Travel to Palestine: The journey to the beautiful, historic country of Palestine is a trip that will last long in your memory though one which can require a certain level of patience. As with many things in Palestine, getting there is not always simple, however there are at least a few different travel routes you can take.
In this article we will discuss the practicalities of reaching the West Bank, Palestine. We aim to inform you of the time, costs and procedures involved as well as the practices we recommend, those we discourage and the benefits and drawbacks of each option.
There are several different ways in which you can travel to Palestine. These include arriving by aeroplane to Ben Gurion airport, Tel Aviv, (the easiest and quickest method), or travelling to Jordan Queen Alia International Airport then taking a taxi to the Jordan-Israeli border and entering the West Bank, Palestine through the Allenby/ King Hussein border crossing.
It is also possible to use the Wadi Araba border crossing in Aqaba, southern Jordan, which enables you to cross to Eilat. However it is important to note that there is no public transport to and from this border crossing on either side. The journey from Eilat to Hebron takes over 5 hours and is most definitely not the recommended option.
How to Travel and Fly to Palestine?
International visitors often have many questions about how to reach Palestine and the Palestinian Excellence Centre in Hebron, West Bank
Common questions include;
| Which airport do I fly to Palestine? | What is the name and location of the airport |
| How far is the airport from Hebron? | Is the airport in Gaza or the West Bank? |
| Airports in the West Bank and Gaza | How to fly to Palestine directly? |
These are important questions you need the answers of before you can book your flight. Today’s article will look to provide all the information you need to make your travel arrangements well in advance, giving you time to plan and economise.
Unfortunately Palestine does not have an airport, though it did once exist for a brief period of time.
Airports in Palestine
The Yasser Arafat International Airport in Gaza, located close to the Egyptian border, was opened on 24 November 1998 but lasted only two years until the 8th October 2000, when the second Intifada (the Arabic word for the uprising in English) started.
The Gaza International Airport, as it was named at that time, was destroyed by the Israeli forces. Palestine has not had an operating airport in its territory since 2000 which unfortunately means that it is not possible to get a direct flight to the West Bank, Palestine. Even though the Yasser Arafat Airport was destroyed, three small Palestinian airlines still operate out of a local airport in Egypt.
How do I get/fly to Palestine?
1. Fly to Ben-Gurion International Airport
You can fly to Ben-Gurion International Airport which is in Tel-Aviv, Israel. From there you can travel to Jerusalem via a shared or private taxi which can take you to the Palestinian side upon request.
Alternatively, you can also catch a bus from within Jerusalem which will take you to the Arab central bus station in the Musara Area of Palestine. You can catch a connecting bus from there to any other major Palestinian city.
In our opinion, flying to Ben Gurion (Tel Aviv) is the easiest option.
Airport Security at Ben Gurion
Do not be surprised or concerned if you are asked questions upon your arrival at Ben Gurion airport. The Israeli airport security staff will usually ask some basic questions about you and the purpose of your trip.
This is a standard security procedure. We recommend that you remain calm, answer any questions politely and you will soon be granted entry.
It has been noted that single travellers often attract more attention from the security staff. If possible, we recommend that you travel in pairs or small groups. It is not sensible to engage in any discussions about politics, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or criticsm of Israel. It is also not advisable to wear any clothing which may be viewed as inappropriate (no political slogans, offensive images etc).
Sometimes individuals are selected for further questioning. This can take a little longer but is nothing to worry about, just be courteous, answer the questions simply and as honestly as possible – remember that soon you will be free to discover Palestine- it will be worth the wait!
2. Fly to the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan
This is a more complicated way of traveling to Hebron. You can take a taxi from Queen Alia Airport in Amman directly to the Jordanian-Israeli border. The trip will cost you approximately 30-35 JD (Jordanian Dinar). This border crossing is known as the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge.
This border bridge is 57km away from Amman and is located in the scenic southern Jordan Valley. The border crossing is open from Sunday until Thursday (8:00 am – 8:00 pm) for arrivals and 8:00 am to 2:00 pm for departures.
Be aware that on Friday and Saturday, it is only open for 5 hours from 8:00 am– 1:00 pm in observance of the Jewish holidays.
Traveling from Jordan to Palestine
If you are travelling to Palestine from Jordan, the journey will be significantly longer and it may well involve lengthy delays, possibly several hours at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge due to the extensive checks which take place there.
Once you are through the checkpoint, however, you can get a shared or private taxi which can take you directly to Jerusalem, Hebron, Ramallah, Nablus, or any other city.
Traveling to Palestine through the Allenby Bridge (Israeli)/King Hussein Bridge (Jordanian) is something you should prepare yourself for in advance of your arrival in Jordan and is not one which we recommend.
Please note: It is unlikely there will be anyone who can communicate in English at any of the three border points you must go through to gain entry into Palestine.
The Journey from Queen Alia airport in Amman to King Hussein Bridge
The journey from Amman International Airport (Queen Alia) in Jordan to the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge (Israeli) takes roughly an hour and should cost approximately 30 JDs (Jordanian Dinars).
The procedure upon arriving at the border is straightforward. However please remember that if you carry a foreign passport you will have to ask for the foreign passport checkpoint.
Of the two buses which will take you to the Israeli border, make sure you ask for and board the one for foreign passengers.
If you do not know where the bus for foreign passengers is located, you can ask any available airport administrator or information specialist. Once on the bus, it can take up to 40 minutes to get from the Jordanian checkpoint to the Israeli checkpoint.
Arriving at the Israeli border
Once you arrive at the Israeli border, collect your baggage and follow the crowd or ask where you can get your bag tagged for inspection. You will have to go through border control procedures and passport checking, where you may or may not be asked to wait for your details to be verified.
Your passport might be held for a number of reasons, and the staff at the Israeli border control will most likely not offer explanations as to why. We strongly advise to not ask questions and simply be patient as you wait out this process which can take hours.
If you choose to travel to Palestine this way, you must be patient and prepared to wait. There are often inexplicable delays and information is not always available.
Traveling from Allenby to the West Bank cities or Jerusalem
After you leave the Israeli border, you will find taxis waiting for you which will take you to Jerusalem. If you are going to other West Bank cities besides Jerusalem, such as Hebron, you may need to take a bus to the Palestinian border.
Once you reach the Palestinian border you will again find many taxis which will take you to whichever Palestinian city you ask for. A shared taxi from there will cost you approximately 35 shekels to Nablus, and 50 shekels to Hebron or Ramallah. We recommend agreeing on a price before the start of the journey.
While this second option of traveling to Hebron via Jordan is certainly more complicated, it is a fascinating experience for foreigners as they see more of the land and get a taste of the locals’ daily reality. Just be prepared for lengthy delays and some frustration!
Final Conclusion
We highly recommend that international visitors travel to Palestine via Ben Gurion airport. This option is the quickest, most cost effective and least stressful method.
Flying to Ben Gurion (Tel Aviv) is the easiest point of arrival in our opinion. Most Americans and Europeans are issued with a 3-month visa upon arrival once they clear customs.
You are also only a two to three hour shared taxi (called sherut, Israeli; and service, Arabic) from the airport to Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem or Nablus, and an hour and a half by a private taxi.
Enjoy your travels! We will be happy to welcome you to Palestine.
