There are lots of opportunities to rent a car and if you want to explore Israel independently rather than on an organised tour and this can be the best way to get around and see the main locations.
Firstly, if you don’t drive or have a drivers licence, you might want to consider organised tours to get guided to the most popular attractions in Israel. International travel operators like G Adventures offer lots of amazing trips all year round. You can also search city sightseeing tours on websites like GetYourGuide or Viator.
If you do have a drivers licence, here are some important things to know before renting a car in Israel and also my top tips.
Book ahead of time
Be sure to make a reservation in-advance if you plan to travel during holidays or a busy period.
Mileage
If you rent for 1 day, mileage is usually limited to 100 km for the day. Starting from 3 days you have unlimited mileage.
Best places to rent a car
Renting from an airport can sometimes work out more expensive, but it is also much easier especially if you are arriving by plane. It can be hassle to find a dealership in a random location.
Cost
Prices are generally between 40 and 50 US$ per day for the smallest car, including insurance. The CDW differs from company to company from 275 US$ (Hertz) to 400 US$. El Dan is the biggest local firm, but their prices where not better then the international firms.
Requirements
To be eligible and actually get a car, you will need:
- Valid driver’s license.
- Passport and/or Israeli ID.
- Valid credit card in name of the rental customer only.
Get insured
This is very important, usually the car company will offer it to you, whilst you can also purchase online. Whatever you do, just get it just incase.
Prices often include VAT
However, if you pay with a credit card, you don’t have to pay this VAT, so you should ask for a reduction of at least 10%.
Always refill before giving back the car
I didn’t do it, and my tank was 65% full, however Hertz charged us almost a full tank saying they add 10% service tax !!!
There’s always a drop off charge
Expect to pay around 20 US$ for Ben Gurion airport, for other cities (f.i. pick up Tel Aviv and drop off Jerusalem) there’s no drop off charge.
Don’t get scared by horror stories
Sometimes people say “Israeli drivers are very dangerous”. In fact, most of them stick to the speed limits and don’t drive faster then 110 km/hours. Also directions are mostly well signposted (except maybe sometimes in the big cities).
Read up on road rules
Have a look online before departing to find out about speed limits and general rules you need to follow.
Is driving in Israel easy?
Israel doesn’t have a huge population so even driving in the larger cities isn’t as stressful as in other counties in the Middle East or other worldwide destinations. There is a modern highway system and when you get outside of the the city centres of places such Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Nazareth and Eilat the roads are pretty empty.
Road signs
Road signs are in English (and Hebrew/Arabic) so you shouldn’t have any trouble navigating the country.
Itinerary
Check places you want to visit and when first driving aim to get around during daylight hours, driving at night can be even more confusing. Use a satnav, or phone navigation which can really help you not to get lost.
Safety
Israel is very safe, but still don’t leave valuables in your car, especially when parked.
Israeli police has red number plates
Sometimes they have anonymous cars but still with the red number plates. I was stopped by one since I was the only one overtaking this car, all the Israeli knew of course it was a police car. I got off with a warning.
Learn some Hebrew
Not only is it polite, but it might come in handy if you need to ask for directions, help or if you have any accidents. Even just the basics of Hebrew would be beneficial and local people will appreciate it.
Renting a car can be a very hassle free way to explore Israel, and it is much easier than you might think. View more of my Israel travel tips to maximise your experience here.
