no logo on Wikidata:  | ||
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| Ben Gurion Airport | ||
| height | 135 feet | |
|---|---|---|
| IATA code | TLV | |
| ICAO code | LLBG | |
| Number of passengers | 8.812.563 (2008), 10.500.504 (2009), 11.485.263 (2010), 12.226.675 (2011), 12.400.229 (2012), 13.462.006 (2013), 14.266.625 (2014), 15.673.931 (2015), 17.342.146 (2016), 20.187.327 (2017), 22.357.736 (2018), 24.036.091 (2019) | |
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The Ben Gurion Airport, Hebrew: נמל התעופה בן-גוריון, Nemál haTe'ufá Ben Gurión, is the main international airport Israel and the country's central air hub. It is located about 20 km southeast of Tel Aviv on the motorway after Jerusalem.
background
Ben Gurion Airport is Israel's only international airport besides Elat Airport; international scheduled flights only start and land here. The airport has three runways that are arranged in such a way that they form a triangle. The shortest of the three runways is currently not used for civil take-offs and landings, but only as a taxiway to the runway further away from the terminals.
The airport was named after the first Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion; It is known not only by its official name, but also by a few other names. It is sometimes called "Tel Aviv Airport", sometimes also "Lod Airport" after the earlier official name (Lod is the closest city). Occasionally it is also called simply "Natbag"; this name is an acronym from the letters with which the name of the airport is abbreviated in Hebrew: “Nemál haTe'ufá Ben Gurión” becomes NTBG (נתב"ג) and finally Natbag.
The airport was created in the 1930s by the British mandate power. After Israel gained independence in 1948, it was expanded to become the country's most important airport. The last major expansion was the modern Terminal 3, which opened in 2004. You can get an overview of the airport with the help of the interactive maps of the Israel Airports Authority procure. (Note: The interactive maps do not seem to always work properly; if you get an error message, you should try the link at least one more time - also with the cards below. Alternatively you can find here an overview of the available maps including all linked here.)
getting there
By train
Since the opening of Terminal 3, the airport has also been connected to the network of israeli railroad connected. The train station is located directly in front of Terminal 3 (one level lower than the arrivals hall).
Trains to Tel Aviv leave the airport around the clock, usually two every hour during the day and one train at night. The journey from the airport to all train stations in Tel Aviv costs 14 NIS (as of 07/2010); It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to drive to Tel Aviv Merkaz - Savidor main station. Haifa can also be reached with one or two intercity trains per hour without changing trains; the journey costs 37.50 NIS for the train stations in Haifa (as of 07/2010). Depending on the destination station and connection, the journey to Haifa is around one and a quarter to two hours. Also accessible free of charge are, among others Akko and Nahariyah and several other cities on the northern Mediterranean coast. If you have another destination that can be reached by train, it is best to change in Tel Aviv Merkaz - Savidor.
The offer is limited between midnight and 5 a.m. the train then runs every hour to Tel Aviv Merkaz - Savidor main station and with a few stops onwards to Haifa Chof haKarmel, sometimes also to Nahariya; this train does not stop at the on-the-go stations in Tel Aviv and also skips some stations on the onward journey to Haifa. Current information on train connections is available on the English Israel Railways website. Tickets are available from the ticket machines on site or at the ticket counter.
By bus
With the opening of the railway line to Tel Aviv, the airport's integration into the bus network has deteriorated significantly, so that you will only take the bus in exceptional cases. One such exception is currently Jerusalem and various other destinations east of the airport (e.g. the Dead sea; here the journey also leads via Jerusalem). The new high-speed rail line from the airport directly to Jerusalem is still under construction (it will not open until after 2018), currently only a branch to Modi'in has been completed. Although Jerusalem could theoretically be reached via an existing old route, one would have to make a long detour via Tel Aviv, accept a long journey from there to Jerusalem and then in Jerusalem would have a long way to go in the city itself.
The situation that the bus ride from Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem It was only possible to cope with complicated transfers and lugging luggage, has changed fundamentally in the meantime. The Bus route 485 the bus company Afikim now connects Jerusalem with the airport every hour, around the clock, but not on Shabbat. The journey takes 70 minutes, and it goes to Terminals 1 and 3 in Ben Gurion Airport and several stops in Jerusalem, one of which is at the central bus station and the Jerusalem Light Rail.
For other connections with the Egged company, you still have to rely on the well-known, cumbersome procedure: The Egged buses do not run from the terminal, but a few kilometers further east from the “El Al Junction” stop. Specifically, this means that you first have to take an airport-internal shuttle bus (line 5, the bus stop is in front of Terminal 3 on Level 2), with which you can drive in about 10 minutes past the old Terminal 1 to the El-Al intersection . Since “El Al Junction” is not the last stop and you can't rely on the bus driver to let you know, keep your eyes open: at El-Al-Junction, roads 40 and 46 cross the bus route - the stop is right after the intersection; so you can still press the bell. If you have driven too far, you should ask the bus driver: Since there are a maximum of two stops after the intersection, depending on the time, you might be able to take the bus back again.
