The national airline is El Al Israel Airlines (LY) (website: www.elal.co.il).

From London to Tel Aviv is four hours 30 minutes and to Eilat is five hours. From Los Angeles to Tel Aviv is 17 hours, from New York is 11 hours, from Singapore is 10 hours 55 minutes and from Sydney is 14 hours 35 minutes.

Tel Aviv (TLV) (Ben Gurion International) is 20km (12 miles) southeast of the city. To/from the airport: There is a bus service from the airport to Shohom, Midi'in and Be'er Sheva. The airport has a train station located on level five. There is also a taxi service (travel 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 and VIP lounge.
Eilat Central Airport (ETH) is 20 minutes from the city. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis and limousines are available to the city (travel time – 15 minutes). Facilities: Duty free shop, light refreshments, a souvenir shop and car hire.

None.

Main ports: Ashdod and Haifa. Foreign yachts 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 Greece (Piraeus) and Cyprus to Haifa. Cruise lines run to Haifa and Ashdod from Athens and other Mediterranean ports.

On the whole, road access to Israel is somewhat limited. There are two crossing points from Egypt into Israel. Travellers are permitted to cross the border on foot, by bus or in privately owned cars only; taxis and hired cars may not cross. Rafiah (Rafah), the main point of entry, is located some 50km (31 miles) southwest of Ashqelon (open 0900-1700). Four bus companies maintain services between Cairo and Tel Aviv and Jerusalem via Rafiah. EGGED Bus no. 362 leaves Tel Aviv for the Rafiah terminal daily and Rafiah for Tel Aviv at Taba, just south of Eilat, is open 24 hours a day. A regular bus service is available between Taba, Santa Katerina (Sinai) and Cairo.
It is possible to enter Jordan via the Allenby Bridge near Jericho, about 40km (25 miles) from Jerusalem. The Allenby Bridge border opening hours are Sun-Thurs 0800-0000, Fri 0800-1500. EGGED buses and taxi services are also available to the bridge. At present, every tourist passing through here must obtain an entry visa to and an exit visa from Jordan. Exit fees are only payable on leaving for Jordan. Nationals of countries who are required to obtain an Israeli visa in advance should do so before visiting Jordan, as such visas cannot be obtained at the Allenby Bridge.
The Arava Checkpoint crossing is situated 4km (3 miles) north of Eilat. It is possible to cross the border in both directions. Nationals should check whether visas are required for this crossing with their local Embassy. The opening hours for the Arava border checkpoint are Sun-Thurs 0630-2230, Fri-Sat 0800-2000 (closed on Yom Kippur and the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha).
The Jordan River Crossing (Sheikh Hussein Bridge) can be crossed by holders of UK passports valid for at least six months from the date of entry and persons with dual nationality as individuals or in groups. Entry visas for Jordan or Israel can either be organised through travel agents who will make the necessary arrangements or can be provided on arrival for all those who have organised pre-arranged visas (except for Israeli passport holders who must make arrangements through travel agents). Travel agents are requested to coordinate the arrival time of buses with the management of the crossing point. All UN cars (on official business or not) and vehicles with foreign registration will be permitted to cross freely without paying any fees; however, Israeli cars with diplomatic plates will not be permitted to cross the border. Transfer of passengers between the Israeli and Jordanian checkpoints will be carried out by shuttle service. Transfers on foot will not be permitted. The Jordan River (Sheikh Hussein) border crossing hours are Sun-Thurs 0630-2200, Fri-Sat 0800-2000 (closed on Yom Kippur and the Jordanian festival on the first day of the Hijirah Calendar). There is no access to the Syrian Arab Republic and Lebanon. Mobile telephones are not allowed on buses crossing the border.

A comprehensive service linking Tel Aviv with Eilat and all major cities is run by Arkia/Israel Inland Airways (IZ) (website: www.arkia.co.il) and by Israir (6H) (website: www.israirairlines.com). Flights operate daily except on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings and afternoons.

Ferries run across the Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee) from Tiberias on the west side to Ein Gev kibbutz on the eastern shore. Coastal ferries serve all ports. For details, contact local port authorities.

Israel Railways (website: www.israrail.org.il) operates four suburban train lines and runs regular services between Akko (Acre), Ashdod, Binyamina, Hadera, Haifa, Herzliya, Netanya, Nahariya, Krayat, Petah, Rehovot, Rosh Ha'ayin, Tel Aviv and Tikva. There is also a service between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, which follows a particularly scenic route. Reserved seats may be ordered in advance. There is no railway service on Shabbat (Saturday) and major holidays.

Traffic drives on the right. An excellent system of roads connects all towns. However, driving is erratic and there are frequent accidents. Radar speed traps operate and fees for speeding are high. Distances by road from Jerusalem to other cities are as follows: Tel Aviv 62km (39 miles), Tiberias 157km (97 miles), Eilat 312km (194 miles), Netanya 93km (58 miles), Dead Sea 104km (65 miles), Zefat 192km (120 miles) and Haifa 159km (99 miles). Bus: Two national bus systems, run by the DAN and EGGED cooperatives, provide extensive services. The service is fast and efficient as well as cheap. With a few exceptions, services are suspended on religious holidays, and between sunset on Friday and sunset on Saturday (Shabbat). Sherut: Unique to Israel, these limousines seat seven to 10 passengers and follow intercity and local bus routes. Prices are around 30 per cent higher than the bus. Taxi: Services are either run by companies or by individuals. There are both shared taxis (sheruts) and ordinary taxis. Taxi drivers are required by law to operate a meter and are recommended for short journeys only. Car hire: Available in major cities. Hire fees are not cheap. Documentation: Full driving licence and insurance are required. An International Driving Permit is recommended.

Bus companies DAN and EGGED provide good local services in the main towns. Taxis are available.