A Ben Gurion Airport pickup with a name sign (a "meet & greet") means your Almaxpress driver is already standing in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall, holding a board with your name on it, when you walk out with your luggage — and a taxi from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem costs from ₪300 by day (about 54 km, roughly 50 minutes without traffic) according to the official 2026 meter tariff. We track your flight in real time, so if it lands late or early the driver is still there and the agreed price does not change. Here is how it works, what a TLV airport transfer costs, and how to plan a Friday or Shabbat landing.
What a "meet & greet" pickup at Ben Gurion actually means
A meet & greet pickup is a pre-booked driver who waits for you inside the terminal, not at the taxi rank. The driver holds a sign with your name, helps with the luggage trolley and walks you to the vehicle reserved for you — no line, no searching, no debate about the route or the fare, because everything was agreed before your plane left the ground.
Terminal 3 is Ben Gurion's main international terminal, and at Almaxpress meet & greet is the default for every taxi from Ben Gurion. We operate 24 hours a day, Sunday to Friday (24/6); on Shabbat and Jewish holidays there is no service.
Step by step: from touchdown to the car
1. Landing and passport control
Flight tracking gives us the actual landing time, and the driver's arrival in the hall is timed to match — you do not need to call us the moment you land.
2. Baggage claim
Take your time at the carousel — the driver knows you have landed and waits in the hall. A regular taxi (up to 4 passengers) takes up to 3 large suitcases; there is no luggage surcharge under the 2026 tariff.
3. The Terminal 3 arrivals hall
From baggage claim you pass through customs into the public arrivals hall of Terminal 3, where families wait with flowers and drivers wait with signs. Follow the flow of passengers; the driver is already there with the name you gave us. Cannot spot it within a minute? Call or WhatsApp +972-50-912-2133.
4. To the car and on the road
The driver takes the trolley and walks you to the car — a short, easy walk, even with small children; a pre-requested child seat or booster is already fitted, free of charge. Then around 50 minutes to Jerusalem, about 29 to Tel Aviv, about 33 to Beit Shemesh — to the exact address you gave.
Flight delayed or early? How real-time flight tracking works
We follow your flight number from departure to actual landing, and the driver leaves for the airport based on that data, not the time printed on your ticket. Our rule is simple: the driver waits even if the flight is late. A delay of one hour, two or more does not cancel the pickup or change the agreed price, and you do not need to message us about a hold-up — we can already see it.
Early arrivals happen too; the tracking updates and the driver adjusts. Out before the driver is in position, stuck at passport control, bag missing? One WhatsApp message — the driver waits, and we tell you exactly where to meet.
Landing soon? Lock in your pickup now
Flight number, landing time, passengers — and within minutes a driver with a name sign is booked for Terminal 3.
What to include when you book a taxi from Ben Gurion
The more precise the details, the smoother the pickup. Via the price calculator or WhatsApp, we ask for:
- Flight number (the airline code and number on your ticket) — what lets us track the landing.
- Landing date and time — mind overnight flights that land the next day.
- Passengers and suitcases — up to 4 and 3 large suitcases in a regular taxi.
- Exact destination — street and number or hotel name; this also sets the price.
- Name for the sign — as it appears in the passport, in Latin letters.
- A phone that works on landing, or WhatsApp over the airport Wi-Fi.
- Special requests — child seat, a stop on the way, reduced mobility.
Confirmation arrives in writing with the price. Payment: cash to the driver in shekels, credit card (charged in advance by phone or payment link), or bank transfer / payment app by arrangement; a deposit may be requested. Cancellation more than 24 hours ahead is free; 24–6 hours, up to 50%; under 6 hours or no-show, 100% — always in writing (see our terms page).
Ben Gurion taxi prices 2026: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Beit Shemesh and more
A quick decoder for visitors: Israeli taxis run on a government-regulated meter with three tariffs — Tariff A (daytime: Sunday–Thursday 06:00–21:00, Friday and holiday eves until 16:00), Tariff B (night) and Tariff C (Shabbat and holiday nights). Distance and time are metered together, so traffic raises the fare. "From" prices below: regular taxi (up to 4 passengers), official meter tariff in force since 1 April 2026, pre-booking fee included; final price confirmed at booking.
| From Ben Gurion to… | Distance | Drive time | Tariff A (day) from | Tariff B (night) from | Tariff C (Shabbat/holiday night) from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jerusalem | 54 km | ~50 min | ₪300 | ₪340 | ₪380 |
| Tel Aviv | 24 km | ~29 min | ₪140 | ₪160 | ₪190 |
| Beit Shemesh | 42 km | ~33 min | ₪220 | ₪250 | ₪270 |
| Modi'in | 26 km | ~23 min | ₪140 | ₪160 | ₪180 |
| Herzliya | 35 km | ~32 min | ₪190 | ₪220 | ₪240 |
| Netanya | 53 km | ~46 min | ₪290 | ₪320 | ₪360 |
| Haifa | 114 km | ~78 min | ₪580 | ₪650 | ₪730 |
| Beer Sheva | 97 km | ~67 min | ₪490 | ₪560 | ₪620 |
Leaving the airport carries an official ₪5 departure surcharge, stated in our quote. No luggage or per-passenger surcharge (both abolished in 2020). Highway 6 (Israel's electronic toll road, about ₪20) or Carmel Tunnels tolls are added at cost if used. Every destination is on our 2026 price list; the reverse trip, a taxi from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport, starts from ₪290 by day; the full calculation is in our 2026 taxi meter tariff guide.
