How to get from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem at night or on Shabbat
Updated September 2026 · 6 min read · לגרסה בעברית
The short answer
After the last train there is no shared van and no bus that reaches your address. It is a taxi from the Terminal 3 stand, about 280 to 330 shekels on the daytime meter and 315 to 380 at night, or roughly 79 shekels each when 4 people landing in the same window share it.
What changed in 2026
For decades the answer to "how do I get to Jerusalem from the airport at 2am" was the Nesher sherut: a shared 10 seat van that left when it filled, took you to your door and cost a fraction of a private taxi. Nesher no longer operates, and no company replaced it.
Bus 485 still runs between Terminal 3 and Jerusalem's central bus station on weekdays, but it skips Shabbat and leaves you at the station with your luggage, not at your address.
The train (daytime and evening only)
The fast train from the airport station (Terminal 3, level S) reaches Yitzhak Navon station in central Jerusalem in about 25 minutes, and the fare is ₪21 with a Rav-Kav card. It is by far the cheapest and fastest option when it runs.
- No trains from Friday afternoon until Saturday night, and reduced hours on holiday eves.
- Late at night frequency drops and the Jerusalem line stops running for several hours. Check Moovit or the Israel Railways app against your actual landing time, not your scheduled one.
- Yitzhak Navon is a deep station, and from there you still need the light rail or a taxi to your final address, which matters at 1am with luggage.
An official taxi from Terminal 3
Taxis wait at the official stand outside Terminal 3 around the clock, including Shabbat. Prices are regulated: a daytime ride to Jerusalem runs roughly 280 to 330 shekels including the departure levy. Band A is the daytime meter: Sunday to Thursday 06:00 to 21:00, Friday and holiday eves until 16:00. Band B runs about 14 percent higher and covers weeknights from 21:01, Friday afternoon, and Saturday and holiday daytime. Band C runs about 28 percent higher: Thursday from 23:01, Friday and holiday eves from 21:01, and Saturday and holidays from 19:01 until 05:59. In practice a night arrival reads around 315 to 380 on the meter and a Friday night or Saturday evening arrival around 355 to 430, whether one person rides or 4.
Use only the official stand. Ignore anyone approaching you inside the terminal offering a ride.
A pre-booked private transfer
Transfer companies drive to Jerusalem at fixed pre-agreed prices, including on Shabbat. Convenient if you want a name sign at arrivals, and usually priced at or above the official taxi rate. Book before you fly and confirm the price covers night or Shabbat timing.
Split the taxi (what replaced the sherut)
The sherut worked because 10 people shared one vehicle. The vans are gone, but the math still works: hundreds of people land at Ben Gurion every night heading to Jerusalem, and they can share one taxi from the official stand and split the fare. 1 match cuts a 345 shekel night ride to 173 each, and a full taxi brings it down to 86.
The hard part was always finding those people. Full disclosure, we built PairMee for exactly this, and this is our site. You write your trip in 1 sentence and see the people already landing around the same time going the same way. If nobody is yet, the same sentence becomes your ride post, and whoever posts the ride approves who joins. There are women-only rides for anyone who prefers them. Posting a ride costs nothing, and on the Jerusalem corridor every landing wave brings new people with the exact same problem.
Prices at a glance (2026)
| Option | Price per person | Runs at night? | Runs on Shabbat? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train to Yitzhak Navon | 21 ₪ | Until late evening, gaps after | No |
| Bus 485 to the central bus station | Rav Kav fare | Weekdays, check times | No |
| Official taxi, alone | ~280 to 430 ₪ | Yes, about +14% | Yes, up to about +28% |
| Pre-booked transfer | ~280 ₪ and up | Yes | Yes |
| Shared taxi, 2 to 4 people | ~70 to 215 ₪ | Yes | Yes |
| Sherut van | No longer operates |
Fare estimates are examples only, actual fares vary with time, address, and luggage.
Landing at or flying from Ben Gurion?
Post your flight time and city. People traveling the same hour to the same area see it and ask to join, you approve, and the meter splits between you. Free.
Post my rideFrequently asked questions
Is there a sherut from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem in 2026?
No. The Nesher sherut no longer operates, and no company replaced it. Intercity bus 485 still connects Terminal 3 with Jerusalem's central bus station on weekdays, but it does not run on Shabbat and it is not door to door.
How much is a taxi from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem at night?
On the meter a night ride to Jerusalem lands around 315 to 380 shekels, and on Friday night or Saturday evening around 355 to 430. Band B starts at 21:01 on weeknights, band C on Thursday from 23:01 and from Friday evening.
How do I get from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem on Shabbat?
Only by private vehicle: an official taxi from the Terminal 3 stand, a pre-booked transfer, or a taxi shared with other people landing in the same window. Trains and buses do not run from Friday afternoon until Saturday night.
Does the train from the airport run all night?
No. Late night service to Jerusalem has long gaps and stops entirely for part of the night. Check the Israel Railways app or Moovit for your landing time.
Can I share a taxi with people from my flight?
Yes, and it is the cheapest door to door option that works at night and on Shabbat. You can coordinate on PairMee before you land: write your trip in 1 sentence, see who is already landing around the same time going the same way, and if nobody is yet, that same sentence becomes your ride post and you approve who joins.
Founder, PairMee
I founded PairMee. The PairMee team writes these guides from the regulated tariff and the published timetables, last checked September 2026.
Found a mistake in this guide? Tell us and we will fix it
Landing soon? See who's going your way
Post your flight window for free and approve the people who join.