Public transport reform in the Tel Aviv area

On July 1st, 2011 the bus routes in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area (a.k.a. Gush Dan) will change significantly. This is the second step of the public transport reorganization initiated by the Ministry of Transport and the Netivei Ayalon company.

This step of the reform includes all bus lines whose entire itinerary is within the borders of Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Giv'atayim, Holon, Bat Yam and Azor. Many bus routes will be cancelled, new ones will be created, and many other bus routes will change their itinerary or their frequency.

Detailed description of the reform

On this page you can find out which bus lines in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area are changed and what the changes are. You can also find the list of new bus lines and their itineraries.

Information pages – your help is needed

The Hebrew version of our website includes several reviews of the changes imposed on the bus routes in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. As you may have noticed, there is very little official propaganda of the reform, especially in languages other than Hebrew. As a consumer association of public transport users, we cannot stand aloof over such poor publicity of such important changes, and this is why we're initiating our own campaign, made by passengers for passengers.

We have prepared several information pages on the changes you're about to experience on July 1st. Please print out these info pages and give them out to everyone who may be affected by the bus route changes.

● Bus route changes in Central Tel Aviv (English)
● Bus route changes in Southeast Tel Aviv – Shkhunat HaTikva, Yad Eliyahu and other neighborhoods in the area (English)
● Bus route changes in Northwest Tel Aviv – Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv University and other neighborhoods in the area (English)
● Bus route changes in Northeast Tel Aviv – Ne'ot Afeka, Tzahala, Ramat HaHayal, Kiryat Atidim and other neighborhoods in the area (English)
● More information pages in other languages (for now it's only Hebrew)

Tariff reform

In addition, on July 1st a new zone-based tariff system will take effect. The new tariff system will cover a larger area, which also includes Herzliyya, Ra'anana, Petah Tikva, Rishon LeTziyon, Rosh Ha'Ayin and smaller towns lying between them. According to the new system, the metropolitan area will be divided into zones (here is a zone map from the official website):

● Zone 1 will include Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Rishon LeTziyon, Petah Tikva, Giv'atayim, Bnei Brak, Holon, Bat Yam, Azor, Kiryat Ono, Yehud, OrYehuda, Giv'at Shmuel and several small communities.
● Zone 21 will include Hertzliya, Ra'anana, Kfar Saba, Hod HaSharon, Ramat HaSharon and several small communities.
● Zone 22 will include Rosh HaAyin and several small communities. A ticket for Zone 22 also allows for travel to Petah Tikva.

The system-wide change in ticket prices means that a single ticket will allow unlimited transfers within 90 minutes inside one zone on all major bus companies (Dan, Egged, Kavim, Metropoline). A ticket for one zone will cost 6.40 NIS, a ticket between two zones will cost 10 NIS.

Rav Kav smart card

Please note that you must use the "Rav Kav" smart card to pay for your ticket, in order to receive the 90-minute free transfer. An anonymous "Rav Kav" (only valid for single tickets and daily passes) can be purchased from the driver. A personal "Rav Kav" (which also allows senior/student discounts and monthly passes) is issued at the offices of various bus companies, primarily located on central bus stations.

Monthly passes (Hofshi Hodshi)

Monthly passes can only be loaded on a personal "Rav Kav" smart card.

Zone 1: 227NIS

Zone 21: 159NIS

All 3 zones: 248NIS

The current Petah Tikva-Rosh Ha’ayin monthly pass and the Bnei Brak monthly pass remain unchanged.

Daily passes (Hofshi Yomi)

A daily pass for Zone 1 will cost 14 NIS.

More info elsewhere

The official website (Hebrew) of the public transport reorganization lists all bus lines with their maps and lists of stops. It also contains bus maps of each part of Gush Dan after the reform (note that the Central Tel Aviv bus map is divided into three layers, allegedly for simplicity). The official Israeli public transport information system (Hebrew) can be used to search for full timetables and for bus & train route planning.

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