Israel Road Trip Guide

Introduction

Israel, a captivating blend of ancient history and modern vibrancy, is an ideal destination for road trips. With its compact size and well-maintained roads, travelers can easily explore diverse landscapes, from the golden beaches of Tel Aviv to the historic streets of Jerusalem. The scenic drives through the Negev Desert, lush Galilee, and along the Dead Sea offer breathtaking views and unique experiences. Visitors can discover archaeological wonders, vibrant markets, and sacred sites, all within a few hours’ drive. Israel’s rich cultural tapestry and stunning natural beauty make it perfect for an unforgettable road trip adventure.

Car Rental Tips

Book in Advance

Generally, we recommend that you make your reservation one month in advance so that you could choose the desired vehicle and date.

If you proceed directly to the car rental store without booking, it is likely that the car you need might be unavailable.

*If you are already a QEEQ diamond member, you only need 1$ to freeze your booking and make the rest of the payment before pick-up, which does not affect your credit card limit.

Required Documents

Passport, Driver’s License, IDP(Optimal), Credit Card

International Driving Permit (IDP) is highly recommended, which allows you to drive legally in countries that need one.

If it is inconvenient for you to apply an IDP, generate a free driver’s license translation on QEEQ.com (Japanese site only).

Car Choices

The choice of your car depend largely on the duration of your trip, passenger number, luggage amount and road conditions.

City Driving for small groups (1-3 passengers)

If you are a couple, or travel with a friend or two, or if you travel alone, a reasonably priced small car would be a good choice.

Compact size cars have 4 to 5 seats. We recommend sparing one passenger capacity so you could relax and have more space.

4 to 5 passengers including children and elderly

Medium and large size cars are recommended. These models could still possess a fair mount of space with 2 to 3 suitcases. SUVs are suitable for hybrid road conditions. Eco-friendly cars such as the Prius could save your spend on gasoline. Choose what you need giving you peace of mind on long trips.

Traveling in a group of 6 or more

It would be a wonderful experience to choose a van for everyone to have his or her own seat. These models accommodate a passenger capacity from 7 to 12 people. While it is noticeable that large cars cannot make quick and sharp turns. So we recommend renting two small or medium-sized cars if you spend a lot of time driving through towns.

Online Booking Process

We are endeavoring to make your booking as convenient as possible. Enter our website QEEQ.com, log in, enter the required information, and follow the instructions, you are free to rent your desired car.

Insurance

What Insurances Are Available?

*For Autopilot Cars:

Insured: Protection for the person renting the car, including passenger accident insurance and personal accident insurance (PAI). This includes the personal safety of the driver, passengers, and their personal belongings.
Automobile Insurance: protection for the vehicle of the renter. Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is one example.
Third-party Insurance: insurance that protects third parties other than the renter and the car rental company. Basic Third Party Liability (BTL) insurance, etc.

International car rental booking will include the basic insurance required for car rentals: Vehicle Damage Coverage, Theft Protection, and Third Party Liability Insurance.

The deductible is the maximum amount of money you’re liable for in the event your rental car is damaged or stolen as long as you follow the conditions of your rental agreement. For example, the deductible is 1000 dollars, if the damage to the rented car is less than 1000 dollars, the customer pays; if the damage is more than 1000 dollars, the customer pays up to 1000 dollars; and the store’s insurance company pays for the part exceeding 1000 dollars.

Many travelers want more comprehensive coverage and purchase additional insurance. Personnel, vehicle and third-party coverage varies by insurance type. Here are some examples of common types of insurance (note: more checks means more coverage):

When and How to Purchase Insurance

There are two ways to obtain insurance: one is to purchase insurance when booking the car online; the other is to purchase insurance at the local store where the car is rented when picking up the car.

Generally, insurances provided by rental car companies usually has narrower coverage, higher premiums, so purchasing insurance online when booking the car is highly recommended.

