A regular taxi in Israel carries up to 4 passengers and up to 3 large suitcases, plus carry-ons at the driver's discretion. Need more room: a 6-seat large taxi usually takes about 6–8 suitcases, a 10-seat van about 10–12, and a 19-seat minibus 19 and more with a luggage hold or trailer. There is no luggage surcharge and no per-passenger surcharge on an Israeli taxi — both were abolished in 2020 — so the only real question is which vehicle to book. Below: a capacity table, a matching chart for passengers and bags, real airport-transfer examples, and 2026 regular-taxi prices, starting with Jerusalem to Ben Gurion from ₪290 by day, whether you travel with one suitcase or three.
Luggage capacity by vehicle: the quick reference
Two numbers decide the vehicle: how many people travel, and how many large suitcases come with them. Whichever is the tighter fit wins.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Large suitcases | Typical travellers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular taxi | up to 4 | up to 3 (plus carry-ons) | couples, solo travellers, small families |
| 6-seat large taxi | up to 6 | about 6–8 | families, four adults with a case each |
| 10-seat van | up to 10 | about 10–12 | extended families, small tour groups |
| 19-seat minibus | up to 19 | 19 and more (luggage hold or trailer) | tour groups, weddings, corporate events |
All four run on the same terms: pre-booked and intercity, 24 hours a day from Sunday to Friday. There is no service on Shabbat and Jewish holidays; Saturday-night rides are pre-booked and depart after Shabbat ends.
What counts as a "large suitcase"
The capacities refer to full-size checked suitcases. Cabin trolleys, backpacks and handbags are carry-ons: they ride on laps or tucked around the big cases — that is what "at the driver's discretion" means. A stuffed duffel takes a suitcase slot, and a folded stroller needs trunk space of its own. Rule of thumb: count every bag you could not hold on your lap as a suitcase.
The regular taxi: 4 passengers, 3 large suitcases
A regular taxi suits most couples, solo travellers and small families, and it is the only vehicle with a published price. Three full-size cases fill the trunk; the fourth seat is for a fourth passenger, not a fourth suitcase. Four adults each towing a large case will not fit, and neither will 3 suitcases plus a stroller and a golf bag.
Prices below are Tariff A (daytime), according to the official 2026 meter tariff in force since 1 April 2026, pre-booking fee included. The final price is confirmed at booking and does not change with the number of suitcases.
- Taxi from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport: 54 km, about 48 minutes — from ₪290.
- Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem: 54 km, about 50 minutes — from ₪300, including the official ₪5 airport departure surcharge.
- Tel Aviv to Ben Gurion from ₪150; Beit Shemesh to Ben Gurion from ₪210; Jerusalem to Tel Aviv from ₪370.
Night rides (Tariff B) and Shabbat or holiday nights (Tariff C) cost more, because the per-kilometre and per-minute rates rise — the breakdown is in our 2026 taxi meter tariff guide.
The large vehicles: 6-seat taxi, 10-seat van, 19-seat minibus
Large vehicles have no public price list: the quote depends on the date, time and route, and we confirm it within minutes, in writing. All three get the same airport treatment as any Almaxpress ride — a driver waiting in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall with a sign carrying your name, and real-time flight tracking, so a late landing does not change the agreed price. Add your flight number when you book; there is more on arrivals in our Ben Gurion airport pickup guide.
6-seat large taxi: about 6–8 suitcases
The step up when either number overflows: five or six passengers, four adults with four or five large cases, or a family with a stroller, a travel cot and a car seat. Child seats and boosters are fitted free when requested in advance. Book a 6-seat large taxi — we confirm the price within minutes.
10-seat van: about 10–12 large suitcases
Up to 10 passengers and about 10–12 large suitcases in one vehicle, so an extended family or a small group is never split between two cars. Book a 10-seat van — we confirm the price within minutes.
19-seat minibus: 19 suitcases and more
Up to 19 passengers with 19 suitcases and more, in a luggage hold or on a trailer. Book a 19-seat minibus — we confirm the price within minutes. The three sizes are compared in our group transfers in Israel guide.
Not sure which vehicle fits your luggage?
Enter passengers and suitcases in the calculator: the regular taxi is priced instantly, large vehicles are confirmed within minutes.
Matching table: passengers and suitcases to the right vehicle
Read both columns. If either number pushes you up a size, take the bigger vehicle.
| Passengers | Large suitcases | Vehicle to book |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | up to 3 | Regular taxi |
| 3–4 | up to 3 | Regular taxi |
| 3–4 | 4–8 | 6-seat large taxi |
| 5–6 | up to 8 | 6-seat large taxi |
| 5–6 | 9–12 | 10-seat van |
| 7–10 | up to 12 | 10-seat van |
| 7–10 | 13 or more | 19-seat minibus |
| 11–19 | any number | 19-seat minibus |
| More than 19 | — | Message us and we will plan the vehicles |
Examples: families and groups heading to Ben Gurion
- A couple leaving a Jerusalem hotel — 2 large cases, 2 cabin trolleys, a camera bag: regular taxi, from ₪290 by day.
