Frequently Asked Questions about the COVID-19
If you have a fever of 100.4F (38C) or higher, cough, trouble breathing, or other respiratory symptoms, you must immediately enter self-isolation and call the 101 MDA Emergency Services Hotline for medical advice.
Do not go to an HMO clinic or emergency ward.
I NEED TO BRING MY MEDICATION INTO ISRAEL. WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE?
CAN I RENT A MOBILE PHONE IN ISRAEL?
WHAT IF I WANT TO MAKE MY OWN TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS?
Find comprehensive information about tourist destinations in Israel on our website under Tourist Information.
You can find a list of some of the tour operators that have organised tours from India to Israel here.
DO I NEED AN INTERNATIONAL DRIVING LICENSE?
If you wish to drive a car in Israel, you must hold a valid international driver's license.
WHERE CAN I RENT A CAR IN ISRAEL?
International car rental chains have offices in Israel, and there are multiple Israel-based car rental companies as well. You can rent a car in all of Israel’s major cities and also at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, though it is recommended to reserve a car before you arrive.
Driving in Israel is on the right-hand side of the road, and most signage is written in Hebrew, English and Arabic. While driving, do not use a hand-held phone as it is against the law.
WHERE IN ISRAEL DO I FIND TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES?
Jerusalem
Address: Jaffa Gate, Omar Ibn Katab Square in the Old City
Telephone: 02-6280403 ; 02-6271422 ; 02-6260576
Opening hours: Sat-Thu : 8:30am-5:00pm; Fri: 8:30am-1:00pm
Eilat
Address: 8 Bridge House, North Beach Promenade, Eilat
Telephone: 08-6309111
Opening hours: Sun-Thu : 8:30am-5:00pm ; Fri. 8:00am-1:00pm
In addition, many Tourist Information Centers are operated by Regional Councils, Municipalities and local Tourism Boards throughout Israel.
Golan
Address: P.O.Box 175, Katzerin 12990
Telephone: 04-6962885
Fax: 04-6961844
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 9:00am-15:45pm
Upper Galilee
Address: 70 Tel Hai Blvd. Kiryat Shemona
Telephone: 04-6817152
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 9:00am-4:00pm
Closed Friday Saturday.
Tiberias
Address: Habanim st. Archaeological Park
Telephone: 04-6725666
Fax: 04-6724489
Opening hours: Sun-Thu : 8:00 -15:45
Nazareth
Address: Han Al Basha Building
Telephone: 04-6106611
Opening hours: Mon-Thu: 8:30-17:00
Fri : 8:30-17:00 Sat: 8:30-14:00 Sun: Closed
Jordan Valley
Jordan Valley Regional Council
Address: Comercial Center, Zemah Junction
Telephone: 04-6752727
Fax: 04-6709454
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 8:00am-4:00pm : Fri: 10:00- 12:00 Sat & Holidays: 10:00am-3:00pm
Haifa
Haifa Tourist Association
Address: 48 Ben Gurion st., The German Colony
Telephone: 1-800-305090, 04-8535606
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 9:00am-5:00pm : Fri: 09:00am-1:00pm ; Sat: 10:00am-3:00pm
Carmelim
Carmel Beach Regional Council
Kibbutz Ein Carmel
Tel. 04-8136239
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 9:00am-4:00pm
Closed Friday Saturday
Carmelim
Address: The Cave Strean Nature Reserve
Telephone: 04-9841750/ *3639
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 8:00am-3:00pm : Fri: 08:00am-3:00pm ; Sat: 8:00am-2:00pm
Netanya
Address: 12 Ha'atzmaut Square, Netanya
Telephone: 1-700-709292 ; 09-8827286
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 8:00am-4:00pm
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv Tourism Association
Address: Tel Aviv Promanade, 46 Herbert Samuel st.
Telephone: 03-5166188
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 10:00am-5:30pm Fri: 10:00am-2:00pm
Beer Sheva
Address: Abraham Well, 1 Hevron Rd. Beer Sheva
Telephone: 08-6464900
Opening hours: Sun-Thu: 8:00am-4:00pm
Fri - Sat: 10:00am-2:00pm
Dead Sea
Tamar Regional Council
Address: Public Solarium, Ein Bokek
Telephone: 08-9975010
Opening hours: Sun- Thu: 9:00am-4:00pm Fri: 9:00am- 3:00pm
Sat : Closed
Arad
Address: "Paz" gas station, Industrial erea, Arad
Telephone: 08-9954160
Opening hours: Thursday-Saturday, 09:00am-04:00pm
WHERE CAN I SEE THE FAMOUS DEAD SEA SCROLLS?
