Is it safe & easy to travel from Israel to the West Bank? Tourists, international volunteers, interns, students, and visitors have many questions about the safety and logistics of traveling from Israel to the West Bank, such as: how can you get there and what kind of transport is available?

No direct public transport available from Tel-Aviv to the Palestinian side

Generally speaking, there is no direct public transport available from Tel-Aviv to the Palestinian side. First, you need to travel to Jerusalem and then from Jerusalem via shared taxi to whatever your destination is in the Palestinian areas (Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Nablus, Hebron, Salfeet, Tubas..etc).

Palestine is not a big country

Palestine is not a big country, it means that traveling from the north to the south of it takes only around 3-4 hours, getting from Jerusalem to any Palestinian cities takes only about 2-3 hours by a shared taxi but sometimes be prepared for a wait as the shared taxies only depart when the vehicle is full.

Shared taxies run 7 days a week from around 6 am to 9 pm. An added factor to be mindful of is that you will have limited options if you decide to travel on a Friday, which is the holiday for Muslims.  If you must travel on a Friday you will need to travel early in the morning and return before sunset if you want to return on the same day.

Traveling from and around Palestine and (Israel) is really easy and safe

in conclusion, many internationals make day trips between Palestine and (Israel). Traveling from and around Palestine and (Israel) is really easy and safe, you can always ask questions and Palestinian People are willing to help you even if you do not speak Arabic, Palestine is a small country and traveling around it is cheap, easy, safe and not costly at all.

What about the cost of Taxis in Palestine?

The cost of traveling to the Palestinian side by shared taxi is quite cheap, possibly less than 100 NIS (around 25$). A private taxi will, of course, cost more. Private taxis will take you directly to your destination without having to make changes during your journey.

Can I ask for a private taxi?

Of course, you can but as mentioned above, it will cost you considerably more than shared transport. The minimum cost from a private taxi directly from the airport to the city of your choice will be about 400 NIS.

The taxis that carry an Israeli car plate (Yellow Plate) can easily travel to the Palestinian areas without any difficulty while the Palestinian taxis are not permitted to enter the Israeli areas at all.

Is it safe to go to the West Bank?

No worries, the Palestinian areas are safe and many international visitors safely visit Palestine every year getting to know the nature of the lifestyle of the people living there and to get closer, on the ground look at what’s really happening. Many international people come to Palestine to visit, to work and intern and to volunteer mostly in the non-governmental organizations all over Palestine.  The number of NGO’s in Palestine exceeds 500.  People would not be coming to Palestine if the situation were unsafe.

Final remarks 

Tourists and volunteers who do come to Palestine find that, although the situation in Palestine may at times be tense, they are largely able to live their daily lives without any particular safety concerns above and beyond those ones might find typical of living in big cities. So the golden rule is to take the normal safety precautions that you would take in any other part of the world and enjoy your visit to Palestine.

Questions? 

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact at Rafat@excellencenter.org

Whatsapp:+972599479880

For more information, please visit our website: https://excellencenter.org/

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Thank you very much. We would be happy to have you in Palestine!