Tel Aviv public transport: tickets, passes and apps

The decision comes down to how many rides you will take. A single ride on a bus or the light rail is cheap, but paying one ride at a time adds up if you are moving around the city all day. A daily pass is the simpler buy on a heavy sightseeing day; a multi-day pass is worth comparing for a longer stay. Because fares and pass names are revised from time to time, check the current options at the machine or on the operator's site before you commit.

Most tickets are loaded on a Rav-Kav card, the common carrier for buses, the light rail and Israel Railways (check). Keep the card and top it up rather than buying a new one each time. If you only need one or two rides, stored value is enough. If you are here for a city break, compare a pass against your likely number of rides.

The default is a Rav-Kav card. Buy one at a ticket machine, a service point or through the Rav-Kav app, load stored value or a pass, then tap the card on the reader when you board (check). On some routes you also tap when you leave, so the system can calculate the fare by distance or zone; if you forget to tap off, you may be charged the maximum fare (check).

Contactless payment with a bank card or phone is being rolled out on parts of the network, but it is not yet a full substitute for Rav-Kav on every bus and train (check). Treat it as a convenience, not your only option. Keep some cash or a loaded card as backup, and confirm on the reader before you rely on it.

Fares are set by zone and by operator, and a Rav-Kav can hold value for city buses, the light rail and Israel Railways (check). A local Tel Aviv journey costs less than a regional trip, and an airport train ride is priced as a longer journey (check). Because the bands and pass names are revised from time to time, check the current price at the machine or on the operator's site before you commit.

If you are mostly staying inside Tel Aviv, a city ticket is enough. If you plan day trips to Jerusalem, Haifa or the coast, compare a regional or national pass against the number of longer trips you expect to make (check).

Ben Gurion Airport is connected to Tel Aviv by Israel Railways (check). The train runs to Tel Aviv stations and is usually the fastest way into the city when it is running (check). Buy a ticket at the station machine or load the journey on your Rav-Kav, then take the train to the station nearest your accommodation and continue by bus, light rail or taxi (check).

Trains do not run on Shabbat, from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening, and some bus routes are also reduced or suspended then (check). If you land during that window, plan for a taxi or sherut (shared taxi) instead, and expect higher demand. Check the railway timetable for your date before you travel.

Tap off where the route requires it, or you may pay the maximum fare (check). Keep your Rav-Kav loaded rather than buying singles each time, and check the balance before a long day out. If you are staying several days, compare a pass against your likely number of rides before buying (check).

Friday afternoons and Saturdays need planning because of Shabbat. Buses and trains wind down before sunset on Friday and resume after nightfall on Saturday, so build that into your schedule (check). For the rest of the week, the network is frequent and the light rail is useful for the central axis of the city.

Ben Gurion Airport is connected to Tel Aviv by Israel Railways (check). The train runs to Tel Aviv stations and is usually the fastest way into the city when it is running (check). Buy a ticket at the station machine or load the journey on your Rav-Kav, then take the train to the station nearest your accommodation and continue by bus, light rail or taxi (check).

Trains do not run on Shabbat, from Friday afternoon until Saturday evening, and some bus routes are also reduced or suspended then (check). If you land during that window, plan for a taxi or sherut (shared taxi) instead, and expect higher demand. Check the railway timetable for your date before you travel.