In Airport - getting to Haifa
Attendees can reach the city of Haifa by train, taxi, bus or car. We recommend travel by train or by service taxi (Sherut - Shared Taxi).
| English | pronunciation | Hebrew |
|---|---|---|
| Train | Rakevet | רכבת |
| Bus | Otoboos | אוטובוס |
| Taxi | Monit | מונית |
| Haifa | Cheyfa | חיפה |
By Train
The inter-city train network in Israel is operated by Israel Railways.
map of train stations and route
Reaching the Airport Train Station
Note - trains do not operate on Shabbat - i.e. Friday afternoon to Saturday after sunset - if arriving or leaving on those times - use a service taxi (though it costs twice as the train ride).
Upon claiming your luggage and passing customs, you will enter the reception hall. You will be standing in the middle of a fountain area with two exits, one front and left and one front and right.
Use the right side exit between the fountains. Check to see if someone from the organizing team is around – they will be available at scheduled times before the conference, to assist, and will hold a sign.
Go to the left. You will find the "Train" sign above you head directing you to the relevant exit. Walk about 20 meters from the exit and the train station ticket office will be on your left. The automatic machine is available there as well to purchase tickets (you may use credit card). A Ticket to Haifa costs about 37 ILS (disabled: 34 ILS)
After purchasing the ticket, use the elevators for reaching the platform level. Trains to Nahariya and Haifa leave from platform number 2. Keep your train ticket till the end of your ride - you will need it for getting out of the station in Haifa!
Taking the Train to Haifa
The train ride takes about an hour and a half.
In the train, please remember not to sit at the last cabin to the north (north is the direction of the ride on your way to Haifa). The seats there are reserved, so you might have to pay more for that.
The central bus station of Haifa is located next to the Hof HaCarmel Station.
A subway station is located not very far from the Haifa Merkaz Station.
Depending on your arrival time and destination (see below) get off the train at the Hof HaCarmel (Carmel Beach) station if you take a bus or a taxi to the venue or hotels, or the Haifa Merkaz (Haifa Central) station if you take a subway to the venue or the hotels.
Wheelchair accessibility
A more wheelchair-accessible route than the one suggested above is going straight and left after exiting customs. Use the left exit from the airport building and not the central one. The train station will be outside the exit. An elevator will take you down to the trains platform.
The Airport station, as well as the Haifa Hof HaCarmel station and the Haifa Merkaz (Central) station are wheelchair-accessible. We recommend that people who use wheelchair and decide to use the trains (a service taxi may be a better option), use the Haifa Hof HaCarmel station and take a taxi from there to the hotel or the venue, and not the Haifa Merkaz station.
Reaching Haifa
Interactive map of Haifa, route from station to venue
Most announcements inside the train and in the train stations are in Hebrew, but some are in English. Electronic signs on the train may detail the next station.
The train ride takes about an hour and a half.
The central bus station is located next to the Hof HaCarmel Station.
Get off the train at the Hof HaCarmel (Carmel Beach) station if you take a bus or a taxi to the venue or hotels, or at the Haifa Merkaz-Hashmona (Haifa Central) station if you take a taxi or subway to the venue or the hotels.
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In order to ease the process of getting from the train stations by taxi, fixed prices were determined in advance by Wikimania local team in cooperation with the stations managers. The prices are for all the different destinations attendees should get to in all hours of the day. It is highly recommended to have the paper telling everything about it printed and to show it to the taxi driver upon entering the cab.
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A station of Haifa's subway - HaCarmelit is located not far from the Haifa Merkaz Station (Haifa Center HaShmona Railway Station). You may use the underground for a ride till the Gan Ha'em station at the Cermel Center, located close to the hotels and the conference venue. Pay attention to the fact the Carmelit does not operate during night hours nor on Saturday. The operating hours are Sunday till Thursday: 06:00 - 22:00 ; Friday: 06:00 - 15:00.
