Driving in Israel: Everything You Need to Know
Do you plan on renting a car in Israel to explore this wonderful country? We have done the same and cannot wait to share with you tips on how to drive in Israel. Here's everything you should know about driving in Israel before you go, based on our recent experience.
Driving in Israel is relatively easy, but you should still know some things before you go to avoid any potentially unpleasant situation.
I often read that the Israeli drivers don't have precisely the best reputation in the world but, on the other hand, who does.
And we, the Czech drivers, are not at the top of the best drivers chart as well.
After driving in Israel for some time, I must say that I've seen much worse driving habits, and quite frankly, the locals drive pretty well, and we felt safe while visiting the top attractions by car.
Israeli drivers have a great sense of area awareness, and they mostly follow the rules.
Yes, they tend to have some flaws, but I expected the situation to be much worse than it actually was.
Locals might drive a bit more aggressively and a bit over the speed limit, don't keep distance between the cars when driving even at higher speeds, and they love to honk the second you don't hit the gas pedal when the light turns green at the junctions.
But that's just something you get quickly used to, and once you do, you'll have no problem driving in Israel.
Nevertheless, you still need to know or be aware of some things when driving in Israel that might differ from the rules in your country.
Simply put, knowing the local road rules and habits will help you to stay safe in Israel.
So here are some tips and advice on driving in Israel from our own experience.
Speed Limits
The speed limit in Israel depends on the type of road and whether you're driving in the town, city, or residential area.
The speed limit is 80 km/h on the highway and 90 to 100 km on the highway with a barrier.
In villages, towns, and cities, the speed limit is 50 km/h, but there might be areas where you have to drive slower (usually 30 or 40km/h) or faster (usually 60 - 70 km/h).
On Highway 1, you can go up to 110 km/h between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and on Highway 6, you can go 120 km/h.
The Israeli government increased some speed limits in the past few years, so always check whether something has changed before you go.
Because we sometimes were not sure how fast we could drive, we used the Waze App, where one of the functions indicated when we were over the speed limit.
Tolls
There are currently only three toll roads in Israel, and they all work on an electronic basis or have toll booths, so you don't need to buy any highway sticker.
However, the only proper toll road you can find in Israel is Highway 6, which connects the north part of the country with the south.
Another road that is not free is the Carmel Tunnels under Mount Carmel in Haifa, which goes under the mountain and speeds up traveling around the city significantly.
This road has toll booths, so you need to pay the fee by cash or credit card while there.
We can't fail to mention that there's also a Tel Aviv Fast Lane from Ben-Gurion Interchange to the beginning of the Ayalon Highway that's also not free, but we believe not many travelers use this option.
The rental car company worker told us that the government uses an electronic system on Highway 6, so we don't pay for tolls in Israel at the toll booth as they don't have any.
He also mentioned that we have two options for approaching the payment.
The first option is to register to the toll system yourself and pay after the holiday when they issue an invoice for the total amount.
However, you need to call them to create an account and then cancel your profile at the end of your vacation.
The second option was way easier but a bit more expensive. You can leave it to the rental company, and they deduct the money from your credit card afterward.
They also charge an additional processing fee. We rented a car with Shlomo Sixt, and their processing fee was 50 shekels (around $15).
That's quite steep, but it's without any hassle from your side. They will mail you the invoice in about two or three weeks after you return the car, and they will deduct the money from your credit card.
It seems that some of the parts of Highway 6 are still free, at least according to my invoice.
Lastly, you can try one of those apps, such as Pango, if you don't like any of those two options mentioned above, which is supposed to be easier and more convenient.
Renting a Car in Israel
Which company should you choose to rent a car in Israel? Well, it depends on your personal preferences, the price, and availability.
You can search for the best prices on Rentalcars.com, which will compare all rental companies and give you the best prices you can find online.
We followed a bit different approach this time as we were not sure exactly when we wanted to rent the car as we had a flexible Israel itinerary.
So when we arrived in Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, we just showed up in their office and rented the car directly at their office.
We don't recommend this strategy in high season as the cheap cars will be booked out or not available at all. Don't forget to make a reservation in advance in order to lower your travel expenses.
By the way, if you're deciding to rent a car to get to the West Bank, it's better to rent it directly at the West Bank or East Jerusalem.
Always make sure that you have proper car insurance for traveling in this area.
Lastly, Israel has yellow driving plates, while West Bank has white ones, so your car will be easily recognizable if you decide to go there.
