User:(WT-en) Daniel575/Bus travel in Israel

This article deals with travelling through Israel by bus. There are several bus companies in Israel: Egged is the largest. Other companies include Dan, Kavim, Superbus, Margalit and Metropolin. Egged is also the world's second largest bus company. Currently, this article deals mainly with Egged lines; it will expand to include lines of other bus companies as well.

Buses are the most common form of public transportation for Israelis and travellers alike. The extensive national bus system is run by a public corporation called Egged (pronounced "Egg-ed"), the second-largest bus network in the world. Additionally, a bus company called Dan operates solely in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. The bus transport system is slowly being changed, however, as Egged phases out of many of its former routes to be replaced by cheaper and faster companies.

Each bus line is classified by Egged as either 'Regular' (measef), 'Express' (yashir) or 'Direct'. The word measef literally means collecting, i.e. the bus either enters each town it passes, or stops at almost each intersection along its route, which usually makes it very slow compared to express buses. Express buses, are usually on long-distance routes and might travel at certain sections along the same stretch as other bus routes, but they do not stop at each intersection. On top of that, an Express bus is not obligated to pick up short-distance passengers and the driver cannot sell a ticket for a short ride along his route. The express lines are not usually pure non-stop routes, but might have a minimal amount of stops while leaving and entering the different cities. Direct buses have no intermediate stops at all.

Many if not most of Egged's bus lines originate or end in a central bus station/terminal (CBS/CBT). Tel Aviv Central Bus Station is the largest such terminal, also being the largest in the world.

Some lines, mainly running between major ultra-Orthodox Jewish population centers, are classified as ultra-Orthodox buses. These buses are public and can be used by anyone, but travellers should note that men and women (with the exception of husband and wife, or parents with children) are not supposed to sit next to each other, and women may be expected to sit in the back of the bus, whereas men are supposed to sit in front. For women, a modest style of dress would also be recommended (meaning, no miniskirts or bare shoulders).

The level of passenger information provided by the companies, especially Egged, is very poor, especially for those who do not understand Hebrew fluently. A (growing) list of bus lines found below shows some of Israel's bus lines. It is is intended to be a source of information that the official company websites lack.

NB: Without being unduly alarmist, buses and bus-stops have unfortunately been the targets of suicide bombers in recent years. If you see anyone acting suspiciously, or discover an untended parcel, notify the driver, a soldier or police officer immediately. If you can, avoid standing in large crowds of people in order to further minimise any risk. For the past years however, the number of suicide attacks on buses has steadily declined, and the last suicide attack on a city bus in Jerusalem was 2 years ago.

Jerusalem

 * 1: CBS - Malchei Yisrael Street - Meah Shearim Street - Damascus Gate - Kotel (Western Wall) - HaNevi'im Street - Strauss Street - Malchei Yisrael Street - Jerusalem CBS
 * 2: Har Nof - Givat Shaul North - Jerusalem CBS - Kiryat Mattersdorf - Kiryat Tzanz - Bar Ilan Street - Shivtei Yisrael Street - Damascus Gate - Kotel (Western Wall)
 * 7: Har Chotzvim - Kiryat Tzanz - Kiryat Mattersdorf - CBS Yaffo Street - King George Street - Emek Refaim Street - Ramat Rachel
 * 8: CBS - Yirmeyahu Street - Bar Ilan Street - Levi Eshkol Bld. - Pisgat Ze'ev
 * 11: Har Nof - Givat Shaul North - Jerusalem CBS - Yaffo Street - Strauss Street - Golda Meir Bld. - Ramat Shlomo
 * 15: Har Nof - Givat Shaul North - Jerusalem CBS - Malchei Yisrael Street - Meah Shearim Street - Damascus Gate - Yaffo Street - Strauss Street - Malchei Yisrael Street - Jerusalem CBS - Givat Shaul North - Har Nof
 * 29: Har HaMenuchot Cemetery - Givat Shaul North - CBS
 * 35: Har Nof - Givat Shaul South - Jerusalem CBS - Yaffo Street - Strauss Street - Golda Meir Bld. - Ramot

Short distance

 * 159: Petach Tikva CBS - Camp Tzrifin
 * 160: Jerusalem Malcha - Hebron Kiryat Arba
 * 161: Jerusalem Malcha - Kfar Etzion
 * 162: Jerusalem Malcha - Har Gilo
 * 164: Jerusalem Malcha - Bat Ayin
 * 164: Petach Tikva CBS - Rishon LeZion Old CBS - Ness Ziona - Rehovot CBS (Regular)
 * 170: Jerusalem CBS - Beit El
 * 171: Jerusalem CBS - Givat Ze'ev
 * 173: Jerusalem CBS - Mitzpe Yericho
 * 174: Jerusalem CBS - Ma'aleh Adumim]]
 * 175: Jerusalem CBS - Ma'aleh Adumim
 * 176: Jerusalem CBS - Ma'aleh Adumim
 * 177: Jerusalem CBS - Ma'aleh Adumim
 * 178: Jerusalem CBS - Eli
 * 179: Jerusalem CBS - Psagot
 * 181: Jerusalem CBS - Talmon
 * 182: Jerusalem CBS - Adam (Geva Binyamin)
 * 183: Jerusalem CBS - Kesalon
 * 185: Jerusalem CBS] - Kiryat Yearim
 * 186: Jerusalem CBS - Beit Meir
 * 187: Jerusalem CBS - Har Adar
 * 188: Jerusalem CBS - Ein Rafa
 * 249: Petach Tikva CBS - Rishon LeZion Old CBS - Nes Ziona - Rechovot CBS (Regular)

