Transportation

Getting to Haifa from Tel-Aviv (=Ben Gurion) Airport

The fastest and most reliable form of transportation from Ben Gurion Airport in the train. A train service is available from Ben-Gurion Airport throughout the day. Information can be found at Israel-Railways web site at: http://www.rail.co.il/EN/Pages/HomePage.aspx, under “Schedules and Fares”.
From station: “ Ben Gurion Airport”, To station: “ Hof Ha-Carmel” (first station in Haifa). You can download the full train schedule (Hebrew and English) here .

There is a service taxi or van service (called 'sherut') which departs whenever the car fills up, and takes you to Haifa for a reasonable rate of 50-60NIS ($10-12). Van service to Haifa is provided by a company called "Amal". Taxies should fill up fairly quickly. The travel time is about an hour and a quarter. The driver will usually drop-off passengers where-ever they ask in Haifa, so asking a drop-off at the Hotel is a good idea.

Van Taxi Service ('Sherut')	Special Taxi Service

Private taxis from the airport to Haifa cost $60-80, but can be shared, and the price split, with a fellow participant. Car rentals are cheapest if arranged from abroad.

The bus is not very frequent and takes longer. The Egged bus company's website contains more details.

Once in Haifa

It is recommended to take a taxi to your lodging from the train/bus station, for convenience. Again, a 'sherut' taxi is available (5NIS), or a special taxi can be hired ($6-$10).

Egged is the main bus line in Haifa. For details of bus routes and schedules call (04)-8549131 (inside Haifa) or (03)-6948888 (inter-urban) or refer to: www.egged.co.il/eng. A schedule of these local routes can be obtained at the bus office next to the Multi-Purpose Building bus stop on Campus. Haifa has 3 main stations:

1. 'HaMifratz' Central Bus Station near the Checkpost (for traveling north)
2. 'Hof HaCarmel' Central Bus Station near the beach (for traveling south)
1. Downtown ('Bat-Galim') Old Central Bus station (local Haifa bus lines only).

Local lines to campus are as follows:

#37 Leaves the University about every 15 minutes, and goes through Ahuza (Horev), the Carmel Center, Hadar and the Bat-Galim Central Bus Station (downtown).
#24 Goes through the Horev Center, Romema, Grand Kanyon, Hadar and the Bat-Galim Central Bus Station (downtown).
#36 Runs through Neve Sha'anan (near the Technion) to Hadar.
#46 To Hof HaCarmel (beach, train and bus station, Kanyon Haifa [=Haifa Mall]) at hourly intervals.
#141 To the Checkpost (Hamifratz) at hourly intervals.

Taxis: For a few additional shekels you can call for a private taxi (referred to as ‘special’) to the University. Note: It is not customary to tip taxi drivers in Israel. City taxi services include:
'Carmel' - Central Carmel, Tel: 04-8382626, 04-8382727
'Naveh’ - Neve Sha'anan, Tel: 04-8222222
'Horev' - Tel: 04-8888888

Shared Taxi (Sherut): Within Haifa: "Sherut" taxis run along major bus routes in Haifa, and can be stopped along the way (not necessarily at a bus stop). The sherut will have a sign on the windshield with the number of the bus route that it follows. These are slightly cheaper and faster than a regular bus.

Getting from Haifa to Tel-Aviv Airport and other Locations

By Train, as detailed above.

To the Airport: Sherut service to Ben Gurion Airport (fixed price): 'Amal'- 6 Hechalutz St., Hadar, Tel: 04 – 8662324. Reservations must be made by phone in advance. Payment is by cash or credit card.

To other cities: Sherut services to Tel Aviv leave regularly, including Saturdays, from Hechalutz St. in Hadar (try calling Amal, above, for more information). You can catch sherut taxis to Acco, Nahariya, Carmiel, and Tiberias from Cidon Street off Neviim Street in Hadar.

By Car from Tel Aviv to Campus

Take the Coastal Road to Haifa, taking FIRST exit in Haifa, to your right, immediately after you pass the MATAM "hi-tech" industrial park. The exit has changed recently, in preparation for the Carmel Tunnels, so pay attention to the signs (to Nawe Shanan and Ahuza; later there will be signs to Merkaz Horev, the University, and the Technion). Take the road up the hill. This road begins as Flieman Street, then turns into Avraham Weinshal Street and towards the top changes its name to Sigmund Freud Street, which leads to the Horev Center.

Take a sharp right at the top onto the main road along the Carmel ridge, leading southeast to the University (the road is known as Sderot Horev, and later changes its name to Sderot Abba Hushi). Continue along this road, which winds towards the University, past Ramat Begin, Ramat Golda, Ramat Almogi, and Ramat Denya (Hod Ha-Carmel). You will pass the "Main Denya intersection" (two consecutive traffic lights, with a gas station on your left after the second set) and then the "Upper Denya intersection" (traffic lights with "Shvedya Street" on your right, and "Oskar Shindler Street" - the road to Nesher and Yagur - on your left). Soon after that you will see the Carmel Forest National Park on your right, and a dark tall building (the Eshkol Tower of the Haifa University) higher up on your left. There is a final traffic light with a turn to the left off the main road, which is the first entrance to the University. Do NOT take this turn.

Continuing past the Eshkol tower for a few hundred meters until you reach a traffic circle, at which point you can turn (also to the left) to the "Carmel Entrance" to the University.

Take another left back towards the Eshkol Tower. If you have a one-time parking permit, present it to the attendant at the barrier. In any case, park as near to the tower as you can get.

Additional Links

University of Haifa Transportation page.