Public Transportation: The main forms of public transportation are buses and the national train service, both offering a convenient, reasonably priced means of travel to nearly every destination in the country.
Tickets can be purchased at the ticket booths in the central bus station in each city or town, or from the driver. Most of the bus lines do not run on Shabbat or on Jewish holidays. Service ends on Friday afternoon and resumes Saturday evening.
Taxis are very common and popular forms of transport in Israel. Taxis are widely available and are generally safe and modern cars, with helpful drivers. Within cities, drivers must use the meter unless they agree to a fixed fare with the passenger. Always insist on the meter. Travel between cities have fixed fares.
There are surcharges for calling a taxi (apx. 5 NIS), for luggage (apx. 4.6 NIS/piece) and for hailing a taxi at Ben Gurion airport (apx. 5 NIS). Night rates have a 25% surcharge, and there is a starting fare of NIS 11 in cities.
It is best to agree on a price with the driver at the start of the journey and if in doubt to insist that the meter is used (they have to do this legally, however will often try to persuade you not to).
It is also convenient to get a taxi to and from Ben Gurion Airport. Here there are fixed fares and a dispatcher who organizes the process.
Taxi Apps in Israel: Generally taxi apps are a great way to take a taxi in Israel. When you use the popular apps like Gett and Uber, prices are linked to the app and automatically meter at regulated rates within cities, and a fixed price list out of town. The apps all work in English, and the drivers are generally better, being rated by customers and more service orientated. Because of the competition in the market, none of the main taxi-apps in Israel charge to order a cab.
Gett is much more widely used in Israel than is Uber, however you can use either. Simple download the apps to your phone and set it up with your information.