Bicycle Touring Experiences from Israel

Israel

On this page we attempt to make available the experience of individual bicycle tourists who travel to Israel (you can share your experiences here).



Train and bicycles in Israel

Unfortunatly, the train authorities in Israel does not alload to upload bicycles on.

Ariel Margalit, January 02, 2009

Folding bike in Israel

Regular bikes are not allowed on the Israeli railways, but folders are OK. Occasionally, I'm required to cover the bike (but usually noone even notices it). It fits nicely under the seats.

Dmitry, June 05, 2005

Israel Tel Aviv Airport, Arkia Airlines

Israel Tel Aviv Airport, Arkia Airlines, Tel Aviv Bus Station, Jordan Border

I flew with Arkia to Tel Aviv from London Christmas 2000. Bike taken in plastic bag, no charge. But you have the standard Israeli security interviews which requires an early check-in.

You can put a bike on an Egged Bus from the airport for a standard price if it has luggage space. Works out cheap. Unfortunately only about 20% of the buses on the airport route have luggage space - it is mainly used by workers, etc. If you find the bus station manager in the Tel Aviv bus station the day before, he will tell you which buses are timetabled to have a luggage space. There is another bus company providing service to the airport, more heavily advertised, but they are more expensive than Egged and they don't like bicycles.

We managed to get a bus out of the airport, but did not realise the problems getting back, ran out of time and had to take a taxi, who got a good price from us. Apparently there is a non-motorway road running parallel to the motorway to the airport, and it is probably only about 20 to 25km, but it is not well signposted.

Although Egged (on longer distance services) are bike-friendly and cheap, Tel Aviv bus station is difficult for the cyclist. You cannot take your bicycle inside the station. You have to follow the bus routes up the ramps, and get to your bus from the outside. But you cannot buy a ticket or find out where your bus will leave from without going inside. Nor can you leave your bike unattended while you go inside. So you need someone to look after your bike, or leave your bike elsewhere while you case the joint on foot.

We were able to cycle over the border to Jordan from Eilat to Aqaba, no problems. But the Jordan Valley Crossing near Beit She'an was more tense. We were required to put our bikes on a bus for the 500m between the two border posts, and charged a tidy sum for the privilege. The bikes were dismantled and X-rayed by Israel immigration, and we were given 20 min security interviews. The border is subject to frequent closures in the current situation.

Ivan Viehoff



Booz·Allen & Hamilton 7 Savoy Court The Strand London WC2R 0EZ
Tel: +44 20 7393 3739 Fax: +44 20 7393 3305
Web: http://www.bah.com
Ivan Viehoff, October 22, 2001

Israel Airports

Tel Aviv airport (Ben Gurion) -- Good for cyclists. A normal road goes in one mile to a busy junction. The road to the right from there (to Lod and Ramla) is a very busy one. Take road 473 (straight on) . Not much traffic.

Eilat -- Airport Eilat (Centre) (most national flights) Bizar airport in the centre of the town. Very easy to get there.
-- Airport Ovda (international flights from Eilat leave here) 65km out of Eilat, and its a heavy climb too!! Don't take the road along the Egyptian border, there is no shoulder. The road in the Arava valley has more traffic but with a good shoulder thats no problem. You can get to the airport without cycling on highways.

Been there in January 2000
Brabander, E., March 26, 2000

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