Guide
Travelling in Israel on Shabbat and holidays
Updated
In short
From Friday afternoon until Saturday after dark, most public transport in Israel stops. Trains do not run at all and most intercity buses stop. Taxis, shared taxis on some routes and private transport keep working, so getting around is perfectly possible, but it has to be arranged rather than assumed.
Visitors are often surprised by how completely the country changes gear on a Friday afternoon. It is not a problem if you know it is coming.
| Friday daytime | Shabbat | Saturday night | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trains | Stop early afternoon | Not running | Resume after dark |
| Intercity buses | Last ones early afternoon | Mostly not running | Resume after dark |
| City buses | Reduced, stop early | Mostly not running | Resume after dark |
| Taxis | Running | Running | Running |
| Private transport | Running | Ask us | Running |
Exact times shift with sunset, so they are earlier in winter than in summer. Haifa and some other places keep limited services running.
When Shabbat actually is
Shabbat runs from sunset on Friday to nightfall on Saturday. Transport does not stop exactly at sunset: it winds down through Friday afternoon, because drivers have to get home too, and it restarts an hour or so after dark on Saturday.
That means the quiet window is longer than the religious one. In winter, when the sun sets early, the last intercity buses can go in the early afternoon.
What stops
Trains stop completely. Most intercity and city bus services stop. A good deal of the country closes with them, including many shops and some restaurants, though Tel Aviv keeps far more open than Jerusalem does.
What keeps running
Taxis work normally. Shared taxis run on some routes, including between the big cities, though less often than on a weekday. Private transport runs.
Haifa is the usual exception on buses: it has kept a limited Shabbat service for a long time. Services run by Arab operators, including in the north and around Jerusalem, also tend to run.
Holidays are the same, and Yom Kippur is more so
The major Jewish holidays follow the Shabbat pattern, with the same wind-down the afternoon before.
Yom Kippur is different in degree. For about 25 hours the country stops almost completely: no public transport at all, and Ben Gurion airport closes to flights. The roads empty to the point where people walk and cycle on the motorways. If your trip crosses Yom Kippur, plan it as a day where you stay put.
Planning around it
Flights land on Shabbat all the time, so arriving into a country with no trains running is a normal situation rather than an unlucky one. It just has to be arranged in advance.
The same goes for a Saturday you want to use: a day at the Dead Sea or in the Galilee on Shabbat is entirely doable with a driver, and close to impossible on buses.
- Book airport transport before you fly if you land Friday or Saturday
- Do not plan to move cities by bus or train on Shabbat
- Expect a quieter Jerusalem and a busier Tel Aviv
- Check whether your trip crosses Yom Kippur
Still deciding?
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Questions
Frequently asked questions
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Do you drive on Shabbat and holidays?
[PLACEHOLDER: confirm your Saturday and holiday availability, and whether it changes the price.]
Can I get from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem on a Saturday?
Yes, by taxi, by shared taxi on some routes, or by private van. Not by train, and not by most buses.
Is the airport open on Shabbat?
Yes, flights run as normal. The exception is Yom Kippur, when Ben Gurion closes for about 25 hours.
When exactly does everything start again?
Roughly an hour after dark on Saturday, so later in summer than in winter. The first services back are usually the intercity buses and trains.