The renowned Ben Gurion International Airport is not the only airport in Israel (as is often mistakenly believed), but it is the largest and most popular. If you arrive at Terminal 1, a special shuttle will take you to Terminal 3, from where you can travel to Tel Aviv. If you arrive directly at Terminal 3, let’s go!
Depending on whether you need to get to the city center or the central bus station, there are several options to suit every taste, budget, and stress tolerance. It’s all very simple and takes no more than half an hour (not counting the time spent waiting for transportation). Everything is close by here, and the distances between cities will seem ridiculous to residents of megacities who are used to hours of traffic jams.
Speaking of traffic jams, of course, they do exist, and, as everywhere else, they take up a lot of time and nerves. If you want to avoid them, feel free to take the train. Especially since it is a really comfortable and even cozy means of transportation. Soft seats, tables, luggage racks, gadget chargers, and Wi-Fi. And all this on two floors.
What do you need to get there by train?
- After exiting the terminal, buy a ticket from the machine (you can pay by bank card or with a travel card, which can be purchased in the arrivals hall). A ticket costs 14 shekels, which is about $5.
- Take the escalator down.
- Wait for the train (maximum 20 minutes, assuming the last one left while you were going down).
- Take two stops, yours is Tel Aviv HaShalom.
Azrieli Mall
Voila, you are not only in the city center, but also in one of the best shopping centers — Azrieli Mall. That’s right, the train station passes through the famous Azrieli Towers (you may have seen them shortly before landing). Across the road from the main entrance, there are bus stops for more than twenty routes. From here, you can travel in any direction and even to other cities. Remember, everything is close by here.
Tel Aviv University
You can also travel one or two more stops and get off at Tel Aviv HaHagana (where the central railway station is located), Tel Aviv Center, and Tel Aviv University.
Be sure to keep your ticket until the end of the trip! To exit the station, you will need to swipe your ticket through a special terminal, so if you don’t want to stay in the center of Tel Aviv but at the station, hold on to your ticket.
How to get there by bus
If you want to feel like an Israeli as soon as you arrive, welcome to the bus. First of all, you need to buy a travel card. It is called Rav-Kav and the sales point is open 24 hours a day in the arrivals hall. Believe me, it is better to pay the minimum top-up amount of 30 shekels than an 800 shekel fine. One bus ride costs 5.90 shekels (almost $2). So, the bus.
There are several options for getting to the Central Bus Station:
- There is a shuttle bus that departs directly from Terminal 3. Take one stop and then transfer to bus No. 83 (6 stops) or No. 501 (5 stops).
- There is a shuttle bus that departs directly from Terminal 3. Take one stop and change to bus No. 425 (14 stops).
- A little further from the terminal is bus No. 469. It takes about half an hour to travel one stop, then change to bus No. 31 (2 stops) or No. 37 (1 stop).
Tel Aviv bus
To get to Azrieli Mall (which is just as central as the Central Bus Station) and do some shopping right away, there are even more options:
- There is a shuttle bus that departs directly from Terminal 3. Take one stop and then change to bus No. 173 or No. 83 (one stop).
- Again, take the shuttle bus and again, take one stop. And then you have an excellent choice: No. 40, No. 42, No. 51, No. 60, No. 63, No. 68, No. 71, No. 140, No. 160, No. 238, No. 240, No. 271, No. 274, No. 525, No. 561. One or two stops — just listen to the announcements and don’t be afraid to ask people nearby for clarification.
Some of these buses will also take you to other cities in Israel if you wish.
How to get there by taxi
If you want to relax after your flight and not worry about cards, buses, or even comfortable trains, choose a taxi.
It’s easy to find a taxi on the spot — just leave the arrivals hall, go out onto the street, walk to the road, and look to your left. A neat line of taxis is already waiting there, ready to take you to the center of Tel Aviv or the outskirts of Bat Yam. A taxi will cost approximately 130-170 shekels ($35-50). Just don’t be lazy and walk to those taxis; don’t be tempted by individual drivers who will insistently offer you their services. Not only will it cost you one and a half to two times more, but you will most likely have to go down several parking levels with all your luggage (because taxi drivers don’t have parking permits).