Since mid-2019, bus 445 has also been running on Rothschild Ave for NES 9.30 to the center of Jaffa. Hourly, but no operation on the Sabbath.
With the taxi
There is a taxi counter on Greeters' Hall level at Terminal 3. The taxis hired at the terminal are supervised by the Israel Airports Authority; it is recommended not to take a randomly passing taxi at the airport.
In the street
Ben Gurion Airport is located directly on the Tel Aviv to Jerusalem motorway (Road 1). The corresponding exits are signposted; However, you may still drive a long way on the airport's internal feeder roads before you have reached your destination. Cars can be rented at the airport, where various national and international rental companies are represented at Terminal 3. It should be noted, however, that an airport surcharge is often required.
A number of landlords take their customers to the rental car garages outside the airport by shuttle bus after registration. With the way there resp. It takes an additional 30 minutes from the return of the rental car to the airport.
Airlines and Destinations
Ben Gurion Airport is served by many destinations around the world; there are direct connections from most European countries. There are no flights to most of the neighboring Arab states due to the political situation.
The airport is the home airport of the now privatized Israeli airline "EL AL", which flies to various European destinations. For their part, many European airlines offer flights to TLV from various European airports. Swiss, Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa, among others, fly from German-speaking countries. There are regular scheduled flights to Tel Aviv from, among others Zurich, Vienna, Frankfurt and Munich.
As a low-cost airline, Easy Jet offers cheaper deals from the airport Basel-Mulhouse which are of interest to travelers from Switzerland, southern Germany and Alsace.
Terminals
- At the Terminal 1 the international flights were also handled until 2004. After the opening of the new Terminal 3, it was initially closed, now it is used to handle national flights (entrance "Domestic Flights") and international flights from low-cost airlines (including Easy Jet; entrance "International Flights"). For these flights you have to make sure that you get to the correct terminal to check in when you take a bus or taxi transfer! In these cases, the baggage check and questioning by the security staff, the check-in, the check of hand luggage and personal control by the security (including metal detector, etc.) as well as the passport control and creation of the "Exit Permit" take place in the facilities of Terminal 1 "by the border guards. A bus transfer takes you from the barren departure hall (has toilets and a bar) back to the large departure hall in Terminal 3, where you can enjoy the full enjoyment of duty free shopping and from where you can get to the gates. The international flights themselves do not depart from Terminal 1, only the security and baggage checks are carried out decentrally at a second location.
- Terminal 2 served to handle national flights until Terminal 3 was opened. After these flights had moved to Terminal 1, the building was supposed to be demolished, but apparently there are considerations to handle cheap flights here as well.
- Busy Terminal 3 take off and land the international flights. The building consists of a landside main building with arrival and departure areas, a long connecting structure and an airside round building. From this so-called “rotunda” there are three wings from which the gates can be reached (the Israel Airports Authority also offers one for Terminal 3) interactive map). The connection building is structurally quite spectacular: Here the travelers meet on two long, sloping sloping levels - so you change levels both on arrival and on departure within the terminal.
Arrivals
After Arrival at Terminal 3 one is led over passenger boarding bridges to the upper floor of the wing of the building, which leads off from the central departure hall. Then you cross the rotunda on a gallery (from the gallery you can see the departure area or duty-free area below). The long inclined level in the connecting building leads to the ground floor (level G) of the main building, where passport and customs controls take place and the baggage carousels are. You leave the security area in the so-called "Greeters' Hall", which is open to the public and where relatives and friends can wait for the arriving passengers.
In the "Greeters' Hall" there are not only the waiting hall but also some counters for departures. In the hall with its two gallery-like intermediate levels 1 and 2 there is an information counter, ATMs, banks, car rental companies and various shops.
When you first arrive, it is a bit confusing that you can leave Terminal 3 on all floors. Some of these are level exits to the multi-storey car parks, and some of the access roads are laid out on several levels in order to disentangle the traffic. The doors on level G lead out of the building at ground level, here you have access to the train station and the multi-storey car parks. The exits on level 1 lead to the parking garages, level 2 is reserved for public transport; Another access option is on level 3.
departure
As with arrival, you change on departure on the Way to the plane the levels. The main departure area is located in the same building as the arrivals area, but on the next full floor above the Greeters' Hall (level 3); This is where most of the departure desks and access to departures are located. The check-in hall has three areas: In the front area are the entrances to the lower floors (arrival hall, galleries) and level exits to the entrance to level 3. In the middle part of the hall there are several islands where luggage is checked at the back of the hall are the airline counters. There is another information desk in the center of the hall. Some of the check-in counters (e.g. from Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa) are located Not in the general check-in area but in the Greeters Hall on the ground floor.
