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Social Conventions
Israelis are usually very informal but with the European style of
hospitality. Israelis are typically blunt and direct in speech, which
should not be misinterpreted as rudeness. Visitors should observe
normal courtesies when visiting someone’s home and should not be
afraid to ask questions about the country as most Israelis are happy
to talk about their homeland, religion and politics. The expression
shalom (‘peace’) is used for hello and goodbye. Dress is casual,
but in the holy places of all religions modest attire is worn. For
places such
as the Western Wall, male
visitors are given a smart cardboard yarmulke (skull cap) to
respect the religious importance of the site. Businesspeople are
expected to dress smartly, or at least in smart casual style, although
ties are often not worn, while the most expensive of restaurants and
nightclubs may expect a similar standard. If formal evening wear is
required this will be specified on invitations. It is considered a
violation of Shabbat (Sabbath, on Saturday) to smoke on that
day. There is usually a sign to remind the visitor of this, and to
disregard the warning would be regarded as discourteous.
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International Travel:
Getting There by Air
The privatized national airline is El Al Israel Airlines (LY)
(website:
www.elal.co.il).
Departure Tax
None.
Main Airports
Tel Aviv (TLV) (Ben Gurion International) is 20km (12
miles) southeast of the city. To/from the airport: There are
bus services from the airport to Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva
and other smaller towns. The airport has a train station located on
level five with services into Tel Aviv. There is also a taxi service
(journey time - 20 minutes). A shared sherut (taxi service)
is available, charging a fixed rate per passenger. The El Al
airline bus goes to the airport terminal in Tel Aviv. Departure
depends on El Al flights. The best way to travel to
Jerusalem, which is 50km (31 miles) away, is by sherut.
Facilities: Banks, restaurants, duty-free shops, general
shops, tourist information, car hire desks and VIP lounge.
Eilat Central Airport (ETH) is 20 minutes from the
city. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis and limousines are
available to the city (journey time - 15 minutes). Facilities:
Duty-free shop, light refreshments, a souvenir shop and car
hire.
Getting There by Water
Main ports: Ashdod and Haifa. Foreign craft
sailing to Israel may use these ports of entry as well as Eilat
and the marinas of Ashkelon, Herzliya and
Tel Aviv.
There are regular sailings of car/passenger ferries from
Greece (Piraeus) and Cyprus to Haifa.
Many cruise ships also dock at Israel for excursions to
Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. |
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Getting
There by Road
Road access to Israel is limited. There are only two crossing points
from Egypt: at Rafiah (a narrow strip of Israeli-controlled land
between Gaza and Egypt, closed at night) and the much busier border
crossing at Taba (close to the southern resort of Eilat, open 24
hours).
Four bus companies maintain services between Cairo and Tel Aviv
and Jerusalem via Rafiah. EGGED bus 362 leaves Tel Aviv for the
Rafiah terminal daily (tel: (03) 914 2000; website:
www.egged.co.il/eng).
A regular bus service also passes through Taba, to Santa Katerina
(Sinai) and Cairo.
To the east, there are many crossing points to and from the
Palestinian-controlled West Bank, which it is also possible to enter
from Jordan via the Allenby Bridge near Jericho, about 40km (25 miles)
from Jerusalem. The Allenby Bridge border is closed at night. EGGED
buses and taxi services are also available to the bridge
from Jerusalem.
It is also possible to travel in and out of Jordan without entering
the West Bank. The Arava Checkpoint crossing to and from Jordan is
situated 4km (3 miles) north of Eilat; closed at night. The Jordan
River Crossing (Sheikh Hussein Bridge) to and from Jordan is near Beit
She’an, in the north of Israel; closed at night. Transfer of bus or
taxi passengers between the Israeli and Jordanian checkpoints are
carried out by shuttle service. Transfers on foot are not permitted.
There is no road access between Israel and the Syrian Arab Republic or
Lebanon.
Note that Jordanian visas cannot be obtained at the border - they must
be arranged in advance, which can usually be done by tour operators.
