Driving in Israel - Tips for Traveling with a Rental Car

Driving in Israel with your own rental car is truly hassle-free and very easy. During our Israel road trip, we fell in love with this unique country. We have rarely experienced such a great variety of magnificent landscapes and people. In this article, we have compiled information and tips for a relaxing road trip through Israel for you.

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...if it weren't for the spirited drivers. On Israel's roads, every second counts! At least when it comes to driving, Israelis are extremely impatient, assertive, and relentless. You might find yourself honked at from behind even if the traffic light hasn't turned from red to green yet. It's just a precaution, better safe than sorry. It also seems that letting someone pass you could be interpreted as a personal weakness-therefore, hardly anyone does that.

If you happen to drive 5 km/h slower than allowed due to unfamiliarity with the area... oh boy. Stay strong! And that's also the best advice we can give you: Stay calm, don't let it unsettle you, don't take it personally. Focus on your lane and don't get influenced by the traffic chaos around you. Outside of towns, however, it is generally very relaxed.

So, don't let the previous lines intimidate you. Just be a little warned and take an extra dose of indifference with you. By the way: As a German citizen, you do not need an International Driving Permit in Israel. A valid EU driving license is sufficient.

We strongly recommend booking the car in advance through one of the well-known comparison sites. This gives you a much better price overview, and the rates are better than on-site. We always use the comparison site Billiger-Mietwagen.de and have always been very satisfied. We also use the site for spontaneous bookings right on location.

Just enter the desired pickup location there, and it will show you the offers. In Tel Aviv, there are various rental car companies located directly at the airport, so you can pick up your car right at the airport. Besides the airport stations, there are also several rental car stations in the city itself.

In Ovda, the situation looks a bit different. The airport was initially used solely for military purposes, so the options for air travelers at this airport are generally very limited. There are no possibilities to rent or pick up a car there. Anyone landing in Ovda and wanting a rental car must take a detour to Eilat.

The rental car companies are located near the city airport in Eilat. Getting there without a car is not a problem; public buses and private shuttle services run directly from the airport to Eilat. The buses to Eilat are numbered 392 and cost about 22 Shekels ($5).

Since we were unaware of the public buses, we organized the transfer beforehand via eilatshuttle.com and were very satisfied. This shuttle takes you directly to your desired location, so you can drop off right at your hotel or rental car station. A similar service can also be booked through Ryanair: ryanair.plusairportline.com.

Do you hold the rental car key in your hands? Perfect! The Israel road trip can begin! But which route is the right one? Renting a navigation device from the rental car company doesn't make sense considering the extra cost-better alternatives are free navigation apps for your smartphone or tablet!

Whether it's Iceland, Morocco, Israel, or Mauritius... we always use the app 'Maps.me' for navigation. The app is completely free, and you can easily download the maps of different countries and regions (note: sometimes countries are divided into several regions) for free in the app. We highly recommend this app.

Additionally, in Israel, the app 'WAZE' is very well known. We haven't used it, so we have no personal experience with it. However, it was recommended to us very often while in Israel, which speaks for the app. If you have experiences with this app, feel free to leave us feedback in the comments.

It is also possible to use the map data (no navigation!) from Google Maps offline. Here's how: Open Google Maps > click on the options (icon with three bars) in the top left > select 'Offline maps' > click 'Custom area' > choose the map section by scrolling and zooming, and click 'download'. Note: The map data is only valid for 4 weeks before it becomes unusable.

In general, the main roads are in very good condition. Even Germany could take a cue from this. We only had to drive over an unpaved road once to get to the Red Canyon, otherwise, all roads were in top condition. In the Negev Desert, roads can become flooded after heavy rainfall. If it rains heavily, please check before driving whether the roads are clear.

Driving a car in Israel is no problem; parking, on the other hand, is-at least in big cities. Generally, you can easily tell by the color of the curb whether parking is allowed or not. A red and white curb indicates a parking prohibition, while yellow and red markings are for taxis and buses only.

