking in Israel) (website: www.geocities.com/ron5506), who organise cycle rides and tours all over Israel.