You’ve packed your bags and confirmed your flights. But have you downloaded the best (and most necessary) phone apps to make exploring Israel smooth and convenient?
We recommend you get your phone ready for your travels as well, as the following 10 essential apps will change the way you navigate and experience Israel.
Good news – with the Gett Taxi app, there is no need to flail your arms in order to hail a taxi anymore! Calmly order a cab from the comfort of your own phone (reservations can even be made up to two weeks in advance), and within mere minutes, a driver will show up at your location. You can also connect your credit card with the app so that you can pay with a simple click.
Stay up to date and informed on the latest Israeli news with the (English) Times of Israel app. From Israeli politics to stories from the Jewish world, the Times of Israel offers relevant analyses and reports on the latest. The Times of Israel is also known for their robust bloggers community – so be sure to read from their acclaimed blogs.
Hop on a city bus and pay for your ride with the convenient Hopon app. Hopon assists you in navigating the bus lines and understanding how much your ticket will cost. Simply purchase your ticket in advance and when boarding the bus, scan the QR code at the scanner by the driver. That’s it!
Waze Navigation and Live Traffic
Planning to drive in Israel? Without a doubt, Waze is the most commonly used navigation app in Israel. Travel like a local with Waze and avoid traffic jams and unforeseen dead ends. In fact, one of the app’s highlights is its ability to recalculate your route based on disturbances along the way. Because it can be especially daunting to drive in a foriegn country, Waze tells you where to turn and estimates how long your drive should take.
Experience Tel Aviv like a local by cruising along the promenade on an electric scooter. Simply download the Bird or Lime scooter app in advance and ahead of your ride, check to see where the closest scooter is waiting for you. There are numerous dropoff points across the city, so there are high chances you won’t need to travel far to find one. Scootering around Tel Aviv is hands down the best way to get to know this vibrant city. In addition to making your way down the promenade, you scooter around Rothschild Boulevard (in the bike lane!) and in Tel Aviv’s beautiful Yarkon Park.
If you are more in the mood to explore Tel Aviv on a larger pair of wheels, you can rent bikes through the city’s Tel-o-fun program. You can choose to rent a bike on a daily, weekly or annual basis and pay accordingly. You are guaranteed to find a bike at one of the main bike stations located across the city. Enjoy and safe riding!
Many visitors to Israel claim that they have no trouble speaking in English with Israelis. But sometimes, you need a little extra help. Thanks to Google Translate, language barriers are a thing of the past. You can translate to and from a language through text (typing out a question with an automatic translation), through speaking and even through a picture! Simply scan a Hebrew menu or sign and it will automatically translate what’s written. Now that’s impressive.
Riding the rails has never been easier! Similar to Hopon, plan and pay for your train pass ahead of your journey. You’ll know how long your trip will take, which platform to wait at and even how packed the train will be. Traveling around Israel on the train is easy and convenient, made even the more so by this app.
We get it, parking laws (and even finding a parking spot) in a foreign country can be incredibly confusing. Luckily, the Pango app saves you such a parking headache. After registering your car and credit card, use the app to help locate parking, create an automatic parking timer and even use as a resource for roadside assistance.
Israel is a country of hikers and bikers, and the Israel Hiking Map app is the perfect tool to accompany you on your hikes across Israel. Featuring a detailed topographic map, the app allows you to plan and navigate your journey by taking into account special landmarks and attractions. This app can also be used in areas without phone reception, making it incredibly necessary for when you go off the grid.
Israel is home to over 200 museums – a staggering amount for a country so small. But arguably, the museum standing at the helm is the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. With over 500,000 artifacts on display (as well as the famous Shrine of the Book and a beautiful sculpture garden adjacent), you can easily lose yourself for hours exploring all that this museum has to offer. However, the Israel Museum app is the perfect asset to help you explore and understand what’s on display. The app provides additional information on the displays in written and audio format. The Israel Museum also boasts an additional Jewish Art and Life Wing app for the family featuring interactive tours.
The Israel Museum is not the only museum in Israel to have an accompanying phone app. Other museum apps include: The Museum of the Jewish People and the Eretz Israel Museum, both in Tel Aviv.
Ready to go? We’re ready to welcome you! Book your tour today for a journey of a lifetime.