Officially, mobile telephones are not allowed on buses crossing any
border. |
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Internal
Travel:
Getting Around By Air
A comprehensive service linking Tel Aviv with Eilat and other cities
is run by Arkia/Israel Inland Airways (IZ) (website:
www.arkia.co.il)
and by Israir (6H) (website:
www.israirairlines.com).
Flights operate daily except Shabbat (Friday evening and Saturday).
Getting Around by Water
Ferries operated by Kinneret Sailing Company (tel: (04) 665
8008) run across Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) from Tiberias on the
west side to Ein Gev kibbutz on the eastern shore. There is no other
navigable water in Israel.
Getting Around by Rail
Israel Railways (tel: (03) 577 4000; website:
www.israrail.org.il)
operates six lines, with regular services down the coast from Nahariya
to Ben Gurion Airport, stopping at Akko (Acre), three stations in
Haifa, Binyamina, four stations in Tel Aviv, and five other smaller
locations en route. A second line runs from Binyamina and Caesaria to
Ashkelon, via Netanya, Herzliya, Tel Aviv and Ashdod. The other lines
run from Tel Aviv to Kfar Saba; to Beersheva; to Rishon le Zion; and
between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, which follows a particularly scenic
route. Reserved seats may be ordered in advance. There is no railway
service on Shabbat and public holidays.
Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the right. An excellent system of roads connects all
towns. However, driving is aggressive and there are frequent
accidents. Hitchhiking is very common, and is considered normal among
young people. However, it requires fine judgments about drivers that
may be difficult for tourists to make, and is not recommended. Bus:
Israelis make considerable use of buses, with frequent and
comprehensive services linking even the smallest communities. The
EGGED cooperative (tel: (03) 914 2000; website:
www.egged.co.il/eng)
provides these extensive services, which are fast and efficient as
well as cheap. With a few exceptions, services are suspended on
religious holidays and Shabbat (between sunset on Friday and sunset on
Saturday). Sherut: Unique to Israel, these limousines seat
seven to 10 passengers and follow the intercity and local bus routes.
Prices are around 30% higher than the bus. Taxi: Services are
either run by companies or by individuals. There are both shared taxis
and ordinary taxis. Taxi drivers are required by law to operate a
meter, and are generally happy to do so. Car hire: Available at
airports and ports and all major towns. Hire fees are not cheap.
Regulations: Speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in urban areas, 80kph
(50mph) in non-urban, 90kph (56mph) on divided highway, and 110kph
(68mph) on a designated ‘high-speed road’ unless signs indicate a
different limit. A roadsign showing a house means you are entering an
urban area. The internationally recognized ‘motorway’ sign indicates a
high-speed road. Speed cameras and radar traps operate and fines for
speeding are high. It is compulsory for drivers and passengers to wear
seatbelts. Documentation: Full driving license and insurance
are required.
Getting Around Towns and Cities
The EGGED bus company provides very frequent, inexpensive local
services in all the main towns except the Tel Aviv area, where the
DAN company (tel: 03-6394444; website:
www.dan.co.il/english)
runs the city’s transportation system. Taxis are available; they are
metered and drivers mostly speak some English. A tip is not expected,
and many people do not tip, while others do - 10% is not unusual.
Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and
minutes) from Tel Aviv to other major cities and towns in
Israel. |
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Overview
The following goods may be imported into Israel without incurring
customs duty (alcohol and tobacco can only be imported by persons aged
17 years and over):
250 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco products; 1l of spirits
and 2l of wine; 250ml of eau de cologne or perfume;
personal belongings and gifts up to the value of US$200 . |
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Note: There
are a number of exceptions to the value limit on personal
belongings, so that provided they are for personal use and
re-exported, personal computers, musical instruments, cameras
(including video), binoculars, person stereos etc may be brought
undeclared through the ‘Green Channel’. However, if any of these
items are new, they must be declared and a refundable deposit paid
(credit card guarantee may be used). |
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Requires approval:
Approval by customs is required to take the following items into
Israel: flowers, plants and seeds, prescription drugs, all animals,
mobile phones including built-in computer modem. |
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Prohibited Imports
All games of chance, cordless telephones with a range of 900 Mhz or
more, fresh meat, most kinds of fruit, and dogs and cats aged under
three months. |
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