Paying for a pre-booked intercity taxi in Israel comes down to three options: cash to the driver in shekels, a credit card charged in advance by phone or payment link, or a bank transfer / payment app by arrangement — and the price is fixed before the car moves. A taxi from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport costs from ₪290 by day under the official 2026 meter tariff, ₪5.78 booking surcharge included, and traffic on Highway 1 does not change that figure. Below: each method in detail, plus deposits, invoices, cancellations and paying for a ride you are not sitting in.
The three ways to pay — and when a deposit comes in
Almaxpress is a Jerusalem-based intercity taxi service, running since 2015, 24 hours a day from Sunday to Friday (24/6) with no rides on Shabbat or the Jewish holidays. Every ride is pre-booked and pre-priced, so payment is never a negotiation at the kerb.
1. Cash to the driver
Hand the agreed amount to the driver at the end of the ride, in shekels (₪, ILS). If you land without local currency, there are ATMs in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall.
2. Credit card — charged in advance by phone or payment link
All major credit cards are accepted. The charge happens before the ride, not in the car: once your booking is confirmed we take the card details by phone or send a payment link, and the agreed amount is charged then.
3. Bank transfer or payment app — by arrangement
A bank transfer or a payment app is available by arrangement. Ask when you book, and we confirm the details in writing together with the price.
When a deposit may be requested
For large vehicles (6-seat large taxi, 10-seat van, 19-seat minibus) and long trips such as Eilat or Haifa, a deposit may be requested at booking. The balance is settled by any method above, and the amount appears in the written confirmation.
"Fixed price agreed in advance" — what it actually means
Israeli taxis run on a government-regulated meter, and a pre-booked intercity ride is priced by the same official tariff: ₪12.46 flag drop, then ₪1.95 per km for the first 10 km and ₪3.79 per km beyond, plus ₪1.95 per minute (Tariff A, daytime); distance and time are metered together. Tariff B (night) raises the per-minute and first-10-km rates by 20% and the over-10-km rate by about 10%, so an intercity trip costs roughly 14% more; Tariff C (Shabbat and holiday nights) raises them by 40% and about 21%, roughly 28% more. The price we quote is that tariff calculated for your date, time and route, and the confirmation names the tariff that applies.
Once agreed, a traffic jam on Highway 1 or a detour does not change the price: the amount in your written confirmation is the amount you pay. The full arithmetic is in our 2026 taxi meter tariff guide.
What the price includes — and what you never pay
Every quote is all-in for a regular taxi (up to 4 passengers, up to 3 large suitcases). A daytime Jerusalem → Ben Gurion ride (54 km, about 48 minutes) shows where each shekel goes: ₪12.46 + 10 × ₪1.95 + 44 × ₪3.79 + 48 × ₪1.95 + ₪5.78 booking surcharge = ₪298.10, rounded down to "from ₪290". The only items that can sit on top of the meter:
| Item | Amount (2026) | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-booking surcharge (phone / website / app) | ₪5.78 | Every pre-booked ride — already inside our "from" prices |
| Departure-from-Ben-Gurion surcharge | ₪5 | Only when the ride starts at the airport |
| Highway 6 toll | About ₪20, at cost | Only if the route uses it (Jerusalem to Haifa, for instance); Carmel Tunnels likewise at cost |
| Luggage or extra-passenger surcharge | ₪0 | Abolished in 2020 — never charged |
| Child seat or booster | ₪0 | Free when requested in advance at booking |
If anyone quotes you a "luggage fee" or a "per-person fee" for a taxi in Israel, that is not the official tariff. Our complete 2026 list by route is on the price list page.
Example prices 2026: what you will actually pay
Regular taxi, official meter tariff in force since 1 April 2026, booking surcharge included, rounded down to the nearest ₪10; final price confirmed at booking. Rides starting at Ben Gurion include the ₪5 airport surcharge.
| Route | Distance | Drive time | Tariff A (day) | Tariff B (night) | Tariff C (Shabbat/holiday night) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jerusalem → Ben Gurion Airport | 54 km | ~48 min | from ₪290 | ₪330 | ₪370 |
| Ben Gurion Airport → Jerusalem | 54 km | ~50 min | from ₪300 | ₪340 | ₪380 |
| Jerusalem → Tel Aviv | 67 km | ~64 min | from ₪370 | ₪420 | ₪470 |
| Tel Aviv → Ben Gurion | 26 km | ~29 min | from ₪150 | ₪170 | ₪190 |
| Jerusalem → Haifa | 151 km | ~105 min | from ₪770 | ₪870 | ₪970 |
| Jerusalem → Eilat | 346 km | ~244 min | from ₪1,780 | ₪2,010 | ₪2,240 |
Any other destination is priced by the same official meter tariff — get an instant price in the calculator. Large vehicles carry no public price: book a 6-seat large taxi, 10-seat van or 19-seat minibus on the large taxi page and we confirm the price within minutes.
Know the price before you get in
Enter pickup, destination, date and time — the calculator shows the 2026 tariff price; you choose how to pay.
