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Sherut or cab: TLV-Jerusalem

Sherut or cab: TLV-Jerusalem

Old Mar 21, 2013, 10:56 am
  #1  
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Sherut or cab: TLV-Jerusalem

We are two seniors, with luggage (13 days in Jerusalem). What would be the cost difference between a cab and a sherut. The obvious convenience would certainly be worth something...but how much?
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Old Mar 22, 2013, 9:36 am
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I am unsure if you mean Tel Aviv the city or Tel Aviv the airport. I'll answer both. ( from your writing TLV, I think you mean the airport)

To airport

The sherut is 62 NIS per person. You need to make a reservation the day before ( a few days before is better if you are leaving on a holiday or the Sabbath) They will tell you what time they are picking you up. You may be the first pick-up, the last or somewhere in the middle. Do not be concerned if they are alittle late. Sometimes they get held up by earlier passengers--but they build that into their schedule.

A direct private taxi ( assuming it is before 9PM) is 257 NIS! After 9 it is 307!

To the city:

I am not sure how much the sherut is ( probably around 20-25 NIS give or take) The taxi is 305NIS with a few extra shekels for the luggage.

HOWEVER, if you are not taking a cab I would take the bus. ( and yes, you would need to then take a cab to your ultimate destination--but there is no place for luggage on this sherut.
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Old Mar 22, 2013, 11:10 pm
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Can payment be by USA credit card or must I change dollars to NIS before making payment?
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Old Mar 23, 2013, 1:33 am
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I think the OP is asking about TLV to Jerusalem.

In that case, you cannot order the sherut in advance; they are waiting outside the main exit from the terminal - just follow the signs. There is no viable bus service from the airport.

The prices listed above also apply to the ride from the airport.
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Old Mar 23, 2013, 7:47 pm
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Changing $$ at the airport unless you do it via an ATM is bad news exchange rate wise. In the past I paid in US$, to prevent being ripped off by the driver, check on www.xe.com what the shek to USD is the day you leave it will be the same or extremely close to it the next day as well. So if its 62 per person and say its 6.2 to the $ (its under 4) then youd give the driver $20 for the 2 of you I think its apx 3.70 or 37 sheks = $10 US so its $17 per person
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Old Mar 23, 2013, 7:54 pm
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Depends on how you value your time. They won't leave TLV until full. I have waited over an hour for one to fill up which drove me nuts.
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Old Mar 23, 2013, 8:09 pm
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When going to Jerusalem from the airport, I generally stick with the taxi and "splurge" for the convenience. Cost would be around NIS 250, though they will generally take USD.
Sherut is NIS 62 and can't be ordered in advance. Drivers will vary on whether or not they take USD. There is place for luggage in the sherut (shared taxi), known as Nesher.

Regarding bus, you would need to take the shuttle bus to Tzomet EL AL, and then take the 947 from there to Jerusalem Central Bus Station, and then take a taxi, city bus, or light rail to your final destination, so public transportation isn't your best option.
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Old Mar 24, 2013, 8:44 am
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Originally Posted by craz
Changing $$ at the airport unless you do it via an ATM is bad news exchange rate wise. In the past I paid in US$, to prevent being ripped off by the driver, check on www.xe.com what the shek to USD is the day you leave it will be the same or extremely close to it the next day as well. So if its 62 per person and say its 6.2 to the $ (its under 4) then youd give the driver $20 for the 2 of you I think its apx 3.70 or 37 sheks = $10 US so its $17 per person
Use the ATM. It is totally unfair and wrong to expect the driver to give you commercial rate ( which is what the website above will give you) The driver will NOT get commerical rate when he changes your $$ to NIS AND he has to take HIS time to do it. BTW the rate at the moment is 3.649 . It hasn't been 3.7 for a few weeks now! ( it is going down and down and down)
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Old Mar 24, 2013, 9:31 am
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Originally Posted by awayIgo
Use the ATM. It is totally unfair and wrong to expect the driver to give you commercial rate ( which is what the website above will give you) The driver will NOT get commerical rate when he changes your $$ to NIS AND he has to take HIS time to do it. BTW the rate at the moment is 3.649 . It hasn't been 3.7 for a few weeks now! ( it is going down and down and down)
If its going down ona daily basis then most likely the drivers wont take US$. Unfair whats usually unfair is when asking if you can pay in US$ they give you a rate that is far below what it should be trying to scam you.

But what counts is if they feel the shek is going to go down against the US$ then they will gladly accept it. When it used to be apx $8 they always said yes to paying in US$ but said any where from $10-15 I gave them $8. When a couple of yrs ago (last time with nesher) it was $15 they said it was $20, the dispacther said $15. When the driver complained,I told him thats what the dispatcher told me it was, so take itup with him when you get back to BG
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Old Mar 24, 2013, 10:11 am
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Why get into an argument over this ? Just change some dollars in the airport or withdraw some shekels from the ATM ! Would you fly into JFK and try to pay a cab driver in Euros or another currency?