Knowing this is important as Israelis can't go to Zone A and B under the Palestinian Authority for safety reasons. And the locals won't recognize at first sight that tourists and not Israelis drive the car.
Don't forget to check the car for scratches before leaving the rental office parking. We usually also take pictures of the car just in case.
As the parking situation is not great in Israel, most of the local vehicles have minor bumps, dents, and scratches, and you don't want to end up paying for something you didn't do.
Also, we recommend you get proper car insurance from the rental company to avoid unpleasant consequences when something happens.
GPS Navigation
Waze or Google Maps? One of the most common questions is whether to use Google Maps or Waze for navigating in Israel.
If you ask any Israeli this particular question, they will probably answer in like 95% of cases to use Waze.
The reason behind their answer is that the Waze was developed in Israel, so they claim that the Waze works best in their home country.
I must say that I am not the biggest fan of Waze, as the app always felt a bit sluggish, and I never liked the interface.
But I have it installed on my phone and use it from time to time in the Czech Republic as well.
Therefore, we used both, and both apps delivered almost identical results.
One of the reasons why I also used Waze in Israel is that it shows your current speed, which comes in handy if you're not sure whether you're speeding or not.
Interestingly enough, when you look at the national park's official website, you'll see the directions written there for Waze.
The instructions usually go like type "Masada parking" in Waze, so you can clearly see that the locals prefer Waze over Google Maps.
Funnily enough, Masada has two main parking lots, so make sure to choose the right one.
Both apps use live traffic data and then show you the real-time updates on the roads. Of course, these data are not 100% accurate, but they give you a good idea of what to expect from your upcoming journey.
The last thing you should know is that you need internet data to get these apps working correctly.
Fortunately, buying a sim card in Israel is easy and relatively affordable. We can only recommend you purchase one regardless of the length of your stay as it makes your life on the road so much easier.
The Driving Side of the Road
Similar to our home country, Israeli drive on the right side of the road. So we didn't need to adapt to driving on the other side of the road, which is always convenient.
Of course, if you're arriving from the UK, New Zealand, or Australia (or any other country where you drive on the left-hand side), it might take some time to get used to it.
The rule of thumb is to drive defensively and try to adapt fast.
Roundabouts
Israel has plenty of roundabouts (sometimes called traffic circles). It looked like it was not always the case, as many roundabouts were still not updated in the navigation maps.
We have roundabouts at every corner in Europe, so nothing is surprising about them. If you're not used to driving on roundabouts, then you should know that the drivers on it have the right of way.
Some lanes on larger roundabouts have different exits, so make sure you're in the correct one before you enter it.
Israel is one of those countries where the drivers start to indicate before they enter the roundabout and turn the indicator off when they're about to leave it.
I never liked this system very much, as it creates a lot of confusion between the drivers when not all of them are following this rule. To be fair, that's a problem of every system.
Pedestrian Crossings
Pedestrians do have the right of way when they are at a crosswalk in Israel, and the vast majority of intersections have a crosswalk for them.
Keep an eye on people approaching the crosswalks, as some can literally jump in front of your car even without looking, especially when they have a phone in hand.
Travel Distances
Travel distances in Israel are short, which means that you can see plenty of places each day.
Once you leave the heavy traffic of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem behind, you can reach your following destinations faster and without delays.
For example, we drove from Acre to Nimrod Fortress and the Sea of Galilee in one day.
We hit the road early in the morning and drove to Safed, then to Rosh Pinna, Tel Hazor National Park, Banias Falls, and Nimrod Fortress.
We ended the day while watching the sunset at the shores of Sea of Galilee at Capernaum.
It was one of the longest days in Israel for us but still doable.
And if it hadn't been for these short travel distances, we wouldn't have been able to see all those places in one day.
Some of the longest driving days we had to cover on our road trip included the ride from Nazareth to Ein Gedi (300km), Ein Gedi to Eilat (250km), and from Eilat to Tel Aviv (350km).
We spent 16 days in Israel but had the rental car only for ten days as we didn't need it for Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
But most of the time, we didn't have to drive that far. We can use the city of Haifa to illustrate our case better.
Haifa is 40 kilometers north of Caesarea, 20 kilometers east of Bet Shearim National Park, or 40 kilometers east of Tzipori National Park.
Continue traveling north, and you'll arrive in less than 30 kilometers to Acre or reach Rosh HaNikra in 50 km, which lies on the borders with Lebanon.
