Driving in Israel is very…interesting.
Ask anyone who first learned to drive in any country that isn’t Israel what they think of driving here. Sometimes it’s downright terrifying.
As nice and friendly as Israelis are on the streets, they’re the complete opposite when you put them behind the wheel.
One of the things that I feel is the most lacking when compared to driving in the states is merge signs. Merge signs and speed limit signs. In Israel, based on the type of road you’re on, you’re supposed to know what the speed limit is without being told. Or there will be a sign with a picture of a house, and you’re supposed to know what that means the speed limit is.
The signs for the exits are rather good, but some exits come very soon after the other and then there are multiple signs which gets slightly confusing.
And the spelling. On 3 consecutive signs to Caesarea, the name is spelled differently on each sign, making trying to figure out how to get where you’re going a bit confusing as well.
On the Anglo List website there’s a comprehensive guide with speed limits and road signs to know when driving in Israel.
On the bright side, over the past few years the government has been doing major upgrades to our road system, so we have pretty good roads and highways generally speaking.
That being said, there are certain roads that I try to avoid at all costs.
Roads to Avoid at all Costs
Route 20 – the Ayalon Freeway
It’s the main road that connects between Tel Aviv north and south, and the other cities in the Dan Bloc. There’s almost always a traffic jam somewhere along this route and the speed limit on the southern portion is 70 kph, which is very slow for this type of highway. Not only that, there are traffic cameras that will take your picture if you’re speeding and send you a ticket in the mail.
Sometimes you can’t avoid this freeway though.
The Carmel Tunnels in Haifa
Sometimes they’re quite useful. For example, if you’re in a hurry, or just don’t have the patience to sit in traffic. But it’s a toll road, and an expensive one that that. Not only that, it’s a tunnel. So the GPS doesn’t quite work since it doesn’t know where you are, and you might miss your exit. Then you have to drive the entire length of the road (and pay the full sum) only to turn around and head back. And that’s just frustrating.
Route 6
I’m not sure I’d avoid it at all costs, but it is a toll road. So make sure that it’s worth it to you to spend the money.
I live adjacent to an exit of route 6, so I use it relatively often. Especially since I have family that sits off a different route 6 exit. It’s quite convenient, actually.
But one of the things I hate when driving is sitting in a traffic jam on a toll road.
One way to avoid this is by using the GPS and navigation app Waze. It gets user input and knows where the traffic jams are, where there are cars stopped on the side of the road, where the police are…It’s a very useful app. When you input your destination it will give you different route options, so you can check how much time each route will take and if there are tolls along the route.
If you want to avoid toll routes all together, you can turn on the “avoid tolls” option in the settings. Then it won’t give you any toll road options.
Parking
It’s hard to write a post about driving without also talking about parking. It’s the worst. Especially in the major cities. I have an entire post on this.
To recap though, in major cities use parking garages so you don’t get a ticket.
Summary
When driving in Israel use Waze. It’s very useful when trying to get around.
But if you’re trying to get around within a city, or between major cities, take a look at public transportation. It just might be worth it.
Did you rent a car while here in Israel?
How did YOU find our driving?
Let me know in the comments!