Free intercity public transportation is available across Israel on Tuesday, Election Day for the 26th Knesset, according to Walla. The benefit is open to all passengers, not only those eligible to vote, and is paid for by the Central Elections Committee.
The free travel began at 8 p.m. on Monday and will remain in place until public transportation services end on Tuesday night.
The arrangement covers about 660 intercity bus routes longer than 15 kilometers, an increase from 600 routes during the 2022 elections. All Israel Railways lines are also included. City buses, light rail services, the Metronit bus rapid transit system and Haifa's Carmelit underground railway will still charge regular fares.
Passengers who want to confirm whether a particular intercity bus route is part of the arrangement can call the Transportation Ministry's information hotline at *8787.
Boarding rules differ by mode of transport. On eligible intercity buses, passengers can ride without showing identification, getting a ticket or validating a Rav-Kav card. On Israel Railways, passengers must pick up a special paper ticket from a station ticket counter or ticket machine. To avoid unnecessary charges, they should not use tickets or passes loaded onto their Rav-Kav cards or public transportation apps.
Because of expected demand, Israel Railways will run three trains per hour in each direction between Jerusalem's Yitzhak Navon Station and Tel Aviv from noon until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, instead of the usual two. Some of the added services will start and end at Tel Aviv's HaHagana Station.
Police have also limited the number of passengers traveling to and from Jerusalem. Passengers must therefore get a personal travel voucher in advance for their chosen train. Railway staff will enforce the requirement because of expected congestion. The vouchers are free and available on the Israel Railways website.
Different conditions apply to travel to and from Eilat. Free rides on those routes depend on an eligibility check based on the passenger's registered residential address, as well as advance registration through Egged's information center at *2800.
Rail ridership may set a new record. During the elections for the 25th Knesset on November 1, 2022, Israel Railways saw passenger numbers rise by roughly 33%, from 249,146 on a typical weekday to 331,706 on Election Day. That figure is expected to be surpassed this year.
The free transportation initiative is estimated to cost NIS 3.5 million, funded by the Central Elections Committee through the Transportation Ministry. Passengers are advised to check updated schedules and service changes on the Israel Railways website, its official app, the *5770 information hotline or its official WhatsApp channel.
