How Do I Travel Within Palestine?: Many international visitors wonder how they can travel from one city to another in Palestine. What kind of transportation is available in Palestine? Is it expensive or not? Is it on time? Is it reliable? How can I find it? Is there a map explaining how to go from Nablus to Ramallah for example?
In this article, we will explain the transportation system in Palestine. Let’s begin by saying that Palestine does not have public railways, metros, trams, or even buses.
How Do People Commute in Palestine?
In Palestine, taxis are the only way to travel. There are two kinds of taxis, the first type (shared taxi) takes you inside the city from a set starting point to a set destination. The second type takes you from any point to any destination.
You might think that taxis in Palestine are expensive like they are in some European countries. The fact, taxis in Palestine are super cheap, one ride might cost you half a euro or a bit more. The second type of taxis which you can direct might cost from 10-15 NIS which is around (2.50-3.50 $) depending on the length of the trip. Most importantly, these taxis do have meters but they are not used since it would actually raise the prices of trips. Instead try to negotiate with the driver about a price.
How Can I Hail a Taxi?
It is super easy, all what you have to do is make a little motion by your index and middle fingers both together. It is a sign to the driver to stop, once you do so the driver will stop and then you can direct the driver to your destination. If you want to stop him at your destination just ask him to stop by saying “Yateek Al Afia” or “Endak.”
What if I Want to Travel from a City to a Village or from One City to Another One?
Well, there are mini-vans that go to the villages adjacent to the city. You can also use these mini-vans if you want to go to another city in Palestine. There is no timetable for these vans that tells them when to leave or arrive in a city. Simply, once the van is full the driver turns on his car’s engine and drives to the destination.
The prices of these vans vary according to their destination. For example, a trip from Ramallah to Hebron is around 27 NIS ($6) or from Ramallah to Nablus is almost 18 NIS ($4).
Are the Palestinian Taxis Allowed to Enter the Israeli Areas? What About the Israeli Ones?
Palestinian taxis are not permitted to enter Israeli areas at all. However, Israeli taxis can travel to Palestinian areas without any difficulty. To differentiate between the two, the Palestinian taxi car is yellow with a white plate and numbers written in green. The Israeli taxi is white with a yellow plate and numbers written in black.
Do Palestinian Taxis Work All Day Long?
It depends, inside Palestinian cities you can find taxis even late at night although there are less of them than there are during the day. The mini-vans that go to villages or to other Palestinians cities work until around 7:00 p.m. in most cases.
Can I Take a Taxi to Another City Instead of the Mini-Vans?
Of course, you can but be aware that that will cost you more money. For example, a trip from Hebron to Bethlehem by van will cost you 9 NIS while going by taxi will cost you at least 70 NIS unless you share this price with others who want to go to the same destination.
