NIS384/US$96) via Cyprus (1 night; NIS232/US$58; in winter NIS192/US$48) and
Rhodes (2 nights; NIS404/US$101; in winter NIS364/US$91).
Intercity sheruts: Across the street from the New Central bus station exit (platform 410),
to your left (with your back to the bus station). Sheruts leave whenever most of the 10
seats fill up. To: Haifa (lhr. NIS22); Jerusalem (45min. NIS18); Nazareth (lhr.
NIS25); and Netanya (20min. NIS10).
Car Rental: Gindy Ltd. Rent-a-Car, 132 Ha-Yarkon St. Manual NIS200/
US$50 per day, automatic NIS240/US$60 per da00km per day limit but weekly
rental discounts with unlimited mileage availabl1+; drivers under 24 have $1000
deductible in case of accident. Avis, 113 Ha-Yarkon S Manual
NIS184/US$46 per day, automatic starts at NIS200/US$50 per da3+, 26+ for
larger automatic50km per day limit. Rent-a-Reliable-Car, 155 Ha-Yarkon St. («524
97 94). Manual NIS280/US$70 per day, 20+; automatic starts at NIS300/US$75,
24+. All companies require driver to have had a license for at least two years.
I? GETTING AROUND
Tel Aviv is mostly manageable by foot. On a hot August afternoon, though, a
NIS4.70 bus ride may seem like the deal of the century. Buses in Tel Aviv are fre-
quent, air-conditioned, and comfortable; they make trips to sights north of the
Yarkon possible, as the Ha-Tikva area, the Tel Aviv University area, and Jaffa are
all beyond easy walking distance from the city center.
The New Central Bus Station, 108 Levinsky St. can be scary and over-
whelming the first time you experience it, but the basics are easy enough. Most
local buses (Dan) and local and intercity sheruts leave from the 4th floor; exit at
platform 416 for local buses and platform 410 for sheruts. A few local buses with
destinations outside Tel Aviv (Ramat Gan, Ramat Aviv) leave from the 1st floor.
Intercity buses (Egged) leave from the 6th floor. The 4th and 6th floors have infor-
mation kiosks. Baggage check rooms are on the 6th floor, down a small flight of
stairs near the information kiosk. (NIS10 per item per day. Open Su-Th 7am-7pm,
F and holiday eves 7am-3pm.)
Buses within Tel Aviv are operated by Dan, 39 Sha'ul Ha-Melekh («639 33 33 or 639
44 44). They generally run from Sunday to Thursday 5:30am-midnight, Friday 5am-
5pm, Saturday 8:15pm-12:30am, but some stop nrnning earlier. Buses cost NIS4.70 and
do not run on Shabbat. For extended stays, consider buying Dan's monthly bus pass
(NIS176). Unlike intercity buses, local buses travel both ways, so you must be con-
scious of the direction. Fortunately, bus stops have clear English signs with a green
marker pointing to the current stop. Decide whether you need to follow the blue or red
directional path and stand on the side of the street where the appropriately colored
arrow matches the flow of traffic. The most frequent and important seven routes are:
#4: From the New Central Bus Station (4th floor), runs parallel to the coastline up Allenby and Ben-
Yehuda St. and back. Every 5min.
#5: From the New Central Bus Station (4th floor), runs up Rothschild Blvd. and Dizengoff St. to Dizen-
goff Ctr. then turns right to run down the lengths of Nordau and Yehuda Ha-Maccabee before turning
around. Every 5min.
#10: Runs from train station along Arlozorov St. turns left to go down the coast along Ben-Yehuda
St. Herbert Samuel St. and Kaufman St. to Jaffa. Weaves back up through the Florentin area along
Herzl St. to Rothschild Blvd. before turning back. Every 15min.
#18: Runs from the train station along Sha'ul Ha-Melekh through Dizengoff Square to Ben-Yehuda
St. and then Allenby Rd. before heading down to Florentin along Ha-Aliya and Salame Rds. and turns
around after reaching Bat Gam. Every 5-10min.