Car Rental in Tel Aviv

Why rent a car in Tel Aviv?

Tel Aviv is a great place for renting a car. Fascinating and diverse, the city is made up of distinct parts and neighborhoods. If you travel outside it, Israel is a place that breathes history and many of its landmarks and attractions are only easily reached with your own vehicle. 

Top ways to enter Tel Aviv

• Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport. Also commonly known by the Hebrew-language acronym Natbag, Ben Gurion Airport is by far the busiest in the country. Served by more than 40 airlines, it offers flights to and from other destinations in the Middle East, as well as Europe, Africa, North America, and South America. The airport is located about 20km (12 miles) southeast of Downtown Tel Aviv.
• Eilat-Ramon Airport. Located in the very southeast corner of the country and primarily serving the resort city of the same name, Eilat Airport is the second-busiest in the country. In addition to domestic flights, it also has air routes to France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, and Russia. Eilat-Ramon Airport is about a four-hour drive south of Tel Aviv.
• Haifa Airport. Located in the north of the country, Haifa Airport is just a bit over a  90-minute drive from Tel Aviv, but it only serves one domestic flight as well as two seasonal flights to nearby Cyprus. 
• By rail. If you’re arriving in Tel Aviv by train, you can conveniently pick up your rental car at Tel Aviv Savidor-Central Railway Station.

City facts

• Tel Aviv enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate that is quite comparable to cities in Southern Spain, Italy, and Greece. The summers can be hot, with temperatures very often exceeding 30°C (86°F) from June until October. Even in winter, the temperatures often exceed 20°C (68°F). The precipitation is quite high from November to March, but practically nonexistent during the summers.
• Thanks to its history, many different architectural styles can be found in Tel Aviv. The city skyline is dotted with many skyscrapers, but you can also find neighborhoods where styles such as Bauhaus, Art Deco, and traditional Levantine Arab architecture dominate.

Top sights and activities

• Old Jaffa. Home to one of the oldest ports in the world, the Jaffa neighborhood is a historically important place for Tel Aviv’s Christian and Muslim minorities and is nowadays also the city’s main creative hub. Hippies mix with sailors here, and with plenty of restaurants, concert venues, and art galleries, something is always going on in Jaffa. Jaffa’s main attraction, however, is its unique atmosphere.
• Beit Hatfutsot. Known as the Museum of the Jewish Diaspora in English, this interactive center tells the story of the Jewish people, including their origins in the Middle East more than 2,000 years ago, lives as diaspora all over the world, traditions, rites, professions, and beliefs. After visiting the museum, don’t miss out on the interesting red-brick synagogue that is also a part of the complex. The museum’s new name and brand identity add ANU – Hebrew for ‘We’ to reflect the diversity and collective spirit of the Jewish people everywhere.
• Bauhaus Center Tel Aviv. Thanks to the more than 4,000 buildings in the Bauhaus architectural style, Tel Aviv is also known as The White City and the Bauhaus Capital of the World. The Bauhaus Center celebrates this heritage, offering tours around areas like the Dizengoff Square and featuring a gallery with documental exhibitions of Tel Aviv, its buildings and famous inhabitants.
• Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Perhaps the most important art museum in Israel, it has a strong focus on the art of the 19th and 20th centuries. In addition to Israeli artists, the museum also displays works by world-famous masters like Picasso, Kandinsky, Monet, and van Gogh. The museum is part of a larger complex that also includes a sculpture park, an art education center, and a center of performing arts.
• Graffiti Haven. Located in Tel Aviv's Florentin neighborhood, a part of the city usually unexplored by tourists, this smaller quarter is known for its high concentration of art workshops and some of the most impressive and largest graffiti in the city. Speaking of creativity hubs, the haven is just a short walk from Levinsky Market, which is known for its rich local produce and ethnic restaurants of Tel Aviv’s various diasporas.
• Eretz Israel Museum. One of the most famous in Tel Aviv, if not the whole country, the Eretz Museum provides a focus on Israel from a historical and archaeological perspective. Its collections are focused on the Bronze and Iron Age settlements and cultures in the country, artifacts related to the Egyptian presence, as well as on relics from the Hellenic, Roman, and Islamic periods, and a much more recent exposition on the folklore of the Jewish diaspora.
• Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center. Also known as the Golda Center, TAPAC is one of the most famous performance venues in the country. Celebrating its 30th birthday in 2024, it is located between the previously mentioned Tel Aviv Museum of Art and Dubnow Park and provides home to the Cameri Theater, as well as the Israeli Opera, offering an opportunity to catch a show during your visit to the city.

Traffic and parking

• Traffic in Israel drives on the right-hand side of the road.
• Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the speed limits in Israel are: 120km/h (74mph) on Toll Highway 6; 110 km/h (68 mph) on specifically designated highways; 100km/h (62mph) on Highway 1, the road connecting Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; 90km/h (55mph) on non-urban roads with a built-up dividing area; 80km/h (49mph) on non-urban roads; and 50km/h (31mph) on all urban roads.
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.024% for experienced drivers and 0.005% for novice drivers. Exceeding the limits can lead to a large fine, a license ban, and even imprisonment.
• It is required to have your headlights turned on non-urban highways from November to March, even during the day.
• Proof of insurance and the car’s documentation need to be in the car whenever you’re driving.
• If you’re the driver, you need to have your passport or ID card with you at all times.
• The emergency numbers are 100 for the police department, 101 for the ambulance, and 102 for the fire department.