Reaching the Venue
Reaching the Hotel
Reaching the Dorms
By Taxi
see Taxis
Organizers recommend usage of the trains or Service taxi (Sherut).
By Shared Service Taxi (Sherut)
The "Amal" Service Taxi ("Sherut" - "שירות") - a share taxi may take travelers from the airport all the way to their final destination in Haifa. The service passes close to the hotels (ask the driver where to get off) and may take you to the Haifa University campus or to the Technion as well.
The price of such ride for Wikimania attendees is reasonable - ILS 80 ($24) per person, and is much cheaper than a special taxi which takes only one passenger and cost 550 ILS (about $150). Please tell the driver you came to Israel for Wikimania (Wikimania/Wikipedia are the "magic words") and make sure the price is 80 NIS indeed.
The service taxis to Haifa have a station near the main exit of the airport building. When exiting customs, cross the arrival hall, exit the building where thers's a big "TAXI" sign above your head. Then turn to the right.
Before leaving the airport, this taxi service takes as many passengers as possible and waits until it is full - this wait might be a little tedious if it's the middle of the night.
By Special Taxi
This is a regular taxi, taking one or two (up to four) passengers at the time. It will take you to any location you request. From the airport - there is a fixed price to Haifa:
- By day: 450 ILS (about $120).
- By night: 550 ILS (about $150).
Additional charge of 3 ILS per luggage (1$).
Price to Tel Aviv amounts to about 150 ILS ($40).
The service special taxis to all locations have a station near the main exit of the airport building. When exiting customs, exit the building and turn left.
We recommend using the cheaper Service taxis (see above) or the train.
By Bus
The main bus company in Israel is Egged. It links the airport to Haifa and operates the bus network inside Haifa.
We do not recommend traveling by bus from the airport to Haifa, as the ride is longer and bus transfer is required. Use the train or Service Taxi.
The Haifa Hof HaCarmel Central Bus Station is located next to the Hof HaCarmel train station.
By Car
The fastest way of getting from the Ben-Gurion airport to Haifa is taking Highway 1 in the direction of Tel-Aviv, proceeding to Highway 20 (Ayalon), and finally to Highway 2 - the coastal highway which links Tel Aviv with Haifa. This journey takes up to one and a half hours.
Other roads link Haifa to the center of Israel, such as route 4 (slower road with many traffic lights) and route 6 - a fast toll road which does not reach Haifa directly.
Detailed information - From Hof HaCarmel bus station to...
From Hof HaCarmel bus station to Venue, Nof Hotel, Dan Panorama Hotel, Har HaCarmel Hotel
Option 1: Bus 3, 35 (platform 11), 132, 133 (platform 14), 205 (outside the station; every 30 minutes after 23:00). On Friday: until 16:00 (line 205 functions on all nights); On Saturday: after 16:00. About 20–30 minutes. Option 2: Take the train to Haifa Merkaz Station. Walk to the Carmelit (subway) station and take the Carmelit to the last stop, Gan Ha-Em. About 10 minutes ride, but involves more walking.
From Hof HaCarmel bus station to Talia Dorms (Haifa University)
Direct route: Bus 46, 146 (platform 16). Daily 6:30–19:30; Friday: 07:30–14:30; Saturday: 20:10, 22:10. When 46 and 146 are not available: take bus 29 (platform 17), 123 (platform 15), 133 (platform 14) to Merkaz Horev and then take bus 30, 37, 24, 200 to Haifa University
From Hof HaCarmel bus station to Shikma Dorms
Bus 11 (platform 16), 123 (platform 15). Daily 05:00–23:20; Friday 05:25–16:50; Saturday 16:15–23:35. About 20 minutes. Go to the junction of PICA Street and Harel Street in the Romema neighborhood.
From Hof HaCarmel bus station to Technion Dorms
Bus 11 (platform 16). When 11 is not available, take bus 123 (platform 15) to Kikar Ziv and then 17, 19, 31, 76, 77 or 142 to Technion. 25–35 minutes.