TLV — Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion) — Taxi Fare Guide

Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) is about 20 km southeast of Tel Aviv, roughly a 25–35 minute drive. Official taxis wait at a regulated rank outside the Terminal 3 arrivals level, open 24 hours, and every taxi uses a government-regulated taximeter. Insist the driver runs the meter rather than quoting a flat price. Fares to central Tel Aviv usually come to about ILS 130–190 during the day, with the meter starting near ILS 12 plus roughly ILS 3.7 per kilometre.

Ben Gurion trips carry a small fixed airport surcharge of about ILS 5, plus roughly ILS 4–5 per piece of luggage. Israeli taxis have two official tariffs: Tariff 1 for daytime and Tariff 2 (about 25% higher) for nights (21:00–05:30), Shabbat and holidays. On Friday evenings and Saturdays until sundown fares are noticeably higher, so a night or Shabbat ride to the centre can reach ILS 170–250. Check the driver has selected the correct tariff on the meter.

Ride-hailing works differently here: Gett is the dominant app and dispatches licensed metered taxis (you can request a fixed price in-app), while Uber in Israel also connects to regular taxis rather than private drivers. Booking through Gett gives a clear price and avoids haggling at the rank.

Practical tips: Use only the official taxi rank outside arrivals and make sure the meter is running on the correct tariff — this is your protection against overcharging. Confirm the roughly ILS 5 airport surcharge and any luggage fees are legitimate, expect higher night and Shabbat rates, and consider the Gett app for a locked-in price.