To be honest, driving in Israel is a bit of a challenge, and unless you really think you can handle it, we highly recommend that you rely on public transport and taxis to get around Israel. Don’t forget, Israel is not a huge country and taxis, trains and buses are usually more than good enough…
Renting a car is an easy way to travel around Israel – you can easily drive from North to South in the same day (probably less than 10 hours), distances are short, and compared to major European cities it is quite easy and cheap to find a parking spot for your car – especially if you are staying at a hotel. Although parking in the major towns, especially Tel Aviv and Jerusalem can be the stuff of nightmares – stick to public car parks (that will usually charge up to 10 shekels per hour) and you should be OK.
Renting a car in Israel is easily done, as most of the major international car rental firms including Avis, Budget, Hertz and Sixt, have numerous offices throughout the country, including at Ben Gurion airport (don’t miss our awesome car rental search engine, which searches for the very BEST car rental deals in Israel). There are also local rental firms, such as Eldan. It would probably be a good idea to also rent a GPS system. In order to rent a car in Israel you must have a valid driver’s license issued by your country, and that will suffice for the traffic police if needed – there is no need for a special international driver’s license.
In Israel the steering wheel and driver seat are located on the left, while actually driving on the right side of the road. Traffic lights are everywhere in the main cities, but rarely found on the main highways.
Roads in Israel have English, Hebrew and Arabic signposts, sometimes with many variations for the very same street. Israel’s road network is generally good, the main highways operating between cities are usually good and smooth rides – just avoid rush hour.
Israel Highways
Israeli highways are numbered even for North to South, and odd for those going from East to West. There is only one toll road in Israel, which is Road 6, and the toll is collected automatically according to your vehicle number plate. When renting a car, you will be prompted to sign a contract that does not permit your driving on Road 6, otherwise you will be charged for it once your rental period is over.
The major highways in Israel are:
Road 1 – Tel Aviv to Jordan River
Road 2 – Tel Aviv to Haifa
Road 4 – Erez Border Crossing (Gaza) to Rosh HaNikra
Road 6 – Kiryat Gat to Barkai
Example driving distances
OK, so that’s the basics covered. If you really want an idea of what it’s like driving in Israel, read this article about the challenges you face behind the wheel. And have a stiff drink handy.