Hi,
I'll travel to Israel and the west bank in a couple of days. I don't have a car and travel by public transport. Is it safe to visit the west bank by bus and taxi? How can I reach Nablus by bus from Haifa and how can I go from Nablus to Jerusalem?
Thanks,
P.
You can't go by public transport from Haifa to Nablus. This question has been asked before. Unfortunately the search function isn't working, due to maintenance problems.
As far as I know there is no crossing from Israel to the northern West Bank that is open to tourists travelling by public transport or taxis. The problem is that Israeli cars cannot enter cities under Palestinian control, of which Nablus is one, and Palestinian cars cannot enter Israel.
Perhaps someone on this forum has done it recently and knows more about it than I do. I am Israeli and am consequently not allowed to go to cities that are part of the Palestinian Authority.
You can go from Jerusalem to Nablus or vice versa. Arab buses and shared taxis leave from the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem. It may be necessary to change in Ramallah. Again, others will have more information on this than I do. This one is certainly easier than Haifa to Nablus.
Shuffaluff, thank you very much for the information. Do you think think it's possible to visit Nablus in a day from Jerusalem?
It depends on the transport, and as I said, I haven't done it myself and couldn't even if I wanted to. There are frequent buses/shared taxis to Ramallah, but from there onwards I have no idea. Probably someone else on this forum will be able to tell you.
One thing I do know is that Arab transport finishes very early in the day, around 5 or 6 p.m.
Going on a day-trip from Jerusalem to Nablus by public transport migth be possible, but it all depends on how much time you spend on the check-points, and that is impossible to know beforehand. From Jerusalem you take a bus to Ramallah (from the bus station by Jerusalem Hotel), and from there you can take a servese-bus (sp?) on to Nablus. I have done this as far as Huwwara (the last checkpoint before Nablus), but have not been into the city. I do not know how late the buses run, but they might stop early.
For a day-trip you migth consider joining a tour (this one for example: http://www.alternativetours.ps/abuhassan%20final1_files/Page700.htm). Then you will be in a private car, and the tour company will get you back to Jerusalem in the evening.
I visited Nablus on a day trip from Jerusalem and had lots of time to spare. I went from East Jerusalem to Ramallah and caught a bus from Ramallah up to Nablus. It didn't take long and was trouble free. I got a taxi on the way back though so i'm not sure if the buses run late.
It is very safe to visit the West Bank by bus and taxi. I've done it a few times to several differant places and had no problems in any part of the West Bank. Hard to plan ahead, but ask around once there and there is always a way to do things.
Hi,
Thank you very much for the information. It helps me a lot. I think Jerusalem will be my basis from where I can leave for daytrips to the westbank: Ramallah, Jericho, Bethlehem, Nablus, Hebron. If you have good advice for me, please let me know. I'll stay for 2 weeks in Israel but I would like to visit the westbank on my own.
Thanks,
P.
don't know haifa to nablus, but can probably enter in northern west bank.
from jerusalem to nablus, take a minivan from outside damascus gate of old city to ramallah, then switch to another minivan that will go to nablus. i did this in march. just don't leave past sunset to return to jerusalem, or you will have to hire a private taxi as i had to.
julie
There is NO Problem by all means to travell through the west bank....
the cheapest & fastest way is just to - wait hitching out of jerusalem
north or south depend where u wish to go.
there are planty of private and public cars , going to so many settlements
that love to take passengers.
#8
Don't expect everyone to rush to offer you a lift. It's true that planty of private and public cars , going to so many settlements that love to take passengers but the key word here is "settlements". The drivers pick up "their own" - people who are going to the settlements.
If a car does stop for you, the driver won't be overjoyed if you tell him you are heading to Ramallah or Nablus.
Nothing is 100% guaranteed in this world, but david1707 makes hitchhiking sound much easier than it really is.
As #7 wrote, it's easy by public transport, although there is no crossing in the northern West Bank.