Toll roads

• As of 2019, there is only one paid toll road in Israel, Highway 6. Also known as the Trans-Israel Highway and the Yitzhak Rabin Highway after the former Israeli prime minister, it is 179km (111 miles) long and passes a number of major cities like Be’er Sheva, Ramla, and Petah Tikva, letting drivers bypass the Tel Aviv region to the west of it.
• There are no toll booths on Highway 6. Cars are registered either via an automatic license plate recognition system or via an electronic transponder inside a vehicle called “Passkal”. The exact fee depends on the type of vehicle, the distance traveled, and the time of day.
• Some rental car providers do not permit the drivers to use Highway 6 - they will ask you to sign a contract that says that you are not allowed to drive on it. Others permit it and will either provide a vehicle with an electronic transponder inside or will charge you for the toll payment after receiving the electronic bill. In either case, the car rental company might add an additional service fee on top of the toll payment. Ask your rental car provider in advance about permission to drive Highway 6 and about the exact services and fees.

Ideas for day trips

• Caesarea. A small, picturesque town, Caesarea might seem unassuming, but it also home to one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. Inhabited by Jews, Greeks, Romans, and Muslims, it impresses with its ancient theater Caesarea Maritima, Crusader walls, and many other ruins and artifacts. Just 50km (31 miles) north of Tel Aviv, Caesarea can be reached in about one hour by car.
• Beaches. No worse than its famous Mediterranean counterparts in Turkey and Cyprus, Tel Aviv is an awesome beach destination. There’s a perfect beach for everyone, from the upbeat Gordon Beach and the posh Bograshov Beach to the more relaxed Banana Beach. Plus, with your own ride, you can easily travel along the coast to find other hidden gems.
• Ramat Gan. A sizable inland city to the east that’s sometimes thought of as Tel Aviv’s largest suburb, Ramat Gan is not exactly a tourist magnet but has plenty to offer to those willing to scratch beneath the surface. Home to the Israeli Diamond Exchange which you can visit on a guided, appropriately pricey tour, the Living World Museum of Natural History, the museums of Israeli, Jewish, Russian, and Far Eastern Art (these are four separate institutions), the nearby Ramat Gan National Park, and even a Zoological Center of Ramat Gan–Tel Aviv that’s better known as Ramat Gan Safari. The drive from Central Tel Aviv takes only about 25 minutes.
• Nazareth. Nowadays the largest Arab city in Israel, Nazareth is, of course, known for its Biblical importance as the home of Joseph and Mary. With an interesting mix of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim heritage, and plenty of historic sites, Nazareth remains a unique place to visit. About 105km (65 miles) northeast of Tel Aviv, it can be reached in 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Most popular cars

The most popular rental car in Tel Aviv is the Kia Picanto, closely followed by the Hyundai i20 and the Ford Fiesta. The most popular rental car types are economy, compact, and intermediate. 

Further destinations

• Haifa. As open-minded and fun as, but perhaps more tranquil and relaxed than, Tel Aviv, it is a pleasant city to visit. Haifa’s beach is awesome, but there are also some interesting sites to visit, like the golden-domed Shrine of the Báb; important for the followers of the Bahá'í faith; the Stella Maris monastery and hospice; and the Cave of Elijah. With a rental car, you can also easily visit the nearby Hai-Bar Nature Reserve and Carmel Mountain National Park. From Tel Aviv, the road to Haifa stretches north along the coast and can be traveled in about 90 minutes.
• Jerusalem. A holy city for three of the world’s largest religions and divided into two parts up to this day, there’s a lot about Jerusalem that’s hotly contested; nevertheless, walking around it can be a serene experience. Religious and historical sites abound here, but it’s nearly just as interesting to walk around its markets and many neighborhoods or talk with the locals.
• Jezreel Valley. Located in the northeastern part of the country, Jezreel’s landscape is austere, but the area is nonetheless home to two national parks (Tel Megiddo and Harod Spring), as well as ancient sites of religious and cultural importance. The area is near the Arab-majority city of Nazareth and can also be visited on the way to the Sea of Galilee. The drive from Tel Aviv to Jezreel Valley takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
• Eliat. Located in the very southern corner of Israel on the Red Sea, Eilat is a famous resort town. It’s never cold here and there are plenty of opportunities for kite-surfing, diving, or simply enjoying the sun and sea. If you’re up for something more active, visit the Eilat Coral Beach Nature Reserve, the Underwater Observatory, or the Dolphin Reef Sanctuary. Although it’s not possible to cross the border with a rental car, Eilat is very close to Jordan, and should you choose to go there, you can pick up another rental car in Aqaba on the other side of the border. Eilat is about 340km (211 miles) southeast of Tel Aviv, a distance that can be covered in about four hours and takes you through a nearly-uninhabited desert for large swaths of the way.

Car rental prices in Tel Aviv

• Vans - from $220 per day
• Small cars - from $56 per day
• Medium cars - from $56 per day
• Large cars - from $61 per day
• SUVs - from $93 per day
• Premium cars - from $73 per day
• Station wagons - from $104 per day

Money-saving and other tips

These are the things you can try to land a great car rental deal in Tel Aviv:

• Compare the rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit during the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Tel Aviv is the cheapest in February when renting a car is about 33% cheaper than the yearly average and an entire 63% cheaper than renting a car in April.