Read here to know more about the Dead Sea.
WHAT ARE THE CUSTOMS REGULATIONS?
There is a two-lane customs transit system, Green and Red, at Ben Gurion Airport and the various crossing points in to Israel. Visitors who do not have goods to be declared may go through the Green Lane at the exit from the passenger arrival hall.
Articles that do not need to be declared:
- Personal clothing, shoes and cosmetics – in quantities that can usually be carried in the traveller’s hand baggage.
- Alcoholic beverages – up to one liter for hard liquor, and up to two liters for wine, per person aged 17 and over.
- Tobacco of all types – up to 250 grams per person aged 17 and over.
- Presents and other commodities – items other than alcoholic beverages, alcoholic perfumes, tobacco, television sets - costing up to $200, as determined by the clerk at the entrance terminal, according to lists in his possession.
- Food – up to a total weight of three kilograms, on condition that the weight of each type of food does not exceed one kilogram.
- Additional items such as cameras, binoculars, personal jewelry, musical instruments, camping or sports equipment, bicycle and other like articles.
Visitors with items not appearing in the list of duty free items or in the list of taxable items must also go through the Red lane and declare them. Visitors with goods for which a deposit must be paid, which will be returned to them when they leave Israel, must go through the Red lane. In case of doubt, the tax authorities recommend going through the Red lane. Failure to declare taxable items represents an offense, for which the traveller will pay an administrative fine, be prosecuted or have the goods confiscated.
It is forbidden to import the following items into Israel without a license issued in advance: plants, firearms, raw meat, raw materials, counterfeit currency or documents, knife or penknife not intended for professional use, etc.
It is permitted to import vehicles for personal use. Visitors are also allowed to purchase a tax-exempt vehicle in Israel on the condition that they take it out of Israel upon leaving the country, and this is no later than one year from the date of the tax exemption or its purchase. In order to receive a tax exemption, a foreign license and an insurance policy that are valid in Israel must be presented. Address:
Department of Customs
5 Bank of Israel Street,
The Government Complex,
Jerusalem.
Telephone – 972-2-6664000
Import or export of funds (cash, cashier's checks, traveller’s checks) the equivalent of 80,000 shekels together and more must be logged in.
The corresponding "inch form no. 84" can be requested by phone on:
+ 972-2-658 7777.
DO I NEED TO RECEIVE ANY SPECIAL VACCINATION BEFORE MY TRIP TO ISRAEL?
Not at all. Israel is an entirely western country with an advanced level of hygiene, health care, diagnosis and medicine that is the envy of much of the world and on a par with the best of North America and Western Europe.
WHAT DO I DO IN AN EMERGENCY?
Magen David Adom (MDA) is the national rescue and blood transfusion service in Israel. MDA is accessible 24 hours under the 101 phone number and has a fleet of ambulances, intensive care and emergency responders throughout Israel where patients are treated and taken to the nearest emergency room.
MDA is part of the International Organization of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and the Israeli Red Cross National Society.
IS THE WESTERN WALL TUNNEL OPEN FOR VISITORS?
Yes, it is. Read about the Western Wall tunnel here
IS THERE AN ISRAELI OPERA?
A few years ago, the Israeli Opera was reopened as The New Israeli Opera. They reside in Tel-Aviv and perform with many famous productions, including non-operatic shows.
IS THERE A TEMPORARY PARKING PERMIT FOR DISABLED TOURISTS?
ISRAEL FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Considerable efforts and resources have been invested in Israel to enable disabled persons to access any destination and to receive service that is equal to that received by the rest of the public.
HOW DO I DIAL TO MY COUNTRY FROM ISRAEL?
WHAT IS A RAV-KAV CARD?
The Rav-Kav is a smart card that contains passenger's personal information and details of the discount program for which passenger is eligible. The Rav-Kav can be recharged in the bus and in certain stations with an appropriate payment package: multiple ticket (Kartisiya), monthly pass (Khofshi Khodshi) etc.
TRANSPORTATION
What are the transportation options from the airport?
Most visitors arrive at Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) located 30-minutes from the heart of Tel Aviv, 45 minutes from Jerusalem. If you are arriving without prior land arrangements, there are cabs at the airport, bus services – and trains are available from the airport station (take the airport elevator to the lowest level) to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Netanya and Haifa.
