I've read in quite a few places that "some" sherut lines in Israel operate through the night. Does anyone know which specific lines these are, and if this also applies on shabbat night? In particular, any information on possibilities to get back to Jerusalem from various Israeli cities at ungodly times would be most welcome.
Thomas
The sherut from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem operates on Friday nights but I have no idea whether it runs all night. If I think of it, when I'm passing the sherut stop in Jerusalem tomorrow, I'll ask. There are no other intercity sherut lines to Jerusalem at any time.
I don't know whether there are any other routes that operate throughout the night. I have no personal experience, but I would say it's rather unlikely.
Not a sherut in the strict meaning of the term, but the airport shuttle runs 24/7 and will drop you off anywhere in Jerusalem.
You may be interested to know that in July and August ONLY there are Egged buses on route 480 from north Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (and reverse) hourly until 3 a.m., every night except Friday night/Saturday morning. They are to/from Reading terminal in Tel Aviv and stop at the bus terminal next to Tel Aviv Central/Merkaz railway station, but NOT the central bus station in Tel Aviv. From TA at 12:30, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and the same times from Jerusalem.
Apart from that, there are no public transport options to Jerusalem at ungodly times. Hey, do "ungodly" and "Jerusalem" belong in the same sentence? ;)
Here are the stops for the 480, coming from Tel Aviv:
Reading terminal (that's near the Tel Aviv Port)
Corner of Namir Street (that's the main north/south road) and Yehuda Hamaccabi street
Arlosoroff terminal (that's what the web site says, but I suspect the bus will stop on the main road, Namir, and not enter the terminal. Don't leave it till the last minute to find out!!!)
Azrieli Centre (three immensely tall tower blocks above shopping mall and Hashalom railway station, the stop will be on Menachem Begin Street, the main north/south road aadjacent to the towers)
45 Hamasger Street (in a grotty industrial zone, but for all I know it's full of clubs etc. there - why else would they have a stop there at 2 a.m.?)
7 Hamasger Street
Kibbutz Galuyot Street (NOT A KIBBUTZ!!! NAME OF THE STREET
oops posted in error before I'd finished...
Kibbutz Galuyot Street (not a kibbutz!!! name of the street which incidentally means "ingathering of exiles")
That's the last pickup point. Note that all these stops are to take on passengers only. You can't get off the bus at any of them.
You can get off at the Harel bridge (Mevaseret, about 10 km before Jerusalem), at Givat Shaul (immediately before the city entrance), and the Jerusalem central bus station.
Further to the above, slight correction and update:
The 480 "night owl" bus doesn't go into the Jerusalem central bus station but continues to the city centre. I don't know exactly where it terminates, but I saw bus stops marked 480 with "night owl" symbol along Jaffa Road.
Note that this is in addition to the normal 480 that runs normal hours (until around midnight) from Tel Aviv North (central railway station terminal) to the CBS in Jerusalem.
Sherut from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem indeed runs all night, I was assured by a sherut driver this morning. On Friday night/Saturday morning they terminate at Zion Square rather than next to the CBS.
the sherut from tel aviv to jerusalem ALWAYS stops by zion square (one street over). that's why i never take the bus--so much easier to just go to the center of town instead of the bus station. plus not having to worry about a schedule is great, since they just leave when they fill up