Getting Around Haifa: A Practical Guide for Visitors
Haifa is built on the slopes of Mount Carmel, which shapes everything about how you move through the city. The city stretches from the port and downtown at the bottom up to the Carmel Center at the top, and the difference in elevation is significant. That geography means you will often be travelling vertically as well as horizontally, and it is worth planning your routes with that in mind. Fortunately, Haifa has an unusually varied set of transport options for a city of its size, including a funicular subway, a bus rapid transit network, and even cable cars that double as public transport.
Tickets and Payment
Before you start moving around, sort out how you will pay. The two recommended ways to buy tickets are acquiring a Rav Kav card or paying through the Moovit app. The Rav Kav is the standard smart card for public transport in Israel, and the Moovit app lets you pay digitally. Either approach will cover you across the different modes.
One practical note: Israeli manners may come across as rougher than in some other countries, but people are also more likely to actually help you. Do not be surprised if several people start debating the best route for you.
Buses and the Metronit
Haifa's local bus system is the backbone of getting around. It includes the "Metronit" bus rapid transit routes along with a lot of ordinary bus routes. The Metronit is operated by Superbus and branded as a bus rapid transit system, with colour-coded lines and some bi-articulated buses. Buses in Haifa run regularly between 05:00 and 00:00.
Unlike most cities in Israel, local buses in Haifa run on the Sabbath (Friday afternoon to Saturday evening) and on Jewish holidays. However, during those times they only operate minimal and highly infrequent services, so do not rely on them for tight schedules. A night bus route runs from 00:00 to 05:00, and on Fridays and Saturdays from 22:30 to 05:00. During the peak summertime period this night route runs every night, but in the off-peak season it only runs on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
To get to and from the two main bus terminals, you will need to take the Metronit. A Metronit ride costs ₪5.90.
The Carmelit Subway
Haifa has a subway: the Carmelit funicular, which is the only subway in Israel. It is useful for getting up or down the mountain from downtown, but it only covers a small part of Haifa. If you need to go further, you can buy a ticket that includes a transfer to a bus for the remainder of your journey, though it is probably more convenient to just take a bus the whole way.
Even if it is not the most practical option for every trip, the Carmelit is worth taking for fun. Its stations and train cars have steps built in, made necessary by the steepness of the mountain, giving it a weird angled structure you will not see elsewhere. The Carmelit has few riders, so you will always find a seat.
The Carmelit's stations, listed as they go downhill, connect several useful parts of the city:
- Carmel Center — in the Carmel Center, adjacent to the Haifa Zoo, the Louis Promenade with its view of Haifa Bay, the Haifa Auditorium and Cinematheque, and many shops and hotels.
- Golomb — on Golomb street, near the Bnei Zion Hospital and the Bahá'í World Centre.
- Massada — Upper Hadar HaCarmel, home to an artists' neighbourhood with antique shops, second-hand book stores, bars and coffee shops. Also not far from Nordau Street and close to the National Science Museum.
- HaNevi'im — near HaNevi'im, Herzl and HaHalutz streets and their shops and offices. Close to the Haifa Museum of Art and the Wadi Nisnas pedestrian area.
- Hadar – City Hall — near Ha'atzmaut park and the Haifa city hall.
- Downtown — in Paris Square in the downtown area. Near government buildings and the courthouse, Ha'atzmaut street, and within walking distance of Haifa Merkaz train station and Haifa port.
Trains
Haifa is well connected by train to Tel Aviv, Akko (Acre), Beer Sheva, Nahariyya and Ben Gurion International Airport, on a line operated by Israel Railways. The trip takes a little over an hour, and during peak hours there are as many as three to four services hourly. An easy connection in Tel Aviv brings you to almost any station in Israel. A less-frequent line connects Haifa to Beit Shean via Afula and Jezreel Valley, taking an hour.
There are six train stations in Haifa. Three of them are open 24 hours excluding the Sabbath (Friday night and Saturday daytime), and these are the ones most relevant to a visitor:
- Hof ha-Carmel — open 24 hours. Close to Dado beach, Haifa Mall, Castra Mall and the Hof HaCarmel bus terminal, which serves lines connected to cities south of Haifa as well as local buses.
- Bat Galim — close to Bat Galim Beach, Elijah's Cave, and the cable car to Stella Maris Carmelite monastery.
- Haifa Merkaz – Ha-Shmona (Haifa Central) — open 24 hours. Near the city downtown district, the port terminal for cruise ships, and the Carmelit subway.
- Lev ha-Mifratz — open 24 hours. Close to the Cinemall Shopping center and the Lev HaMifratz bus terminal, which serves lines connected to the north of Israel.