How to Choose Insurance

If you are traveling with limited budget, it is better to choose the kind of insurance policy with the most comprehensive coverage. The main reasons are:

Firstly, repairing fee for the car would probably be higher abroad.

Secondly, in case of an accident, the medical cost and compensation are very high.

Thirdly, the wider the coverage, the less the troubles you would deal with, which saves tons of time and energy.

Taking automobile insurance as an instance, comparing to common insurance policies, the most comprehensive insurance coverage, including glasses, tires, chassis protection, and considerations for special road conditions such as sand and rocks, is very necessary, but basic insurance of car rental companies usually does not include full coverage as such.

Picking Up the Car

Check Before Departure

Before proceeding to the car rental shop, make sure you have brought with you all necessary documents for picking up the vehicle, and two international credit cards is recommended to ensure that there is enough credit limit for pre-authorization.

Proceed to the Car Rentals

If there is a pickup store nearby, you could just walk there, following signs for airport rental cars.

If the rental car center is far away, there is usually a free shuttle bus bound for the rental car center. Shuttle buses run every 10 minutes approximately, so take the bus when you see the logo of your car rental company.

If the shuttle is not available, you can contact the car rental company and wait for staff member to pick you up at designated location. In case you have difficulty communicating with the store staff, please call QEEQ and we will assist you in English or other languages.

Inspect the Car

When you receive your reserved vehicle, inspect the bodywork for damage. At that time, it’s a good idea to document the entire process with your smartphone camera or take a picture of the dashboard. Because if you forgot to check the condition of your vehicle before departure, you may be charged for wronged damage repairs when you return it.

Payment

Payment is due on the day of the rental unless you are paying online or purchasing a tour package.

Insurance is usually included in the rental price, but some car rental companies offer paid options for more comprehensive coverage.

Last but not least, keep all contracts and documents safe for possible further usage. Once you have received your keys, check the seat heights, mirror positions, secure child seats, and then you are ready to go!

Traffic Rules and Signs

Driving in Israel can be easy due to largely the infrastructure improvement in recent years. But in busy cities like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the traffic can be heavy sometimes. The road signs in Israel are written in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.

Drive on the Right

In Israel, vehicles drive on the right side of the road, and the cars are of left rudder ones. So if the driving convention is different from your country’s, this is the first thing you should notice.

Seat Belts Required

Seat belts must be fastened not only by drivers but also by passengers.

Drivers will be fined for driving without seat belts or allowing passengers to travel without seat belts.

Do Not Hold A Phone While Driving

It is prohibited for your own safety to hold a phone while driving. But you can use a phone in hands-free manner while driving, or you would be fined.

Turning Right on Red

Turning on a red light is not allowed unless there is a seperate light and sign.

Stop Sign

When there is a STOP sign, all vehicles must stop for 3 seconds to ensure safety, even if there are no pedestrians or vehicles in the way.

If there are STOP signs on all four sides of an intersection, stop and restart in the order of which each vehicle arrived at the intersection. The STOP sign is for one car to stop, it is strictly prohibited to follow the car in front of you to stop and then proceed to overtake it.

Yield Sign

Yield signs are mostly found at junctions where side roads enter the main road or at traffic circles, where it is necessary to slow down and be prepared to stop, giving priority to other vehicles and pedestrians, and ensure that it is safe to do so before passing. When pedestrians are in front of you, you must come to a complete stop.

Speed Limits

In general the speed limit in Israel is 50 km/h in urban areas, 80 km/h in non-urban areas, 100 km/h on Highway 1 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and 120 km/h on Highway 6, the north-south toll road.

Alcohol Levels

For drivers under 24 years old or drivers the limits are 10 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood and 50 micrograms per 100 milliliters of breath. For all other drivers, the limits are 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, 240 micrograms per 100 milliliters of breath.

Headlights On Day and Night

In Israel, it is required that headlights are used not only at night, but also during the day on intercity highways from Nov. 1 to March 31.