- A business traveller from Tel Aviv — one checked case and a laptop bag: regular taxi, from ₪150 by day.
- A family of four from Beit Shemesh — 3 large cases, a folding stroller and a booster: regular taxi, from ₪210 by day. Mention both when you book; if the load is borderline we offer the 6-seat large taxi instead. More in our taxi to Ben Gurion with kids guide.
- A family of six from Jerusalem — 5 large cases and a stroller: 6-seat large taxi, with child seats fitted free on request.
- Nine friends with nine suitcases and nine backpacks: 10-seat van. A tour group of seventeen plus a guide, a case each: 19-seat minibus with the luggage hold or a trailer.
Luggage fees in 2026: what you pay and what you don't
Israel's regulated meter dropped the luggage and passenger surcharges in 2020. In 2026 a regular taxi costs the meter — a ₪12.46 flag drop, then a per-kilometre rate and a per-minute rate running together — plus the ₪5.78 pre-booking fee, and a ride leaving Ben Gurion adds the official ₪5 departure surcharge. Highway 6 (about ₪20) and the Carmel Tunnels are added at cost only if the route uses them. Nothing is charged for a third suitcase, a fourth passenger, a stroller or a child seat. Every published route sits in our 2026 price list, and once a price is agreed, traffic or a detour does not change it. Routes without a published starting price are metered by the same official tariff and quoted in the calculator too.
Strollers, wheelchairs, skis and golf bags
- Strollers and travel cots fold, but still need trunk space — tell us and we send a vehicle with room to spare.
- Folding wheelchairs and medical mobility aids travel in the trunk of a regular taxi at regular-taxi prices, and drivers assist with boarding and with storing them. A vehicle with a wheelchair lift can be arranged in advance — see our wheelchair-accessible taxi guide.
- Sports gear — golf bags, skis, surfboards, bike boxes — is awkward rather than heavy. Give us the rough dimensions and we match the vehicle; one long, rigid item often tips a regular-taxi load into the 6-seat large taxi.
None of these carries a surcharge — they only need to appear in the booking, because the wrong vehicle at the door is the one problem nobody can fix on the spot.
Luggage on a Saturday-night or holiday departure
Almaxpress does not drive on Shabbat or on Jewish holidays, from candle-lighting on the eve until Shabbat or the holiday ends. Rides on Motzei Shabbat and at the end of a holiday are pre-booked and depart once Shabbat is out; the end time shifts weekly and by season, roughly an hour after sunset, so check the weekly Havdalah time for your date.
The meter keeps its own calendar: the Shabbat and holiday tariff day runs until 05:59 on Sunday, so a ride starting after Shabbat ends is charged Tariff B until 19:00 and Tariff C from 19:01. Holiday eves follow the Friday rules, holiday days follow the Shabbat rules, and on Yom Kippur (21 September 2026) there is no service at all — our Saturday night and holidays guide covers the timing. Luggage rules do not change on those nights; only the tariff does.
Bottom line
- Regular taxi: up to 4 passengers and up to 3 large suitcases, plus carry-ons at the driver's discretion.
- 6-seat large taxi about 6–8 suitcases; 10-seat van about 10–12; 19-seat minibus 19 and more with a luggage hold or trailer.
- No luggage or passenger surcharge since 2020. Jerusalem to Ben Gurion from ₪290 by day, Ben Gurion to Jerusalem from ₪300 — official 2026 meter tariff, final price confirmed at booking.
- Large vehicles carry no public price: book, and we confirm the quote within minutes.
- Strollers, wheelchairs and sports gear: say so at booking, and the right vehicle arrives.
Frequently asked questions
How many suitcases fit in a regular taxi in Israel?
Up to 3 large suitcases with up to 4 passengers, plus carry-ons at the driver's discretion. More than that means a 6-seat large taxi.
Is there a luggage surcharge on taxis in Israel?
No. The luggage and passenger surcharges were abolished in 2020; the 2026 meter charges distance and time, plus the ₪5.78 pre-booking fee and the ₪5 surcharge on rides leaving Ben Gurion.
We are four adults with four large suitcases — does a regular taxi work?
No: that is one suitcase more than a regular taxi holds. Book a 6-seat large taxi and we confirm the price within minutes.
How many suitcases fit in a 10-seat van or a 19-seat minibus?
The 10-seat van takes about 10–12 large suitcases; the 19-seat minibus takes 19 and more, using a luggage hold or a trailer.
Does a stroller count as a suitcase?
A folded stroller is not a suitcase, but it takes trunk space, so mention it when you book. With 3 large cases already loaded, we will say honestly whether it still fits.
How much is a taxi from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion with three suitcases?
From ₪290 by day for a regular taxi, according to the official 2026 meter tariff — the same price with one suitcase or three, confirmed at booking.
How do I get a price for a large taxi, van or minibus?
Send a request from the large taxi page or the calculator; we confirm the price for a 6-seat large taxi, 10-seat van or 19-seat minibus within minutes, in writing.
Every suitcase in one car, every passenger in one booking
Tell us how many of you are travelling and how many bags you bring — the right vehicle is confirmed in minutes, with no luggage surcharge.
