Visitors
Visiting Eilat: start here
Coming to Eilat for a few days, a simcha or the chagim? These are the things that catch visitors out in Israel: Shabbat really does stop the buses and most shops, you pay for buses by card or app, and the emergency numbers are different. Start with the steps below, then use the directory for food and places to see.
Visitors
Start here
7 steps, in the order most people take them.
- 1
Check your entry permit before you fly
Visitors from visa-exempt countries need an approved ETA-IL travel authorisation before boarding. Apply only on the official site.
Go (opens in a new tab) - 2
Plan around Shabbat and the chagim
Buses and trains stop from Friday afternoon until Saturday night, and most shops close. See this week's times and the holidays coming up.
Go - 3
Sort out buses and trains
Pay with a Rav-Kav card or a payment app such as Moovit. Lines, stops near you and official journey planners are on the getting-around page.
Go - 4
Find somewhere to stay
Hotels, guesthouses and hostels I have checked, plus a quick search of short-term rentals by neighbourhood.
Go - 5
Pick what to do
Sights, museums, parks and day trips, with ready-made day plans where the city has them.
Go - 6
Know where to eat kosher
Restaurants and cafés with their kashrut exactly as they state it. Many close early on Friday and open again after Shabbat.
Go - 7
Save the emergency numbers
Police 100, Magen David Adom ambulance 101, fire 102. Install the Home Front Command app for alerts and learn where the nearest shelter is.
Go (opens in a new tab)
Guides
Read next
Good to know
- Many places close by early afternoon on Friday and on the eve of a chag; shop on Thursday.
- Israeli summers are hot: carry water, and plan outdoor visits for the morning or late afternoon.
From our network
Good people I work with
A few organisations from the Consult With Ari network whose work reaches people in Eilat.
These are not paid listings, and they are separate from the checked directory.
Source
- ETA-IL (Population and Immigration Authority) (opens in a new tab)
- Home Front Command (opens in a new tab)
- bus.gov.il (opens in a new tab)
These steps are national; local details for this city are being checked and will be added here.