Private Airport Transfers in Israel

Israel has two international airports: Ben Gurion (TLV), 15 kilometres south-east of Tel Aviv and 50 kilometres west of Jerusalem, handling essentially all long-haul arrivals; and Ramon (ETM), which opened in 2019 18 kilometres north of Eilat, replacing the old in-town Eilat airport (ETH) and Ovda (VDA). Gett (the Israeli taxi app) and Yango are the dominant local rideshare platforms — Uber has not operated in Israel since 2017. Public transport stops on Shabbat (Friday sunset to Saturday sunset) across most of the country, and taxi availability drops sharply; Jewish holidays have similar restrictions. A LocalsRide driver operates through Shabbat and holidays, quotes in USD, and meets you at the arrivals meet-and-greet point with your name.

Ben Gurion (TLV): The National Gateway

TLV sits between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on Highway 1, with direct rail links to both cities — a train from TLV reaches Tel Aviv HaHagana in 15 minutes and Jerusalem-Yitzhak Navon in 32 minutes. Private car transfers to central Tel Aviv run 20–40 minutes, to Jerusalem 45–75 minutes, to Haifa 90–120 minutes, to Tiberias 120–150 minutes and to the Dead Sea hotels at Ein Bokek about two hours. Ben Gurion security is the most rigorous in the world — plan to arrive three hours before international departures and expect direct questioning at multiple checkpoints on the way into the terminal.

Ramon (ETM): The Red Sea Gateway

Ramon is 18 kilometres north of Eilat in the Timna Valley and serves leisure traffic to the Red Sea resorts, Petra day-trips into Jordan via the Wadi Araba crossing, and direct charter traffic from European winter-sun markets. Journey time Ramon-Eilat is 20–30 minutes; to the Taba border (for onward to Egypt's Sinai coast) is 30–40 minutes; to the Wadi Araba border (for Petra) is 10–15 minutes. Taxis queue at the terminal but do not always run during Shabbat. Private transfers bridge the Shabbat gap for leisure travellers and resort transfers for tour groups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a taxi or transfer run on Shabbat in Israel?

Public transport (national rail, Egged and Dan buses) stops from about an hour before Friday sunset to about an hour after Saturday sunset. In most cities taxi availability drops significantly during Shabbat, and drivers who do work typically charge a 25% Shabbat surcharge. A LocalsRide pre-booking locks the USD fare and assigns a driver who works through Shabbat — useful for Friday-afternoon arrivals at TLV who need to reach Jerusalem or a Dead Sea resort before rail and bus services shut down.

Is it faster to take the train from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem or a private car?

The Ben Gurion-Jerusalem Navon rail link takes 32 minutes city-to-city at high speed, but you start the trip from TLV's lower-level train station (5–10 minutes from arrivals) and end at Yitzhak Navon terminus, where most visitors need a taxi onward to their hotel. Door-to-door the train plus onward taxi runs about 60 minutes; a direct private car is 45–75 minutes depending on Highway 1 traffic. For a single direct journey with luggage, the car is usually the equivalent or faster choice.

Can I book a transfer from Tel Aviv or Eilat to Petra in Jordan?

Yes — private transfers from TLV or ETM to the Wadi Araba (Yitzhak Rabin) border crossing near Eilat are available year-round. The Wadi Araba crossing to Aqaba is the most common route; from Aqaba a separate Jordanian driver or onward taxi completes the journey to Petra (130 km, 2 hours). A full cross-border service requires coordination between an Israeli-side and a Jordanian-side driver — confirm in advance whether your booking covers both legs or stops at the border.