Arriving by Plane--A reasonably priced way to get to Jerusalem from Ben-Gurion Airport is by sherut, a van shared by eight passengers with a fixed per-person rate. The current fare is NIS 42 ($9.50) per person, baggage included. The sherut stand, run by Nesher Taxi, is to the left as you exit the arrivals area of the terminal building. Confirm that the destination of the Nesher van is Jerusalem, give your luggage to the driver, and climb in. When all the seats are claimed, the van will take off. The driver must, without charging an extra agora (a single small-denomination coin), take you from the airport to the hotel or residential address of your choice anywhere in Jerusalem. If youre lucky, youll be the first in your group to be dropped off at your destination. If not, youll get to see a bit of the city. The public Egged buses 945 or 947 (NIS 18 [$3.35]) provide the least expensive option and run from 6am to 10:30pm. Ground Information will direct you to the Jerusalem bus, which will take you to the Central Bus Station in West Jerusalem. From there, you can take a taxi or a municipal bus (NIS 5 [$1.10]) to your destination. The fixed-price rate for a private taxi is about $35 to $40. If you happen to have four people in your party (standard taxis take only up to four passengers), the cost for this most convenient option is really little more than that of a sherut. Agree on a definite price ahead of time. Taxi drivers do not expect tips, but if you have a number of heavy bags, the driver may quote a slightly higher fare. If your driver doesnt charge extra for help with bags, offer a 10-shekel ($2.20) tip. All major car-rental companies have offices at Ben-Gurion Airport.

For the return trip to the airport, your hotel will be glad to call in advance and make an appointment for a taxi or sherut to pick you up. If you want to make your sherut reservation in person, the office of Nesher Taxis and Sheruts (tel. 02/625-7227), known for its extremely reliable airport service, is at the intersection of Ben-Yehuda Street and King George V Avenue in West Jerusalem, right across from the City Tower.