In 10 days with a car, we drove for about 1600 km in total, about 160 km per day.
Compared to driving distances in Australia or the U.S., Israel is a great place for road tripping when short on time.
Traffic Lights
There were not many things different for us when it comes to driving rules in Israel, but if you're arriving from the US, you might come across a few different ones.
The most important one is that the red light always means stop. So you can't turn right on the red light.
The next rule is different from what we are used to in the Czech Republic.
When the green light starts to flash on lights at intersections, it's time for you to hit the brake pedal if you're not close enough to make it safely through.
Flashing green light doesn't mean you have to stop; it's a warning about the upcoming light change as it's usually on the road with a higher speed limit.
Traffic Jams
It was getting dark when we were descending to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv shortly after sunset, and I couldn't help noticing massive traffic jams on many roads from the window.
It was one of the things that caught my eye even before we landed.
I was curious if the traffic was terrible just at this time of the day when locals are driving back home from their work, or will it be a prevalent thing in the upcoming days, even outside this period.
So probably the worst situation we came across was in Tel Aviv, which had some horrible traffic jams, but Jerusalem was not so great either.
Of course, it's not fair to compare these big cities to sparsely populated areas on Highway 90 and Highway 40 across the Negev Desert, where the traffic is much lighter.
Also, the coastal cities and the bigger inland cities were not so great if you've intended to arrive on time.
Simply put, always have some spare time available when driving in Israel.
And while you can see the current traffic situation on your GPS navigation, it doesn't always reflect the reality as the new delays can happen on the way.
I remember when we drove from Nazareth to Ein Gedi, which is next to the Dead Sea, the situation on Highway six was terrible, and it took us almost 2 hours more than what the GPS navigation estimated.
E-scooters, E-bikes, Cyclists
As we mentioned earlier, Israeli drivers do follow the traffic rules. What is not so great is that in the large cities such as Tel Aviv (well, it's mostly Tel Aviv), they are not the only ones on the road.
We were really surprised to see how many e-bikes and electric scooters were on the road together with the cars. If you're not paying attention, they can make some situations pretty rough.
I guess the Israelis are used to it, but for us, it was quite stressful to see so many people on bikes zigzagging through the traffic.
Always check your side and the rear mirrors and be prepared as they can appear from nowhere.
Luckily, Tel Aviv is also known for its outstanding network of cycling lanes, and the cyclists usually use them and stay away from the traffic.
Police Checkpoints
One of the biggest misconceptions we had about driving in Israel before visiting the country were police checkpoints.
Despite the turbulent political situation in Israel, we thought that we would come across more police checkpoints on our journey across the country.
But the only one we've seen was on the way from Ein Gedi to Eilat as we were entering the toll-free zone.
Of course, if you want to go to the West Bank, the situation will be different. There are stationary checkpoints and mobile ones.
As the name suggests, the stationary checkpoints are all the time at the same place. But the mobile ones change their location according to the current situation, so you never know where to expect one.
We drove through a stationary and mobile checkpoint on our West Bank Tour, but the police didn't stop our van both times.
Last year we drove around Jordan and saw plenty of police checkpoints and controls, so we thought the situation would be more similar in Israel.
But that was not the case, and we were pleasantly surprised and glad as it saves time.
Road Conditions
Roads in Israel are paved and mostly in good condition. The only unpaved roads we've come across were the side roads in places such as Makhtesh Canyon, Timna Park, or Red Canyon.
But again, these are not the main roads, and we still could drive on them in our small 2WD car without any issues.
On some of the desert roads, you also need to watch out for camels on the side roads or crossing tanks. The crossing tanks signs are not only in Negev Desert but also in the Golan Heights.
Needless to say, we didn't see either of them during our road trip.
Some desert roads can have potholes, so pay attention all the time.
Be also prepared that some places such as Golan Heights or Safed receive snow (same areas only very rarely), making driving tricky.
For more information on this topic, read our guide on when to visit Israel.
Gas Stations
Due to its relatively small size, finding a gas station in Israel is very easy, as you can see them literally everywhere.
The only place you need to be a bit more careful about your car's fuel consumption is the Negev Desert.
But even this barren area can be covered without refueling if you start your day with a full tank. For instance, the distance between Beer Sheva and Eilat is 250 kilometers.
Unfortunately, gas in Israel was not cheap, and we usually paid anything between two or two and a half dollars for a liter, but this can change depending on the current situation.
