Traveling to Palestine, you will land at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Arriving in an unknown country can be daunting, but do not worry! People will help you. The journey from the airport to Hebron is easy and safe, and we’ve provided a guide below to navigating from Ben Gurion Airport to Hebron. 

OPTION 1: Private Taxi

There are two options to go from the airport to Hebron. The easiest – and most expensive – option is to take a private taxi from Ben Gurion Airport directly to Hebron. The private ride costs $140 or around 540 Shekels. The trip takes approximately 1.5 hours. If you would like a private taxi, you can inform our organization and we will email you a form for the cab, which you must complete and return. Upon landing at the airport, you will communicate with the driver via WhatsApp. 

If you choose this option, keep in mind that you may experience delays due to questioning from Israeli Security. Investigation can last anywhere from ten minutes to a couple of hours, depending on many factors. It is relatively unpredictable who gets questioned and for how long. If possible, send a message either to your driver or the Center if delayed due to questioning. Once you leave the airport gate, beware that the private taxi will not be waiting for you in the general taxi line. It will be a regular car, and thus they will be waiting for you in the second set of lanes near the middle of the road. Again, you can use WhatsApp to communicate with the driver about his whereabouts.

If you encounter any problems, you can always contact the Center, and we are happy to help. 

OPTION 2: Shared Taxi (Service)

The second option is to take a ‘service’ (shared taxi) to Hebron. This option is cheaper but takes somewhat longer, usually 3-4 hours. Service taxis (called ‘sherut’ in Israel) are yellow vans. You will easily spot them just outside baggage claim. The service will take you from the airport to Jerusalem and cost 60 or 70 shekels. Tell the driver that you want to be dropped off near or at the Damascus Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem. Remember that service taxis do not leave until they have filled all the seats; usually it is crowded at the airport, so it does not take very long.  

Once you arrive in Jerusalem, you can take a second service outside the Damascus Gate. Ask anyone ‘Hebron el-Khaliel,’ and they will tell you where the service leaves from. This should cost no more than 20-25 shekels, and the service will drop you in Hebron, where you can either walk or take a taxi ride.

OPTION 3: Train, Tram, and Shared Taxi

The third and cheapest option is to take the train from Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem. At the airport, you can follow the signs to the train. The ride costs you 17 shekels and takes about 24 minutes. In the station in Jerusalem, you follow the signs again to the tram (just outside of the station). For 6 shekels, the tram will bring you to Damascus Gate in Jerusalem. Once you arrive there, you ask for the service taxi to Hebron and get on it; it will depart once it has filled all the seats. The service costs a total amount of 20-25 shekels. 

Arriving Late

We advise you to ensure your flight lands early in the morning to have enough time to travel to Hebron. However, if your flight arrives later in the afternoon or evening, schedule a private taxi because the service taxis to Hebron do not run into the night. Another option, if you arrive in the evening, is to take a service taxis or train to Jerusalem and arrange sleeping accommodations such as a hostel or hotel. Then, you can take the last leg of the trip to Hebron the following day. 

Enjoy the Journey 

If you expect to be exhausted after your journey to Ben Gurion Airport, taking a direct ride to Hebron via private taxi is comfortable. However, taking the service to Jerusalem, and then from Jerusalem to Hebron, is significantly cheaper – and you may meet some interesting people along the way too. Moreover, a service taxi is an excellent place to practice your Arabic or ask people about the places you must see. Staying a night in Jerusalem before you complete your journey to Hebron is also an excellent option, as Jerusalem has many beautiful sites and is a wonderful place to meet other foreigners. Whatever you choose, traveling in Israel and Palestine is easy and safe, and we at the Center are waiting for your arrival!