There are three main passageways in the wall behind the check-in desks. These passages lead to the so-called “buy and bye mall”. This area is still open to the public. In the middle of the hall is the entrance to the identity control and passport control. Once you have gone through these controls, you go - as on arrival - down a long inclined plane in the connecting wing and finally reach the duty-free rotunda. In this central departure hall there are various shops and restaurants, in the middle there is a large round fountain. From this central waiting hall you go to the desired wing B, C or D and from there to the gate.
In a side wing of the departure rotunda (with the plastic palm trees of a children's play area) is the counter for the reimbursement of VAT, "VAT Refund". If you have had a corresponding form made out for expensive purchases during your stay in Israel, you can do so here on presentation of your passport, your boarding pass and of the purchased item (must be carried in hand luggage, which is only possible for small valuables), the VAT will be reimbursed, it will be paid out in shekels, US $ or euros or credited to the credit card. Quite a lot of queues!
Change
Passengers who only change trains at Ben Gurion Airport do not leave the area of the rotunda, but instead change in this building wing from the arrival to the departure area.
security
The security precautions at Ben Gurion Airport are very strict. Vehicles are checked at the entrance to the airport premises, and security personnel are also posted at the entrances to the terminals. The buildings are monitored by video and security guards patrol them - often under cover. If you leave a backpack for a moment and buy something a few meters away, an airport employee may be there within seconds and look for the owner of the item of luggage.
The actual check-in at the counters at Ben Gurion Airport is preceded by a brief survey by specially trained staff and an X-ray of checked baggage. People who arouse suspicion are questioned more intensively, and luggage is also screened several times if there is suspicion. Carrying jelly-like material in particular arouses suspicion. Anyone who has acquired "Dead Sea health mud" (or, even worse, received it as a "gift" from the hotel and cannot show a receipt) can be guaranteed to open the suitcase again to be allowed.
The normal checks of hand luggage and the identity checks (with passing through the usual metal detector, pocket knives and scissors as well as large-volume cosmetic bottles are removed as usual) take place at the entrance from the buy-and-bye mall to the connecting wing, after which one arrives at passport control and issuing the "Exit Permit", the entry visa must be presented here.
Since the Israelis don't have much fun when it comes to security - and this also applies increasingly to the airport - you should act more discreetly in your own interest: Cooperate with the security staff, stick with your luggage and leave ambiguous comments during the questioning, annoyed ones Comments and jokes. The interview procedures in particular can be annoying - but if you are noticed unpleasantly, you can prepare for a much more detailed conversation.
mobility
Within Terminal 3, all destinations are within walking distance. If you want to go to another point within the airport area or to the bus stops at El Al Junction, you can use the airport shuttle bus on line 5 (Egged); the bus stop is on level 2 in front of Terminal 3.
activities
Lounges
There are several lounges at Ben Gurion Airport, including Terminal 1. In Terminal 3 there is a lounge in each wing of the building that leads from the rotunda; one of them (departure D) is reserved for higher class passengers of EL AL, the other two lounges (Dan lounges, departures B and C) are available for higher class travelers of all airlines, travelers in the tourist class can use the Dan lounges for a fee.
Planespotting
The buy-and-bye mall in the main building (level 3, passageways behind the departure counters) has floor-to-ceiling glazing on the side of the rotunda, so that you can watch what is going on in the rotunda from here; with a little luck you can see arriving or departing planes from here. There is seating in front of the entire glass front, some with tables.
If you wait for your flight yourself, you can go through the security area between departure areas B and C to the area with the restaurants and cafes. This area ends at a large glass front from which you can see the runways. You can also look outside in many places from the wings of the building with the gates.
shop
Business at Ben Gurion Airport is concentrated in three areas: In the Greeters' Hall (Level G), in the Buy-and-Bye Mall (Level 3, behind the counters), and in the Departures Hall (rotunda). The shops in Greeters' Hall and the buy-and-bye mall are open to the public. You can get practically everything from travel supplies to jewelry, souvenirs, clothing, electronics and books to medicines. The airport offers one on its website Overview about the existing shops and restaurants.
kitchen
There are various cafés at the airport, but only a few restaurants. However, smaller meals are offered in many places. The airport offers one on its website Overview about the existing shops and restaurants.
accommodation
There is no overnight accommodation directly at the airport.
health
There's one in the buy-and-bye mall Drugstore, where medicines are also available.
There is an infirmary on Gallery Level 2 in Greaters' Hall.
Practical advice
Information desks are located both in the Greeters' Hall and on level 3 in the check-in hall.
The airport police offices are on gallery level 1 and ATMs are on the mezzanine level on gallery level 2.
There are public telephones in the airport. A post office is located in the buy-and-bye mall on level 3 (when you come from the check-in counters, at the left end of the hall).
Web links
- http://www.iaa.gov.il/he-il/airports/bengurion/pages/default.aspx - Official website of Ben Gurion Airport