Gas is cheaper only in Eilat as this is a VAT-free zone, so don't forget to fill up your tank while there, especially if visiting Israel on a budget.
You can pay with a credit card at the gas stations, but if you want to pay in cash, you need to go to the counter, where you'll leave a certain amount of money (100 NIS, 150, 200, etc.), and they will turn the gas pump on.
Don't forget that most rental companies require you to return the car with a full tank.
Emergency Vehicles
Emergency vehicles in Israel have their flashlights always on when on the move.
So the first time the Israeli police appear behind you with their flashlights on, you might think that you broke the law at some point.
But unless they let you loudly know from the speaker or in any other form a signal to pull over, you're probably fine.
Tailgating
Last year, we went to Iceland, and I admired how defensively the locals drove. Well, Israel offers a very different experience in this regard.
And tailgating was probably the most annoying thing that we came across when driving there.
Israeli drivers can be impatient, and tailgating is quite common, especially if you're following the speed limits on the roads.
While many Czech drivers maintain this ugly habit as well, they will pass you once they get the first chance to do so, unlike their Israeli counterparts.
Driving on an empty highway in the Negev Desert for fifteen minutes with a car like fifty centimeters behind our back is something I will never understand.
While it's an unpleasant experience with regular cars, it's pretty terrifying when the local drivers of a semis do the same.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
Signage
Israel has excellent road signage. The best part about their signage is that it's usually in three main languages - Hebrew, Arabic, and English.
Being able to read the signs in English on the road is very useful and helps you to get around the country without stress or even GPS navigation if necessary.
The main road signs are blue with white writing, and arrow-shaped signs pointing at tourist attractions are brown with white writing.
The only area we found lacking when it comes to road signage in Israel was the speed limits. We often found ourselves driving on the road without knowing the current speed limit.
Therefore we recommend you to use the Waze app, which shows your current speed directly on your phone screen.
Always make sure that your rental car has a holder where you can put your phone as it's not allowed to use a phone in Israel while driving.
One of the most important signs you should be aware of in Israel is the inconspicuous red circle with a black house on it, which means you're entering a residential area and you need to adjust your speed (usually 50km/h).
Parking
While we can, with a clear conscience say, that driving in Israel is easy and fun, that doesn't apply to parking.
The rule of advice is to download the Pango app, which will make your street parking life much easier.
I was too lazy to change my app store on my iPhone to download it, so I had to use the traditional parking machines when available.
So street parking in Israel is permitted at the curbs without any markings for free.
However, if the curb has blue and white stripes, then you need to use a parking meter or the app.
Don't forget to display your ticket on the car dashboard if you use the parking meter.
Parking is not allowed at red and white curbs unless you want to get a parking ticket. If you don't see the painting on the curb, it might indicate that you can park there for free.
And the secret where you're allowed to park on the street is known only to locals though I doubt even they are not quite often sure.
For example, while driving in one of the suburbs of Eilat with the multi-lane road, we couldn't fail to notice that some cars were parked in the regular traffic lane.
Well, it's only fair to admit that the curbs had no painting, but it still seemed the cars were in the road. Who knows?
What we found the most irritating part about this topic was parking in the hotels unless you're staying in a big resort with a huge private parking lot.
Funnily enough, most of the accommodations say that they have free parking.
In reality, it means it's free street parking, but they fail to mention that it's often impossible to find a parking spot in front of the hotel.
Another funny thing is that the accommodations that say that they have free private parking often fail to mention that they have only two, three of four spots that are not enough for all guests.
And by funny, we mean it's not funny at all. Most importantly, paid parking is expensive, so it quickly adds up to your Israel travel budget.
Okay, enough ranting. As long as you know what to expect and what to be prepared for, parking will be mostly fine.
Shabbat
Driving on Shabbat is not that different from other days of the week.
But if you ever stay in an orthodox neighborhood, you might find yourself stuck there as some communities close streets or roads.
This is probably not a very common situation, but it might be just one of those things that happen to you.
One of the most important things to know about Israel is that Shabbat has different rules than other days of the week, and every little detail such as this one can complicate your travel plans.
Is It Hard to Drive in Israel?
No, Israel is an excellent country for a road trip. Renting a car in Israel is easy, and driving is relatively safe.
While you need to pay more attention to driving in large cities such as Tel Aviv or Jerusalem with traffic congestion, the rural areas offer a much more pleasant experience.
In general, we loved how driving in Israel made the whole journey easier, and we could see plenty of places at our own pace.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