Tax invoice by email — for every ride, whatever the payment method
A full tax invoice is issued for every ride and sent by email, whether you paid cash, by card or by transfer. Companies can receive a monthly consolidated invoice covering all their rides — see our business travel guide. Give the right email address at booking — often finance, not the traveller.
Paying for someone else: parents, guests, colleagues
Because the card is charged by phone or payment link before the ride, payer and passenger need not be the same. You book, we confirm the price in writing and charge your card; the passengers are met in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall by a driver holding a sign with their name and ride to the door without touching a wallet. Tell us who is travelling, their phone number, and where the invoice goes. More in our Ben Gurion pickup guide; a taxi from Ben Gurion to Jerusalem is from ₪300 by day, the ₪5 airport surcharge included.
Cancellation policy: the 24-hour and 6-hour lines
Cancellations follow one written rule, published on our terms page:
- More than 24 hours before pickup: free.
- Between 24 and 6 hours before pickup: up to 50% of the agreed price.
- Under 6 hours before pickup, or no-show: 100% of the agreed price.
- Always in writing — WhatsApp or email.
If your plans are fluid, book anyway and cancel in writing as soon as you know — nothing is charged up to the 24-hour line. Need a different time instead? Tell us in writing: the tariff follows the date and time, so the price is re-confirmed for the new slot.
Flight delays versus cancellations
A flight delay is not a cancellation. We track your flight in real time; if it lands late or early the driver adjusts, waits in the arrivals hall with your name sign, and the agreed price does not change. If the airline cancels outright, tell us in writing as soon as you know — the earlier the notice, the lower the tier.
Tipping a taxi driver in Israel
Tipping is not obligatory in Israel, and there is no expected percentage. Rounding up the fare is a common courtesy — that is all it is. If you paid by card and still want to leave something, hand the driver a small amount in cash.
Shabbat, holidays and paying for a Saturday-night ride
Almaxpress does not drive on Shabbat or on the Jewish holidays — from candle-lighting on the eve until Shabbat or the holiday ends. Saturday-night (Motzei Shabbat) rides are pre-booked and depart after Shabbat ends, roughly an hour after sunset; the exact time shifts weekly with the season, so check that week's Havdalah time before fixing a pickup slot, and book (and settle any card payment) before Shabbat comes in on Friday.
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: in winter, when Shabbat ends before 19:00, a departure at 18:30 is Tariff B; in summer the same ride is Tariff C. Jerusalem → Ben Gurion on a Saturday night is therefore ₪330 under Tariff B or ₪370 under Tariff C, and your written quote says which.
Friday runs the other way: Tariff A until 16:00, Tariff B 16:01–21:00, Tariff C from 21:01, though Friday rides are planned to finish before candle-lighting. The Shabbat tariff also applies on the holidays: Rosh Hashanah (12–13 September 2026), Yom Kippur (21 September 2026 — no service at all), 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 pattern; holiday days follow the Shabbat pattern. More in our Saturday-night and holidays guide.
Questions about a specific case? Call or WhatsApp +972-50-912-2133, or use the contact page. New to Israel? Our taxi in Israel for tourists guide covers the basics. Note that the service is intercity only — no rides inside Jerusalem or Beit Shemesh city limits.
Bottom line
- Cash in shekels, card charged in advance by phone or payment link, or transfer / payment app by arrangement; a deposit may be requested for large vehicles and long trips.
- Fixed price = the official 2026 meter tariff for your date and time; traffic does not change it. Jerusalem → Ben Gurion from ₪290 by day, ₪5.78 booking surcharge included.
- Only extras: ₪5 when the ride starts at Ben Gurion, Highway 6 (about ₪20) at cost if used. No luggage or passenger surcharges; child seats free on request.
- Tax invoice by email for every ride; monthly consolidated invoices for companies. Tipping optional.
- Cancel in writing: free over 24 h, up to 50% at 24–6 h, 100% under 6 h or no-show. A flight delay never changes the price.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay for a taxi in Israel with a credit card?
Yes. All major credit cards are accepted; the card is charged in advance by phone or payment link, so nothing needs to happen in the car.
Do I pay more if there is traffic?
No. The price agreed at booking is the official meter tariff for that date and time, and it stays fixed regardless of traffic or detours.
Is there an extra charge for luggage?
No — luggage and per-passenger surcharges were abolished in 2020. A regular taxi takes up to 4 passengers and up to 3 large suitcases.
How much does it cost to cancel a taxi booking?
Nothing more than 24 hours before pickup; up to 50% between 24 and 6 hours; 100% under 6 hours or for a no-show. Cancel in writing, by WhatsApp or email.
Can I pay for a taxi for my parents or guests?
Yes. Book and pay by card or transfer in advance; the passengers are met by a driver with a name sign in the Terminal 3 arrivals hall, and the invoice can go to you or to them.
Do I need to tip the driver?
No — tipping is not obligatory in Israel. Rounding up the fare is a common courtesy, nothing more.
Will I get a receipt or an invoice?
Yes. A full tax invoice is issued for every ride and sent by email, whichever way you paid; companies can request a monthly consolidated invoice.
One fixed price, paid your way
Get the 2026 tariff price for your route in seconds, then pay by cash, card or transfer.