Two other, more distant stations — Hutzot HaMifratz, serving a large shopping outlet, and Kiryat Haim, serving the residential neighbourhood of Kiryat Haim — are probably irrelevant to your trip.
Buses into and out of Haifa
Haifa has two main bus terminals where passengers can switch between intercity buses and local routes. Each bus station is next to a train station bearing a similar name.
- Merkazit Hof HaCarmel (Carmel coast hub) — for buses from the south, including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Netanya. Near Hof HaCarmel train station.
- Merkazit HaMifratz bus station (Bay hub) — for buses from the north and east, including the Krayot suburbs and the Galilee, including Tiberias and Acre. The 960 bus from Jerusalem goes here. Located near Lev HaMifratz train station.
To get to and from the bus terminals you will have to take the Metronit (BRT) for ₪5.90. Thus, it might be cheaper to take the train, at least from nearby cities such as Akko. It should be noted that getting to Haifa by bus is significantly slower than getting there by train from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Acre. Therefore, it is not recommended unless the train services have stopped working.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Yango and Gett ride-hailing services are available in Haifa. These are the most straightforward options if you want a door-to-door trip, particularly useful when you are moving between the different elevation levels of the city or carrying luggage.
Cable Cars
Thanks to Haifa's unique terrain, cable cars in the city are tourist attractions as well as public transportation. There are two:
- Bat Galim cable car — a two-stop cable car between Bat-Galim Promenade and Stella Maris. It is expensive and mainly intended for tourists to enjoy the view, but if you are willing to pay, it can be used to get up and down the mountain quickly. It costs 25₪ one way and 35₪ return. Winter hours are 09:00–17:00, spring 09:00–18:30, and summer 09:00–19:30.
- Rakavlit — serves three stations: Merkazit HaMifratz bus/train station, Technion, and University of Haifa. Thanks to its cheap price (₪5.90, like any other public transport), the fascinating view (Lebanon and Mt. Hermon are visible on a clear day), and its steep angle (it bridges a height difference of 460 meters), it certainly can be a tourist attraction as well as a transportation means. The trip takes 20 minutes one way, and it is possible to get out at the Technion after 10 minutes. Discounts can be arranged for children, those aged 65 and over, and groups. Hours are Sunday–Wednesday 06:00–00:00, Thursday 06:00–02:00, Friday 06:00–18:00, and Sunday 08:40–00:00.
Walkability
Haifa's steep terrain is the main thing to keep in mind when deciding whether to walk. The city is built on the slopes of Mount Carmel, so some routes that look short on a map involve significant climbs. The Carmelit and the cable cars exist precisely because walking straight up and down the mountain is demanding. That said, several areas are pleasant on foot — the Carmel Center around the Louis Promenade, the Hadar neighbourhood with its markets and streets, and the downtown area around Paris Square and Ha'atzmaut street. For longer or steeper journeys, it usually makes more sense to take a bus, the Carmelit, or a cable car rather than walk.
Getting from the Airport into Haifa
Haifa has its own airport, Haifa Airport (HFA). As of early 2025, it is operated by Air Haifa with a daily flight from Athens and several daily flights from Larnaca. There is a bus line from the airport to the transportation hub "ha-Mifratz". A taxi will not be too expensive either, as the airport is only 7 kilometers (4 miles) from the center of Haifa.
People flying from anywhere else should use Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) near Lod, where flights arrive from all over the world. It is less than two hours to drive from Ben Gurion Airport, and buses, trains, taxis and shuttles operate on this route. The best way to get to Haifa from the airport is to take the train leaving from the airport terminal. Israel Railways connects Haifa to Ben Gurion International Airport directly, so you can step off your flight and onto a train without leaving the airport.
Arriving by Boat
The Port of Haifa's main business is freight, but cruise liners often call here. Local budget cruise line Mano makes short cruises around the Med starting here, and short cruises occasionally call from Cyprus, on which a point-to-point journey may be possible. A little foot-passenger ferry plies across the bay between Haifa (Terminal Gate 5) and Akko, three times daily, so a day trip is possible in either direction (return 60₪, one way 35₪). Private vessels from abroad may also dock in Shavit Marina within the port (VHF channel 12), with passport control and customs open 24/7.
Putting It Together
For most visitors, the practical combination is: use the train for intercity travel and airport connections, use buses and the Metronit for getting around within Haifa, use the Carmelit or a cable car when you need to move between the different levels of the mountain, and use taxis or ride-hailing for door-to-door convenience. Buy a Rav Kav or pay through the Moovit app, and remember that Haifa's buses are one of the few public transport systems in Israel that run on the Sabbath, even if only minimally.