Best Time to Visit

Jerusalem is pleasant to visit at any time of year. For affordable prices, relatively limited visitor numbers, and a warm, enjoyable weather, choose March—May and October—November. Summer is peak season, and hosts the busy, interesting Jerusalem Season of Culture festival. Temperatures are high (around 25 to 35 °C, possibly more), and the city is packed with people. Winters are cool, much more than in nearby Tel Aviv, and can have unpredictable weather. The city gets particularly crowded and expensive during Jewish holidays (High Holy Days, Passover, and Sukkot) and the Christian Easter.

Medical care in Jerusalem is very good, but very expensive — make sure you have good medical insurance for your trip. Although Jerusalem isn't usually a dangerous city, it's better to avoid the Old City at night. With Palestinian-Israeli issues coming to a boil, areas around places of worship in the Old City can become contentious, especially at noon on Friday. It is important to note that trips to the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Syrian and Lebanese borders must be carefully considered and require extra precautions. Make sure you get all the information you need and up-to-date travel and safety advice issued by your government prior to travel.

Jerusalem does not have an airport within the city, but the closest airport is Ben Gurion International Airport, located around 50km away. This is the main international airport in Israel and offers many flight options from various destinations around the world. From Ben Gurion Airport, you can reach Jerusalem by taxi, shared shuttle, or train. Taxis and shared shuttles are available at the airport terminal. Taxi ranks at the airport are found at ground level at the Gate 3 exit, and on the second level at the Gate 21 exit. To help you hail a taxi, a taxi dispatcher service is available at two locations: Terminal 3, Level G, Gate 42 exit; or Terminal 1, near Gate 3. Alternatively, you can take the cheaper bus 485, run by the Afikim company. It goes from the airport to Jerusalem's Central Bus Station and runs around the clock 6 days a week, excluding Shabbat. The last service is at 2 pm on Friday, followed by the next bus at 7 pm on Saturday. The train station is located at the airport itself, at level S. The train is a convenient option as it offers a direct connection between the airport and Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon Station, with a travel time of around 25 minutes. It is important to note that security measures are strict in Israel, especially at the airport, so be prepared to go through a thorough security check.

Public transport in Jerusalem consists of a bus service and a light rail, and it's run by the Egged company. Search for the most convenient routes on their website. Be aware that it is not possible to buy tickets directly on board. In order to use the transport system, you need to load a smart card called "Rav Kav". It is available at bus stations, kiosks, Cofix branches, and more. To add credit to your card, you can also go to automatic machines and light rail stations. The bus service runs mostly around the Central Bus Station and the Downtown Triangle (between Ben Yehuda Street, King George Street and Jaffa Road). The light rail line goes from Mount Herzl to Pisgat Zeev, South-West to North-East; it has stops near Jaffa Street and the Mahane Yehuda Market. The Mount Herzl final stop is close to the Yad Vashem memorial.

Country Code: +972 Area Code: 2

Israel operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz. You will usually find plug type C (two round pins, common in Europe). You can also see plug H (three pins in a triangular shape), which is compatible with type C.