Landing for TAU International? Here is how you get to Tel Aviv without paying 130+ shekels alone

The short version

Most international students land at Ben Gurion in August, in the weeks before orientation. The shared airport vans that every older guide recommends were discontinued in January 2026, so a late or Shabbat arrival means a private taxi. The fare is per taxi, not per person. The airport to Tel Aviv is the densest arrival corridor in Israel, which means the most people landing in your exact window. People landing in the same window share one taxi from the official stand and split the fare.

The math, per person

Fare estimates are examples only, actual fares vary with time, address, and luggage.

How to set it up before you fly

1. Post your flight window on PairMee with your destination in Tel Aviv. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
2. See people landing around your time heading the same way. People from your own program often land the same week, sometimes the same flight.
3. Approve who joins. Every rider has a profile, and the person who posts the ride decides who rides. There are women-only rides for anyone who prefers them.
4. Meet at the official taxi stand outside Terminal 3, ride together, and split the fare between yourselves.

Full disclosure, this is our site: we built PairMee for exactly this coordination, we launched recently, and we are honest about being small. The Tel Aviv arrival corridor is where taxi sharing works best, because every landing wave brings new people with the same problem.

Practical arrival tips

• Use only the official taxi stand outside Terminal 3 arrivals. Ignore people offering rides inside the terminal.
• The night tariff (23:31 to 04:59) adds 25 percent, and Shabbat or holidays add up to 50 percent. Landing Friday evening through Saturday means no trains at all.
• Israeli SIM or eSIM before the taxi, not after: you will want data to coordinate.
• Big luggage fits: a standard taxi takes 4 passengers with suitcases, and drivers are used to student arrivals.
• More detail in our guide: Ben Gurion to Tel Aviv at night (full guide).

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Ben Gurion Airport to Tel Aviv when I arrive?

The train is the cheapest option when it runs, but it stops on Shabbat and has night gaps, and you still need a taxi from the station with your luggage. A taxi from the official Terminal 3 stand runs roughly 130 to 160 shekels at the day rate, more at night and on Shabbat. The fare is per taxi, so people landing in the same window increasingly share one and split the fare.

Is there a sherut (shared van) from the airport in 2026?

No. The shared sherut vans were discontinued in January 2026 and nothing replaced them door-to-door. Intercity buses still leave Terminal 3 on weekdays, but they end at central bus stations, do not run on Shabbat, and are not built for a 2am landing with suitcases. Advice written before 2026 about taking a sherut no longer applies.

How does splitting a taxi with other students work?

You post your flight window and destination on PairMee for free before you fly. People landing around the same time and heading the same way ask to join, and you approve who rides with you. You meet at the official taxi stand outside Terminal 3 and split the fare directly.

Is there a women-only option?

Yes. You can mark a ride as women-only, and only women see it and can ask to join.

What does PairMee cost?

Nothing. Posting and joining rides is free and there are no booking fees. You split the metered taxi fare between yourselves.