With the spanking new Ramon Eilat airport now open, and with many a low-cost flight (and other scheduled airlines set to join the party) flying in, the question for many of you will be just how the heck do I get to Eilat from here?
SEE ALSO:
– How to get to the Dead Sea from the Ramon Eilat airport
– How far is Eilat from Tel Aviv / Jerusalem?
– Eilat weather: what to expect
With Eilat just 18 km south of the airport, the Ramon airport is remarkably close to the fun and sun at the Red Sea, and yes, if you’re looking to expand on your Middle Eastern adventure, it’s a quick hop over the border from both Jordan (if Petra is on your bucket list, try one of these amazing Petra tours) and Egypt (the pyramids of Giza anyone?).
While the airport is set to become a tourism hub for the south of Israel and all the area has to offer (it has a LOT to offer – check out some of these amazing Negev attractions), I can still hear you thinking: OK, but how will I get to Eilat?
Shuttle from Ramon airport to Eilat
Well, currently it appears that the shuttle services are pretty crap. There were originally plans for a FREE shuttle bus every 15 minutes but now it appears that the only option is a shuttle bus which appears to be not reliable according to online reviews (it also costs over twice the price of a bus). I’d catch the bus, as listed below.
Taxi from Ramon airport to Eilat
If you would prefer not to wait for a shuttle bus, there is, of course, a taxi rank at the airport. Note that there is a fixed taxi fare of 84 shekels / 95 shekels (nights and weekends) (both rates do not include luggage). However, the major hotels in Eilat often offer complimentary pick-up services, delivering visitors directly to their hotels. So definitely check that with your hotel/accommodation option in Eilat.
Bus from Ramon airport to Eilat
Catching a regular bus from the airport to Eilat is a budget-friendly option worth considering. Note that there are 4 bus routes from Ramon airport, run by Egged the national bus company, each of which should cost you 4.20 shekels (just over $1 – tickets are purchased from vending machines in the airport and can be paid by credit card or cash).
The number 30 bus takes you to the Taba Border Crossing via Eilat Central Bus Station (it runs every 20-30 minutes).
Number 31 takes you to the northern neighborhoods of Eilat (it only runs from 17:15 – 22:15 and from 05:00 – 08:00 in the opposite direction).
Number 32 takes you to the southern neighborhoods of Eilat (it only runs from 17:15 – 22:15 and from 05:00 – 08:00 in the opposite direction).
Number 50 takes you to the hotel strip along the Red Sea coast (it runs every 20-30 minutes).
However you decide to get to Eilat from the Ramon airport, the journey shouldn’t take longer than 15 minutes given that the road into Eilat (Highway 90) has recently been widened into four lanes.
And just in case you needed a quick taste of what the airport is like…