Long distance

 * 301: Tel Aviv CBS - Rishon LeZion Old CBS - Rechovot - Gedera - Malachi Junction - Ashkelon CBS (Regular)
 * 310: Tel Aviv CBS - Yavne - Malachi Junction - Ashkelon CBS (Regular)
 * 311: Tel Aviv CBS - Yavne - Ashkelon CBS (Express)
 * 350: Bnei Brak - Rishon LeZion New CBS - Ashdod CBS (Express)
 * 400: Jerusalem CBS - Aluf Sade Interchange - Bar Ilan University (Highway 4) - Bnei Brak (Express)
 * 402: Jerusalem Har Chotzvim - Jerusalem CBS - Bnei Brak (Express) (ultra-orthodox bus)
 * 405: Jerusalem CBS - Tel Aviv CBS (Direct)
 * 415: Jerusalem CBS - Beit Shemesh (Express)
 * 416: Jerusalem CBS - Ramat Beit Shemesh (Express)
 * 417: Jerusalem Har Chotzvim - Jerusalem CBS - [Ramat Beit Shemesh (Express) - (ultra-orthodox bus)
 * 418: Jerusalem Har Chotzvim - Jerusalem CBS - Ramat Beit Shemesh (Express) (ultra-orthodox bus)
 * 420: Jerusalem - Beit Shemesh (Direct)
 * 423: Jerusalem CBS - Petach Tikva CBS (Express)
 * 430: Jerusalem CBS - Rishon LeZion
 * 433: Jerusalem CBS - Camp Tzrifin - Rishon LeZion New CBS (Express)
 * 437: Jerusalem CBS - Malachi Junction - Ashkelon CBS (Regular)
 * 444: Jerusalem CBS - Ein Gedi - Ein Bokek - Eilat CBS (Express)
 * 450: Jerusalem Har Chotzvim - Jerusalem CBS - Ashdod CBS (Regular) (ultra-orthodox bus)
 * 451: Jerusalem Har Chotzvim - Jerusalem CBS - Ashdod CBS (Regular) (ultra-orthodox bus)
 * 470: Jerusalem CBS - Beer Sheva CBS (Express)
 * 480: Jerusalem CBS - Tel Aviv Central Railway Station (Direct)
 * 486: Jerusalem CBS - Ein Gedi - Ein Bokek - Neve Zohar (Express)
 * 487: Jerusalem CBS - Ein Gedi (Express)
 * 492: Jerusalem Har Chotzvim - Netivot
 * 551: Petach Tikva CBS - Hod Hasharon CBS - Ra'anana Junction - Herzliya CBS (Regular)
 * 561: Tel Aviv CBS - Hod HaSharon CBS = Ra'anana Junction - Kfar Saba CBS (Regular)
 * 571: Tel Aviv CBS - Hod HaSharon CBS - Kfar Sava CBS (Regular)
 * 600: Tel Aviv CBS - Netanya CBS (Direct)
 * 601: Tel Aviv CBS - Wingate - Netanya CBS (Regular)
 * 605: Tel Aviv CBS - Netanya CBS (Direct)
 * 627: Zoran - Ra'anana Junction - Petach Tikva CBS - Tel Aviv CBS (Regular)
 * 641: Tel Aviv CBS - Petach Tikva CBS - Hod Hasharon CBS - Beit Lid Junction - Netanya CBS (Regular)
 * 642: Tel Aviv CBS - Petach Tikva CBS - Hod HaSharon CBS - Netanya CBS
 * 823: Tel Aviv CBS - Ra'anana Junction - Hadera CBS - Afula CBS - Nazareth CBS - Nazareth Illit (Regular)
 * 841: Tel Aviv CBS - Beit Lid Junction - Hadera CBS - Afula CBS - Tiberias CBS - Rosh Pina CBS - Kiryat Shemona CBS (Regular)
 * 921: Tel Aviv CBS - Petach Tikva CBS - Hod HaSharon CBS - Beit Lid Junction - Haifa Hof HaCarmel CBS (Regular)
 * 947: Jerusalem CBS - Ben Gurion International Airport - Ra'anana Junction - Netanya CBS - Haifa Hof HaCarmel CBS (Express)
 * 963: Jerusalem CBS - Afula CBS - Tiberias CBS - Rosh Pina CBS - Kiryat Shemona CBS (Regular)
 * 982: Jerusalem Har Chotzvim - Jerusalem CBS - Kfar Tavor - Miron - Safed (Tsfat) CBS (Regular)
 * 999: Jerusalem Har Chotzvim - Kiryat Atta (Express)