How do I get around?
Israel has a sophisticated system of highways, buses, trains and domestic flights. Follow these links to know more.
Buses – The most popular form of transportation in Israel, you can buy tickets at any city’s central bus station or from the driver. Please note that most buses don’t operate in Israel on Saturdays (Shabbat)
Train – The Israel Railways is an affordable easy way to travel between major cities in Israel. Please note that the trains don’t operate in Israel on Saturdays (Shabbat)
Private Taxi – a more expensive option, taxis can be flagged down or ordered by phone almost anywhere, and they’ll take you around town or between cities.
Rent a car – International car rental chains have offices in Israel, and there are multiple Israel-based car rental companies. you can rent a car in all of Israel’s major cities and at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. It’s recommended to reserve a car before you arrive.
Driving in Israel is on the right-hand side of the road, and most signage is written in Hebrew, Arabic and English.
Don’t use a hand-held phone while driving: it’s against the law.
ARE ALL THE RESTAURANTS IN ISRAEL KOSHER?
Not all of the restaurants in Israel are kosher.
Places offering kosher food usually display a kashrut certificate granted to them by the local rabbinate. Most hotels serve kosher food, as well as some restaurants, but there is no binding law. So if kashrut is important to you, you must check when you dine.
HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD I NEED TO LIVE ON IN ISRAEL, ON A DAILY / WEEKLY BASIS?
HOW CAN I FIND A TOUR OPERATOR WHO OFFERS TOUR PACKAGES TO ISRAEL?
Israel is a thoroughly westernized country. You can make your own arrangements to travel independently and there are dozens of tour operators offering a multitude of options for trips to Israel.
You can find comprehensive information on our website under our Best Deals Page.
For more information about your trip to Israel please contact us at info-israel@goisrael.gov.il
WHICH AIRLINES FLY FROM INDIA TO ISRAEL?
More than 80 airlines operate flights to Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport from all over the world.
From India, El Al Israel Airlines operates between 3 to 4 flights per week, flying direct from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport (TLV).
Aeroflot Russian Airlines operates daily flights from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) via Moscow.
Turkish Airlines operates daily flights from Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) via Istanbul.
Ethiopian Airlines operates flights from both Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) via Addis Ababa.
Please check for alternate Airlines that may operate flights to Israel.
WEATHER
What is the weather like in Israel, when is the best time to visit?
Israel is a year round destination that enjoys long, warm, dry summers and generally mild winters with somewhat drier, cooler weather in hilly regions, such as Jerusalem and Safed. Temperatures can vary widely so just pack for the "right" weather and you'll be fine.
What kind of clothing should I pack?
In Summer, lightweight T-shirts, sleeveless shirts, shorts, and a bathing suit are recommended.
Pack a sweater or a jacket for nights in the mountains or the desert. In Winter, bring long sleeve shirts, sweaters and a scarf, gloves, a warm coat, and a raincoat and an umbrella.
Some religious sites require long pants for men and clothing that covers the shoulders and knees for women.
ELECTRICITY
The electric current in Israel is 220 volts, C, single phase, 50 Hertz, the same as in India.
Most Israeli sockets are three-pronged but most also accept two-pronged plugs. Visitors who will use shavers, traveling irons and other small appliances may need transformers/ adaptor plugs. If your appliance does not work on 220 volts, you will need an adaptor.
DO I NEED A VISA TO TRAVEL TO ISRAEL?
All visitors to Israel must hold a passport that is valid for at least six months from the date they are departing the country.
Travellers with no nationality must hold a valid laissez-passer, as well as a visa back to the country that issued it. Visitors are entitled to remain in Israel up to three months from the date of their arrival, in accordance with the conditions of the visa issued to them. The State of Israel does not require a US or European passport holder to apply for a visa.
DO I NEED TO RECEIVE ANY SPECIAL VACCINATION BEFORE MY TRIP TO ISRAEL?
Not at all. Israel is an entirely western country with an advanced level of hygiene, health care, diagnosis and medicine that is the envy of much of the world and on a par with the best of North America and Western Europe.
CAN YOU DRINK TAP WATER IN ISRAEL?
Absolutely, tap water in Israel is safe, but, you will also find bottled mineral water everywhere.
(It’s important to make sure you drink a lot, especially if you are walking, hiking or exercising during hot weather.)