Other Common Road Signs

Highways and Tolls

Road Conditions

Israel introduced its first-ever HOV lanes at the end of 2019 on the Ayalon Highway and Route 2 around Tel Aviv, but there aren’t any elsewhere in the country yet.
Israel has been a political hotspot since it gained statehood and its borders are volatile. Because Palestine’s borders are sometimes within Israel’s, you can quickly find yourself at a border checkpoint without advance warning, especially in places like East Jerusalem. Tourists are allowed to pass through these checkpoints, just be sure to have your passport and visa (a small slip of paper given to you at the airport when your passport is stamped) with you. Most cars rented in Israel are not allowed to be taken into areas under Palestinian Authority.
Israel Drivers are merciless. Constant violation of traffic rules and horning are not uncommon. But it is not the excuse for you to ignore the traffic law. Just be patient and ajust accordingly to the style of traffic and you will be fine on the road.

Toll Roads

There are three toll roads in Israel.

Highway 6, which is completely electronic with no tollbooths. A bill is sent via the license plate number. For rental cars the company will bill you after you return the car.
The Carmel Tunnels in the north is a set of four tunnels with tollbooths payable by cash.
There is a high-speed toll lane on Highway 1 between Ben Gurion International Airport and Tel Aviv. If you want to enter it, to pay, you either pull off at a tollbooth to pay in cash or are charged electronically. The price fluctuates according to traffic so please check the signs.

Refueling

Gas Stations

Finding a gas station in Israel is pretty easy. The only place where you might worry about refueling is the Negev Desert. So if your plan include places far away from gas stations, please plan in advance and fill your car with gas before you go.

Gasoline Prices

Gas prices in Israel are unfortunately not cheap. By now 2024 the price is about 2$ per liter. It could change according to current situation.

Payment Method

You can either pay the bill by credit card or cash. If you are to pay in cash, change some NIS (New Israel Sheqel) at the bank counter in advance. 1 NIS approximately equals to 0.26 US dollor.

Parking

Parking spaces in Israel may be difficult to find especially when you are in cities. There are paid and free parking available. You can either choose to park in a paid parking lot or at roadside.

Roadside Parking

The roadside parking spaces in Israel are painted in different colors.

Blue and white markings: they indicate a paid parking spot. The cost changes from place to place. The general price is aroung 6 ILS per hour on streets. Sometimes it says that you need to pay from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Red and white markings: this indicates that parking is prohibited, or you will recieve a fine ticket.
Red and yellow marking: this is for public transportation and you cannot park inside.
If there are no markings then you can park freely. But be aware if there are sign around indicating a paid parking or parking prohibition message.

Payment

To pay for parking in Israel you need an app called PangoorGlobal – Cello. As tourists, you can sign up with your tourist credit card with a little service fee charge when you pay for your parking.

Accident Handling

If you are involved in a traffic accident, do not panic. Check whether the passengers are injured, help yourself and seek help from passersby. Emergency contacts are available at any time.

Police: 100
Ambulance: 101
Fire: 102
Embassy Numbers by Country:

https://www.embassypages.com/israel

Scratch

Ensure the safety of personnel→Move the vehicle to the side of the road without obstructing the traffic→Call 100 →Take photos or videos of the condition of the vehicle →Register the accident by police and keep a proper record of the accident→Contact the rental car company and insurance company.

Theft

Call 100→ Police take notes → Insurance report → Verify information → Payment

Malfunction

Call the rental car company → They will send someone nearby to tow your car or change a tire.

If the rental car company is unable to help you, contact a towing service with the help of the police. Car repairs are very expensive sometimes, so it is important to have insurance.