The shekel has been steady against the dollar for the last 15 years and Israelis do not generally invest in foreign currency based securities any more. I sincerely doubt that any cab driver is interested in "speculating" with your $15 !
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Old Mar 24, 2013, 2:20 pm
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Originally Posted by mbgg
Why get into an argument over this ? Just change some dollars in the airport or withdraw some shekels from the ATM ! Would you fly into JFK and try to pay a cab driver in Euros or another currency?

The shekel has been steady against the dollar for the last 15 years and Israelis do not generally invest in foreign currency based securities any more. I sincerely doubt that any cab driver is interested in "speculating" with your $15 !
AFAIK there is no argument going on

As for paying in a Currency other then the Countrys.It can be done in many Countrys. As for JFK since most people travel with USD no need, but its very possible that if a driver travels to Europe (back home for them, they might accept Euros depending on the direction of the Euro and when they plan to fly over there).

Many Israelis do travel several times a yr so if they plan on visiting the US, they just might want the USD to save them their on FOREX fees. And I do remember a couple of times when the drivers wanted me to pay in USD but since I was based over there I had my fair share of sheks and it was cheaper for me to pay in sheks then USD.They werent too happy as they were hoping to get a nice supply of USD for their trip w/o having to exchange their sheks for it. Othertimes they were asking for Euros

As witha lmost every Country , if you change your currency for theirs at the airport exchange booths you will be taking a very nice bath, ATMs are much better. 1 place in the baggage hall it was slightly more then a 10% haircut
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Old Mar 25, 2013, 12:00 am
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craz:

I was referring to the argument with the taxi driver that you described.

Why does the average tourist have to worry about the taxi driver's vacation ? Do what is easiest and cheapest. All tourists have to change their dollars anyway so do it at the airport and pay the 62 NIS - without using your calculator, arguing with the driver and questioning him about his next vacation.

Why complicate everything unnecessarily ?
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Old Mar 25, 2013, 6:37 am
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Originally Posted by mbgg
craz:

I was referring to the argument with the taxi driver that you described.

Why does the average tourist have to worry about the taxi driver's vacation ? Do what is easiest and cheapest. All tourists have to change their dollars anyway so do it at the airport and pay the 62 NIS - without using your calculator, arguing with the driver and questioning him about his next vacation.

Why complicate everything unnecessarily ?


Who ever argues with the driver? It happened all of 1 time, I never asked if they were going anywhere for vacation and where.

I simply asked the dispatcher how much is the ride per person in sheks and can I pay in USD. The dispatcher said how much it was and how much in USD, end of discussion. Had the dispatcher said its 50 sheks and you need to go change your money as thats all the drivers want, then I would have gone and gotten some sheks.

Personally I dont believe I spend $10 worth of sheks while over there, everything is via my CC. Last Oct I went with 30 sheks in hand and returned with 20 and didnt change any money. On top of that Im usually bringing friends things they ordered online and used my CC to pay for it as a US based CC was needed, this time $107 is owed to me of which I will take only $7 in sheks if that.

Now most tourists will need sheks I agree. I was in Hong Kong in Jan I only hit the ATM the day after I arrived, the airport had a high min and I knew I wouldnt need all of it. Used my CC for transport to my Hotel area. When going somewhere for the 1st time I try not to change at teh airport as I 1st want to try and assess what my needs will be. Even thou I dont pay for ATM withdrawls many folks do so its best if they can gauage what they will need and then withdraw it rather then to take several withdraws and have the cost add up or withdraw why too much and now have alot left over w/o knowing when they will be back in that Country(The Euro is an exception if a person plans on several European trips).

I know many people who like myself do not stop to exchange money when arriving at TLV either at an ATM or 1 of the Money changes, probably has to do with when yrs ago you were able to get a much better rate at the private changers in the citys
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Old Mar 25, 2013, 7:31 am
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The few times I've ever needed cash upon landing, I simply withdrew ILS from the ATM. Fair rate, no fee charged by the ATM, and no high min. Same as withdrawing from any other ATM in the country.
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Old Mar 25, 2013, 8:42 am
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Originally Posted by joshwex90
The few times I've ever needed cash upon landing, I simply withdrew ILS from the ATM. Fair rate, no fee charged by the ATM, and no high min. Same as withdrawing from any other ATM in the country.
@ HKG in Jan Citi's ATM had a 500 HKD min, I knew I didnt need near that amount. I dont pay with Citi, if anything I had < $64 left in HKD walked into the Citi branch on Nathan Rd and they told me it was a 50 HKD min charge to get back USD. Showed them my Citi card and they said sorry you dont have any fees and walked me up to the front of the line so that I didnt have to wait

Nice to know the Israeli ATMs dont charge but a person still should make sure their bank doesnt charge them, I remember all too well the days of double dipping where the ATM charged and so did your bank, talk about $$ flying out a window

Since the ATMs over there dont charge & if a persons bank also doesnt then I can understand taking out what you need at the moment. But if an ATM or ones bank does charge per transaction those fees can add up very fast, especially if theres a min fee per transaction
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