Landing on Friday: how to plan a pickup before Shabbat
Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, runs from sundown on Friday to nightfall on Saturday: trains stop, many businesses close, and Almaxpress stops driving when Shabbat comes in. Friday is therefore the most sensitive day for a pickup: the tariff changes in the afternoon, and the clock runs out in the evening.
| Friday / holiday eve | Tariff | Ben Gurion → Jerusalem from |
|---|---|---|
| 06:00–16:00 | Tariff A | ₪300 |
| 16:01–21:00 | Tariff B | ₪340 |
| 21:01–05:59 | Tariff C | ₪380 |
In practice the constraint is the clock, not the price. Land around midday and count backwards: passport control, bags, then around 50 minutes to Jerusalem, plus 15–20 minutes if you hit rush-hour traffic. The ride should start comfortably before Shabbat begins, so you are home before sundown rather than racing it. Borderline? Ask us in advance; we will tell you honestly.
Landing on Shabbat or a holiday?
On Shabbat and Jewish holidays we do not operate. Landing on Saturday? Pre-book a ride for Saturday night: the car departs after Shabbat ends at the Shabbat/holiday tariff — Tariff B until 19:00 (Jerusalem from ₪340), Tariff C from 19:01 (from ₪380) — and book it before Shabbat begins, because on Shabbat itself we cannot take new bookings. The same applies on Rosh Hashanah (12–13 September 2026), Yom Kippur (21 September 2026), Sukkot (26 September 2026), Simchat Torah (3 October 2026), Pesach (22 and 28 April 2027) and Shavuot (11 June 2027); holiday eves follow the Friday windows.
Arriving as a group? Large taxi, van or minibus from Ben Gurion
A family with four children and six suitcases, a tour group, a business delegation — same arrivals hall, different vehicle. Our 6-seat large taxi, 10-seat van and 19-seat minibus come with the same name-sign pickup and flight tracking: everyone travels together, luggage in one hold.
Large-vehicle prices are quoted individually. Book a 6-seat large taxi, 10-seat van or 19-seat minibus on our large taxi page — we confirm the price within minutes. Related: large taxi from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem and our group transfers in Israel comparison.
Practical tips for a smooth landing at Ben Gurion
- SIM or eSIM: arrange Israel-compatible mobile data before you land, or use the airport Wi-Fi — it is your link to the driver.
- Cash and cards: pay the driver in cash in shekels, or settle by card in advance — no ATM queue with a trolley full of luggage.
- Where to go: skip the car-rental desks and the taxi rank; the driver is inside the Terminal 3 arrivals hall.
- Luggage: up to 3 large suitcases in a regular taxi; tell us about extra bags or a stroller and we assign the right car. Families: see our taxi with kids guide.
- Return flight: be at Ben Gurion about 3 hours before an international departure; from Jerusalem, leave about 4 hours before (15–20 minutes more in rush hour). Book both directions at once.
- Did the airline cancel your flight? Tell us immediately and we will find a solution.
More: our ultimate guide to Ben Gurion taxis and the airport taxis hub.
Bottom line
- Meet & greet = a driver in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall with your name on a sign, who walks you to the car.
- Real-time flight tracking: the driver waits, late or early; the agreed price does not change.
- By day: Jerusalem from ₪300, Tel Aviv from ₪140, Beit Shemesh from ₪220, Haifa from ₪580 — official 2026 meter tariff, final price confirmed at booking.
- Friday: Tariff B from 16:01; be home before Shabbat. No service on Shabbat/holidays; Saturday-night rides pre-booked, departing after Shabbat ends.
- Groups: 6-seat large taxi / 10-seat van / 19-seat minibus — price confirmed within minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the driver wait for me at Ben Gurion?
In the public arrivals hall of Terminal 3, right after customs, holding a sign with your name.
What happens if my flight is delayed?
The driver waits — we track the flight in real time. The agreed price does not change and you do not need to notify us.
How much is a taxi from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem in 2026?
From ₪300 by day (Tariff A), ₪340 at night and ₪380 on Shabbat/holiday nights — regular taxi, up to 4 passengers, official 2026 meter tariff; final price confirmed at booking.
Is there a taxi from Ben Gurion on Shabbat?
No. There is no service on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Pre-book a Saturday-night ride; the car leaves after Shabbat ends at the Shabbat/holiday tariff.
What details do I need to give when booking?
Flight number, landing date and time, passengers and suitcases, exact destination, name for the sign and a phone that works in Israel.
Is there an extra charge for luggage or for the name-sign service?
No — no luggage or per-passenger surcharge under the 2026 tariff, and the sign is part of the service. The only airport-specific item is the official ₪5 departure surcharge.
We are 8 passengers — which vehicle do we need?
A 10-seat van. Five or six passengers fit a 6-seat large taxi; larger groups take the 19-seat minibus. Price confirmed within minutes.
A calm arrival starts with one booking
Send us your flight number and destination — a driver with a name sign will be waiting in Terminal 3, even if the flight is late.
