Day Trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

When visiting Israel, day trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will be a top priority. Many travelers find themselves based in Tel Aviv when visiting Israel. Because of Israel’s small size, Tel Aviv is a great place to stay. This is because it is in the center of Israel, and is close to Ben Gurion International Airport. Additionally, it is close to many of Israel’s beaches, and in the center between many destinations for day trips. Jerusalem is equal to Tel Aviv in importance, but is fundamentally different and unique. Traveling between the two cities feels like stepping into two different countries, in different eras, rather than cities in the same small country and is a wondrous experience.

Jerusalem

How to Get There

To get to your destination for your day trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem there are many options of transportation. If you have a car rental, avoid rush hour traffic, by leaving Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by 8 am, or after 10 am, because Israel’s highways, and popular inter-city travel is the perfect recipe for nightmarish traffic. Additionally, it is best to avoid driving back to Tel Aviv between 5 and 6 pm. With no traffic, the drive to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv should take no longer than 1 hour and 15 minutes. You will find that should you choose a guided tour of Jerusalem, they will also schedule the tours at times where they can avoid high traffic.

Public Transportation

If you do have a car, it still is easier to take public transportation to Jerusalem. This is because finding parking can add unnecessary minutes to your day trip from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Buses from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem are an efficient way for day trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. There are many buses that will take you to Jerusalem at all hours from Tel Aviv, and they are clean and comfortable. Because of traffic, and stops to let passengers board or leave, it can take the longest, but it is affordable and accessible.

day trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
Jerusalem Light Rail

The best way of transport for a day trip from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is via train. It is the quickest, most comfortable and accessible. There are four main train stations in Tel Aviv, with trains to Jerusalem every hour. The quick 45 minute journey to Jerusalem will be a great addition to your day trip. The extra 45 minutes will add to the experience as you get to see the beautiful countryside between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

You can purchase tickets via the website or in the train station for your train ride. You can also buy day passes that will cover all transportation between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. This will be the easiest way to get around both cities without having to purchase separate journeys for every train or bus you may find yourself on.

Day Trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; The Old City

To properly get to visit all of Jerusalem, you will need at least two day trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to explore everything. Here we will outline all the main sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. Exploring the entire Old City alone, will take you all day. If you want to explore the rest of Jerusalem on the same day, think of seeing only two sights in the Old City to leave time to explore the rest of Jerusalem.

The Kotel

The Western Wall is a huge tourist attraction in Israel. It is a holy place for Jewish people who come and pray daily and on Jewish Holidays and the Shabbat. The Kotel was the outer gate to the Second Temple. It is the only wall to survive the temple’s destruction,. Because of this, it holds great significance as a remembrance to the destruction of something precious to the Jewish people. It is a great place to say a prayer and have a moment of meditation.

Once you are by the Kotel, a great way to learn and explore more about the history and significance of the Wall, is by going on the Western Wall Tunnels tour. With tours leaving Sunday – Thursday, this one hour trip in the tunnels provides you with a look at the parts of the Western Wall that is yet to be uncovered, as well as the immense amount of history this area holds.

day trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
The Kotel

Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock is on the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem. It is a very holy place for Muslim people as it is believed the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven from. With limited access to non-Muslims and a strict rule against display of another religion (from clothing to prayer) The Dome of the Rock remains one of the most notable attractions in the world with its golden dome that can be seen for miles in Jerusalem.

day trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
Dome of the Rock

Near the Dome of the Rock, is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This is one of the holy Christian sites in Israel. Believed to be the place where Jesus was crucified and buried, this location holds a great significance to Christian people. Welcoming people of all religions and with free admission, this holy site is a must see. It can get very busy during high-season and Christian holidays.

To summarize, Jerusalem will take more than a day to explore all it has to offer. But, you can explore as much as you can with a day trip from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem with the right amount of scheduling and planning. If you have enough time, we recommend doing the day trip from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem at least 3 times. This is to be able to get the full experience of this wonderful city.

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