Israel is compact, expensive and easy to travel in, with good roads, extensive public transport on weekdays and English widely spoken.
Entry
Since 2025 visitors from visa-exempt countries, including the EU, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, must obtain an ETA-IL online before travelling. It is inexpensive and usually approved quickly. Entry stamps are no longer put in passports; a printed blue slip is issued instead and should be kept, since it serves as proof of legal entry and for VAT refunds. Airport security questioning on departure is thorough and can take time; arrive three hours before a flight.
Getting around
The country is 470 km long and you can drive from the northern border to Eilat in six hours. Trains run along the coast and to Jerusalem and Beersheba, and the Jerusalem line takes 30 minutes from the airport. Buses cover everything else. Payment is by Rav-Kav card or the Moovit and Pango apps; cash is no longer accepted on most buses. Nothing runs from Friday afternoon to Saturday night except sherut shared taxis and some services in Haifa. Car hire is straightforward; check whether the policy covers the West Bank, since most do not.
Money
The currency is the shekel. Israel is expensive, comparable to western Europe: a hostel bed 40 to 60 US dollars, a mid-range hotel 150 to 250, a restaurant main course 20 to 35. Cards are accepted everywhere and tipping of 10 to 12 percent is expected in restaurants. Tourists can reclaim VAT on purchases above a threshold at the airport, using the blue entry slip.
The week
The working week runs Sunday to Thursday, with Friday a half day. Museums and offices open Sunday. Plan around this: Sunday is a normal working day and Friday afternoon is when everything closes.
Safety and areas
Ordinary crime is low. The security situation is the variable, and it changes quickly. Some areas are closed to visitors, entry to Gaza is not possible, and access to parts of the West Bank varies. Follow official advice, obey instructions from security personnel, know where the nearest protected room is in your accommodation, and install the Home Front Command alert application.
Etiquette
Cover shoulders and knees at religious sites of all three faiths; men cover their heads at Jewish holy sites and women may need a scarf at mosques and some churches. Do not photograph at the Western Wall on Shabbat, or ultra-Orthodox people without asking. Political conversations are frequent, direct and best entered with more listening than talking.