With blue and white curbs, you can park with a parking permit. It is actually quite simple, if it weren't for the problem with the parking permits. In major cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, traditional parking meters were largely dismantled in September 2017. From now on, parking permits must be obtained digitally via an app.

This is actually no problem, but the necessary apps like 'Pango' only work with Israeli SIM cards. There is no way for foreigners without a local SIM card to obtain a parking permit! (As of January 2018). A parking attendant confirmed this to me with a shrug. Thus, you have to use parking garages or guarded parking lots (these are marked in Maps.me).

Exception: Like in Germany, you don't have to obtain a parking permit after a certain time (e.g., paid parking only between 08:00 and 17:00). After this time, vacationers can park for free without an app.

While you can easily read this time on a sign, additional information is unfortunately available only in Hebrew. Thus, it may happen that on one side of the street only residents are allowed to park, or that you can only park on certain days. Fortunately, the people in Israel are very helpful. We simply waited for passing pedestrians who kindly translated the parking signs for us. By the way, there were still parking meters in Eilat!

Traffic tickets can be paid at any post office. You can easily ask passersby where the nearest branch is; people there are really happy to help! Alternatively, the traffic ticket can also be paid through the rental car company, but there are usually processing fees added. But the best thing is not to get a traffic ticket at all.

In Israel, there are only three toll roads, which you can easily bypass. Note that toll fees usually incur additional processing fees from the rental car company. The longest toll road is Highway 6, which starts near the city of Be'er Sheva and leads almost to Haifa in the north. Depending on how many sections you pass through, the costs vary. Using the road from beginning to end costs about 34 ILS ($8-9). You can easily bypass the road via Route 40 or from Tel Aviv via Highway 4.

The Carmel Tunnels run underground across Haifa (from west to east). Especially during rush hour, you can save a lot of time by driving through the tunnels. The toll for passing through is about 15 ILS ($3-4). If there is little traffic, you can also drive leisurely along route 4 along the coast. On the way from Tel Aviv airport to downtown, you have the option to use the so-called Fast Lane.

This allows you to get through traffic more quickly during heavy traffic. We did not use the Fast Lane and managed quite well even during rush hour. The cost of the Fast Lane varies depending on the time of day. The respective price is displayed on signs at the entrance of the Fast Lane.

'And how fast can you drive here now?' was probably the most asked question throughout the entire road trip. Only at the end of our journey did a host clarify for me: In the city, a maximum of 50 km/h is allowed. Outside the city, the speed limit is 90 km/h unless otherwise marked (speed signs are really rare outside the city). The highways are much better marked, where the allowed speeds range between 90 and 110 km/h.

You also don't have to pump gas yourself in Israel. At most gas stations, attendants fill your tank. Just tell them how many liters and what type of fuel you want. A small tip is appreciated. Otherwise, gas stations in Israel look quite similar to those in Europe. There is usually a shop where you can buy newspapers, food, and drinks.

Many rental car companies prohibit entry into certain Palestinian areas. This particularly applies to the Gaza Strip, the regions around Jericho, Hebron, Bethlehem, and the northern areas of the West Bank between the cities of TulKarm - Nabu - Tubas - Jenin. These areas belong to the so-called Zone A. Zones or 'Areas' B and C can usually be driven through without issues. However, if the conflict between the parties escalates again, additional areas may be closed off at short notice.

Anyone planning a trip through the West Bank should definitely discuss this with the rental car company! The important Highway 1 from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea, and Route 90 along the Dead Sea to Eilat can be easily driven! Occasionally you may have to pass checkpoints, but as tourists, we were always waved through friendly.

We can highly recommend a road trip through Israel. Aside from the assertive driving style of the Israelis, in my opinion, there is really nothing against renting a car in Israel. It allows you to get from A to B easily, you are flexible and can explore this wonderful country at your leisure.

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