Ben-Gurion International Airport (TLV)

Overview

Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) is situated nine miles (15km) from the vibrant and cosmopolitan city of Tel Aviv. It is Israel's busiest airport and the perfect gateway to exploring the ancient history of the region or relaxing on Tel Aviv's fantastic beaches. Passengers might have heard about the heavy security presence at Ben Gurion, and should expect to go through as many as five different security checkpoints before reaching the check-in counter. Stay calm and maintain eye contact with the officials, and these should all go smoothly. It is worth noting that frequent travellers may pay a high price for having an Israeli stamp in their passports. Most countries in the Gulf Region will not allow entry to passengers with Israeli stamps in their passports. The good news is that Israeli immigration officials are friendly and generally will be happy to stamp a piece of paper affixed to your passport rather than stamping your passport itself.

Location

The airport is situated nine miles (14km) southeast of Tel Aviv, and 30 miles (50km) west of Jerusalem.

Getting to the city

Train: Trains are the best option for getting into Tel Aviv; they're clean, fast and cheap. Trains run from level S of Terminal 3 to Tel Aviv Savidor Station. Tickets cost ILS 10 and the trip into town takes 20 minutes. Passengers arriving after midnight will have to wait until 3am for the first train of the day.

Taxis: Taxis usually wait outside the arrivals hall. Taxi fare for the nine mile (15km) trip into town costs ILS 90. There is an added surcharge at night and on Jewish holidays and the Sabbath.

Bus: Buses run from the nearby Airport City rather than the airport itself. Passengers can take the free Egged No. 5 Shuttle from the second floor of arrivals to Airport City.

Time

GMT +2 (GMT +3 from April to September).

Contacts

Tel: +972 (0)3 975 5555.

see full airport guide

Ben-Gurion Airport Taxis: the taxi fares above are intended as a guideline only.