Roadside Assistance

When renting a car and driving in Israel, if a traffic accident occurs, in addition to calling 100, you can also contact the following emergency contact numbers:

Roadside Assistance Number in Israel:

Yedidim Roadside Assistance: 1230 (24/6)
Road Service: https://www.expatfocus.com/israel/guide/www.road-service.co.il
The Israeli Automobile and Touring Club (IAA): https://www.expatfocus.com/israel/guide/www.iaa.co.il
Moked Enosh: https://www.expatfocus.com/israel/guide/www.enosh.co.il
Avis Israel: https://www.expatfocus.com/israel/guide/www.avis.co.il

You can also contact your car rental company:

AVIS: 1-800-352-7900

SIXT: 1 (888) 749 8227

Budget: 800-218-7992

Thrifty: 1-800-283-0898

Hertz: 1-800-654-5060

ACE: (877) 822-3872

Dollar: 800-235-9393

Yesaway: 1 424-800-4990

Returning the Rental Car

To return the car, just drive back to the rental car company, but pay attention to the following things:

Refuel Before Returning

Usually, the basic rule for returning a car is to refuel the gas before returning it to the rental car company.

Even if the time is up, and there may not be a convenient gas station, it’s okay to drive for a while (about 5 kilometers or so) after refueling.

If you try to return the car after the due time without refueling, or if you drive a excessive long distance after refueling, we will calculate the remaining time and charge you an additional fee.

Inspect the Car

When you arrive, we will have a representative inspect your vehicle for damage. If it had any damage, additional payment would be made.

Reconcile the Fee

When you return the car, the staff will check and record the vehicle and print the settlement list on site. Please check the list carefully, and if you have any unknown charges, you can raise them in person or call customer service to solve the problem.

Keep the Contract and Document

After returning the car, it is recommended to keep the contract and receipts in a safe place in case of needs.

Help after Trip

Traffic Citation

How to Pay Fine Ticket:

Online payment is the most convenient. There is a payment web site attached on the ticket, follow the instructions to enter the ticket serial number and then add your credit card information to pay the fine. Please mind the due date, otherwise you would pay a late fee.
If you could not pay right away, tell the rental company, and the company could charge your credit card directly, although there is usually a commission.
If there are no violations during the rental period, the deposit will be automatically unfrozen and refunded to the main driver’s credit card within a month.

Insurance Claim

If you bought a full coverage insurance, you would receive a fast claim settlement. The following documents should be prepared:

Passport
Driver’s License
Credit Card Checkback History
The Car Rental Contract
Car Damage Deduction Bill

For more detailed information, check the terms and conditions of insurance company:

https://www.qeeq.com/term?info=axa_policy&browser_open=1

Unknown Charges after Trip

If you received an unexpected deduction when you return to your home country, it might be that your violation fee is paid by the car rental company, but usually the deduction amount will be more expensive than the violation fee because that includes the management fee charged by the car rental company. If you don’t know what the violation was, you can contact our customer service for help.

Classic Routes

Southern District

From Tel Aviv-Yafo to Dead Sea: 5-6 Days

Embark on a 364-kilometer road trip through Israel, starting in the vibrant city of Tel Aviv-Yafo. Explore the historical and cultural richness of Jerusalem, then visit Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. Journey to Jericho, one of the world’s oldest cities, and enjoy the natural beauty of Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. Discover the ancient fortress of Masada and relax by the shores of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth. Conclude your adventure back in Tel Aviv, having experienced a diverse blend of history, culture, and stunning landscapes.

Northern District

Explore Northen Israel From Tel Aviv: 6-7 Days

Embark on a 500-kilometer road trip through Israel, starting in the bustling city of Tel Aviv. Head to Caesarea to explore its ancient Roman ruins, then visit the charming town of Zichron Ya’akov. Continue to Haifa for stunning views from the Bahá’í Gardens, and explore the historic port city of Acre. Discover the breathtaking grottoes at Rosh Hanikra before venturing into the serene landscapes of the Galilee and the dramatic vistas of the Golan Heights. Visit the archaeological wonders of Beit She’an before returning to Tel Aviv-Yafo, completing a journey rich in history, culture, and natural beauty.