How to Get from Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem
Updated: July 2026
Jerusalem lies about 50 kilometres and an 800-metre climb from Ben Gurion Airport, which makes the journey longer and a touch more involved than the quick hop to Tel Aviv. Four options get you up the hill: the fast train to the central Yitzhak Navon station in around 25 minutes, a door-to-door taxi in 45–60 minutes for roughly ₪261–333 by day, a dedicated airport bus line, and shared sherut vans. Each suits a different traveller and a different hour.
Because Jerusalem is a city of hillside hotels, narrow lanes and the Old City’s car-free gates, where you are staying matters as much as how you travel. This guide compares the routes honestly and flags the Shabbat gaps, so you reach your guesthouse without a scramble. To skip the logistics, a pre-booked airport taxi to Jerusalem meets you in arrivals holding your name.
Does the fast train reach Jerusalem from the airport?
Yes, and it is impressive: a high-speed line climbs from the airport station to Yitzhak Navon station in the heart of Jerusalem in about 25 minutes. Trains run through the day for a few shekels, and Navon connects straight to the city’s light rail, so for a central destination it is fast and remarkably cheap.
The limitations are familiar ones. The train does not operate on Shabbat, from Friday afternoon to Saturday night, and Navon is a very deep station — a long series of escalators from platform to street — which is tiring with heavy suitcases. From Navon you also still need onward transport, light rail or taxi, to reach a hotel in the German Colony or beside the Old City. It shines for light, central, weekday arrivals and less so otherwise.
How much is a taxi to Jerusalem, and how long is the climb?
A taxi runs the fifty-odd kilometres up Highway 1 into the Judean hills in about 45 to 60 minutes, and under the 2026 tariff a daytime fare is roughly ₪261–333, including the airport and booking supplements; nights and weekend nights move to the higher bands. Its edge over the train is decisive if you are not staying centrally: the taxi goes to your hotel door, or as close to an Old City gate as vehicles may go.
Because the fare is per vehicle, a family or a group of pilgrims splits a single price. With a pre-booked ride the driver tracks your flight, waits inside Terminal 3 arrivals, and the estimate is agreed before you fly — the meter still sets the final fare. Compare the exact number for your hotel with the fare calculator, or read the full tariff on our Israel taxi prices page.
Is there a bus or sherut from the airport to Jerusalem?
A dedicated airport bus line links Ben Gurion with Jerusalem and, unusually for Israeli public transport, keeps some service running overnight and through Shabbat — a genuine help when the train and city buses are down. It is inexpensive, but it calls at fixed stops rather than your hotel, and current times are worth checking before you rely on it.
Shared sherut vans also work the route: a ten-seat minibus that departs once full and drops each passenger at their own address across the city. It is cheaper than a taxi and door-to-door, but the wait to fill and the loop of drop-offs can add a long tail after an international flight. For two or more travelling together, a private taxi often wins on both time and comfort.
Which option is best for the Old City and for Shabbat?
If you are staying inside or beside the Old City, remember that private vehicles cannot drive within the walls: a taxi brings you to the nearest gate — usually Jaffa Gate or New Gate on the western side — leaving a short walk, while the train plus light rail sets you down further out. For narrow-lane guesthouses, a driver who knows Jerusalem will agree the best drop point with you rather than leaving you to work it out with luggage in hand.
On Shabbat the choice narrows to the airport bus, a sherut, or a taxi, since the train and city buses stop. Saturday-daytime taxi fares are billed at the ordinary daytime tariff, so a Saturday-afternoon arrival is not automatically costly — only Friday-night and Saturday-night rides carry the top weekend band. Whichever you pick, book or check times ahead, because Friday-afternoon demand into Jerusalem is intense.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a taxi from Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem?
About ₪261–333 in the daytime, rising to the higher bands at night and on weekend nights, all including the airport and booking supplements. The price is per vehicle, so a family or group shares one fare, and a pre-booked ride confirms the estimate before you fly while the meter sets the final fare.
How long does the fast train from the airport to Jerusalem take?
Roughly 25 minutes to Yitzhak Navon station in the city centre, running through the day. It does not operate on Shabbat, and Navon is deep underground with long escalators, so allow extra time with heavy luggage and for the onward light rail or taxi to your hotel.
How do I get to Jerusalem from the airport on Shabbat?
The train and city buses stop from Friday afternoon to Saturday night, leaving three options: the dedicated airport bus line, which keeps limited service, a shared sherut van, or a taxi, which as a rule keeps running. Saturday-daytime taxi fares use the ordinary daytime tariff, so they are not automatically higher.
Can a taxi drop me inside the Old City of Jerusalem?
Not within the walls — vehicles cannot enter. A driver brings you to the nearest gate, usually Jaffa Gate or New Gate, a short walk from most guesthouses in the Christian and Armenian Quarters. Every other Jerusalem hotel and address is served fully door-to-door.
Is the train or a taxi better for reaching my Jerusalem hotel?
The train wins for a central, light, weekday arrival. A taxi wins whenever your hotel is not beside Navon station, when you have heavy luggage, when you travel as a group, or on Shabbat and overnight — because it goes straight to the door in one step instead of a station-plus-transfer.
Book your taxi now
Our dispatch line is open every hour of the day and night, all week long — call or WhatsApp for instant confirmation and a fare known upfront, per the official tariff.