ds408

Hello All,

I was planning on visiting (first time) Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in March. I am planning to stay in Jerusalem Weds/Thurs/Fri nite and then coming back to Tel Aviv on Saturday.

Will this be difficult to do? I have read that many things are closed on Saturday. Would the buses even be running back to Tel Aviv that day? Is this a bad idea to plan
anything major on Saturdays in Israel?

Thank you very much for any advice!

LAX_Esq

Just to be clear, you're talking about getting from city-to-city Jerusalem to Tel Aviv transport, not airport transport, right? If so, the public buses don't run on Shabbat but the sheruts (shared taxis) certainly do. Sheruts run 24/7, and leave as soon as they fill up (10 seats). And then they start to fill up the next one. During the daytime, they fill up pretty quickly, as there is always a steady stream of people going by sherut between J'lem and TLV given the lack of bus option.

You still need to get from your J'lem hotel to the sherut stop, and from the sherut stop to your TLV hotel. Not sure where you're staying, but that might require either a walk or a taxi (or a local shared taxi in TLV). Of course, that's the case during the weekdays as well if you take the public buses.

Also, the intra-city sheruts aren't equipped for lots of luggage like the airport sheruts. Not sure how much stuff you're traveling with, but it's difficult on the sherut if you're not traveling light. You might need to put luggage on your lap, jam it in the aisle, or even be prepared to pay for an extra seat.

There is plenty to do -- even "major" things -- in both J'lem and TLV on Shabbat. You just need to plan accordingly and not plan to do the "major" things that are closed on Shabbat.

M60_to_LGA

What are you planning to do in Jerusalem on Friday night? Most of downtown and the Jewish neighborhoods will be shut down for Shabbat because the city is so religious, although there will be a handful of places open, and the Christian/Muslim quarters of the Old City will be functioning normally if you're looking for places to eat, etc. But, unless your goal is specifically to see what Jerusalem looks like on Shabbat, I'd consider getting to Tel Aviv Friday before sundown.

Tel Aviv on Shabbat is completely different - most places are open, and there's a lot to do. The one downside is no public transit, but even that shouldn't impact you too much because the city is very walkable and surprisingly compact.

craz

another option is you checkout from your hotel as late as you can on Sat and leave your bags there and go around the city. A short time after nightfall, its biz as usual and you can catch a bus to Tel Aviv and then a cab to where you will be staying,if traveling with much more then carry-ons I wouldnt want to deal with the local buses

Could be by then the trains might be running Sat nights as another way to get to TA

holocker

I was wondering how much is a regular taxi between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and also Jerusalem and the airport? This would be on a Tuesday. Is Uber a better option? I will have luggage. I have a 5:20 AM flight leaving Jerusalem on a Friday and looking at train schedules it does not run that time.

M60_to_LGA

There's a very cheap bus from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion that runs all night (except Shabbat):
https://www.touristisrael.com/bus-be...rusalem/20176/

The bus has storage for luggage.

LAX_Esq

This is actually a good option if we're talking about winter time. It'll give OP an extra full day in J'lem if he's looking for more time there. To further clarify, OP can find the "nightfall" time by going here https://www.chabad.org/calendar/cand...e-Lighting.htm and putting in the relevant date and looking for the "Shabbat Ends" time.

A classic thread hijack! C'mon!

ds408

Thank you all very much for all the great info! I am so thankful for this site and the gracious people here!

To update, I was able to change my itinerary around a bit to stay until Sunday night in Jerusalem, so I guess I'll get the see the full Shabbat there after all.

I was a little worried about whether we would be able to find somewhere to eat on Shabbat, but one reply mentioned that food is still served in the Muslim/Christian qtr, so I guess that answers that. My wife was worried that we would need to stockpile food to last a day ;-)

So, with the itinerary change, we will now stay in Jerusalem until Sunday night, and then head straight to the TLV airport to catch a flight just after midnight. Does anyone see this as a problem? Will there be taxi's or shuttles running to the TLV airport at 8pm or so? Do they stop running after a certain time?

We are hoping to store our luggage the last day at the hotel upon checkout and try to fill the time until we leave, with sightseeing around town. Does this sound like a reasonable approach? Most of the flight options we had left very late, so I assume other travelers must have been in this same situation?

Thanks a lot!

LAX_Esq

The shared taxi service from Jerusalem to TLV airport ("Nesher sherut") runs 24/7 even on Shabbat, but you need to make a reservation before Shabbat. If you're staying at a hotel, have them do so. Yes, lots of flights leave late night.

There are a number of restaurants and bars open in West Jerusalem (the Jewish part, where most of the hotels are) even on Shabbat. You'll be able to have a nice dinner or even a drink on Friday night without trekking all the way to the old city. Don't worry; even though the vast majority are closed, Jerusalemites who don't keep Shabbat still manage to spend their Saturdays in bars and restaurants and cafes.

M60_to_LGA

You'll be fine. There's a lot of touristy stuff open in the Old City on Shabbat (the ramparts walk, guided walking tours, everything outside the Jewish quarter). Food as discussed won't be a problem, although not much will be open downtown.

As mentioned above, public transportation to Ben Gurion at 8pm on Sunday will be no problem at all. And hotels will of course hold your bags.

craz

Most hotels have an 11am as checkout, so if you arent at a Intl Chain hotel where you get a confirmed late checkout, figure at the very best you may get a noon checkout

Depending where your hotel is located I will think Nesher (joint shuttle vans) maybe your best option or for 2x (assuming there are 2 of you only) is a private taxi. If you with the shuttle dont tell them you wont be staying there at the time of pick up and simply tell them the room number you were in till you checked out. No problem at all getting a taxi or shuttle to get to the airport

As for food Fri night sat day, most hotels have dining rooms that serve both meals worse comes to worse

M60_to_LGA

All I can say is that, when I was in Jerusalem last month, there was very little open on Shabbat.

Some lucky exceptions: I stumbled on a great little wine bar called Dunuwas, just off of Yafo St., where they had an amazing jazz combo playing out in the street Friday night. They also have food - think cheese plates and Mediterranean small plates.

On Yafo very close to the Old City (sort of across the street from city hall), there's a Russian bar called Putin Pub that was open.

On Saturday morning I found Cafe Sira, on Ben Sira St., open for coffee and breakfast. I'm not sure about Aroma, but they might be another possibility

My hotel also told me that places in Hatahana (the old Ottoman train station in Rehavia) are also open on Shabbat, but I didn't check so can't confirm directly.

fransknorge

First I would consider the train to go to TLV from Jerusalem. Quicker, cheaper than the bus or sheirut, very convenient.
Second I was in West Jerusalem the first Sunday of Sukkot and everything was closed in West Jerusalem, not a single stall at the market was open. So OP should err on the side of caution and have a plan B for his time there (Old Town is a good idea, East Jerusalem too).

Raven_FL

Two recommendations for restaurants open Friday night: Menza on Ben Yehuda Street and The First Station, a collection of restaurants/shops, on David Remez Street. Make sure to make a reservation a few days before. Enjoy Tel Aviv and Jerusalem!