We plan to visit Israel next year and we plan to rent a car for everywhere except when we get to Jerusalem where we will turn in our rental. Is it permissible for us to drive to Hebron to see Abraham’s tomb or would it be advisable to do this as a part of an organized tour from Jerusalem?
Thank you!
You can go by bus from Jerusalem's central bus station to the Cave of Machpela in Hebron. Timetable here:
https://bus.gov.il/?language=en#/origindestination/0/0/false/3000-1043/1783/3400-962/1801/1/-1
Assuming you won't be doing any other bus travel in Israel and won't have Rav-Kav smartcards (there are no cash fares on buses), buy your tickets for *BOTH DIRECTIONS* in the ticket window in the central bus station. The fare is 8 shekels one way. There are no return (round trip) tickets as such, so it will cost you 16 shekels each for there and back. These will be separate tickets, each person getting two pieces of paper. Make sure the ticket clerk understands what you want, and don't lose the tickets for getting back to Jerusalem since you can't buy tickets on the bus.
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57 helpful votes The answer to your original question will sound a bit complicated.
You cannot take an Israeli rental car into areas that are under the complete control of the Palestinian Authority - areas that are called Area A. The includes Bethlehem, Jericho and most of Hebron.
Hebron becomes a bit complicated. If you are only going there to see the Cave of the Patriarchs and you keep the car on the Israeli side, then you can drive your rental car there. You cannot take it across the checkpoint to the Palestinian side.
That being said - you will probably be much more comfortable taking the bus. The route is a bit complex with some "interesting" twists and turns and places that you MUST go a certain way and not the straight way. It's one of the few places that I would not recommend you drive on your own.
Thank you both for the great info! We will likely be taking the bus or doing an organized tour. We appreciate your help!!
One other question, is the site where Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River located within Area A?
Qasr al-Yahud baptism site is in Area C. You can take an Israeli rental car there.
The Dual Narrative Tour of Hebron, run by Abraham Tours, is recommended often here because it gives you both a Palestinian and Israeli guide who each take half the day and the separate sides (H1 and H2) of the city. It’s a hard place to make sense of without hearing both sides of the story.
Thank you!!!
