Car Rental in Israel

Rent a car in Israel with Sixt

On this page we will tell you more about how to get the most from our Sixt car rental deals in Israel. Get inspired by our pick of the Top 4 architectural and natural sights in the country, and let our insights help you plan your itinerary. You can also get an overview our services, including car categories and recommended extras, as well as read up on our helpful driving tips.

Our Service

We offer an extensive fleet in Israel that includes compact city cars, sedans, SUVs, station wagons and vans. Our compact city cars are ideal if you are on a weekend break or business trip in a densely populated city. Sedans are great for longer distances between cities and our larger vehicles are perfect for more luggage room and extra passengers. Air conditioning comes with all our car rental deals in Israel and you can tack on optional features to enhance your rental car experience.

Some of the extras available when you rent a car in Israel:

• Navigation Systems
• Additional drivers
• Baby and child Seats
• Diesel preferred

Driver's license

To rent a car in Israel you must have held your driving license for at least one year. Driving licenses issued in non-Roman alphabets (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Cyrillic etc) must be accompanied by an International driving license. For driving licenses from countries not part of the international driving license treaty, an official translation of the license must be presented with the original license. An IDP can only be obtained before you leave the United States from either the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA).

Age restrictions

The minimum driving age in Israel is 21, drivers under 24 must pay an additional surcharge and the maximum driving age is 75. Certain vehicle categories have particular age restrictions, please see our rental information for full details.

Payment Methods

In Israel we accept payments from all internationally recognized credit cards such as MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club and American Express. We do not accept prepaid cards or debit cards such as VISA electron. You must present your payment card when picking up your vehicle and it must be in the name of the driver. Some of our vehicle classes require two credit cards, please read through the rental information section on the booking page.

Accidents

In the event of an accident, the police should be informed immediately regardless if there is only slight damage, no other car was involved or if the accident was self-inflicted. Additionally, any damage to the rental vehicle must be reported directly to Sixt during the rental period. Please fill out the accident report form, which is enclosed with the vehicle documents. In Israel you can call 100 for police and 101 for an ambulance, dialing 112 from a mobile phone will connect you to the emergency services.

FAQs

TIP: It is generally cheaper to rent a car at least three months before any high season. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before collection is almost always possible, but is dependent on the chosen tariff.

Driving Tips

Driving a car rental in Israel is mostly stress free due to a well-maintained road network and decent signage in Hebrew and English. You will find some congestion in bigger cities and on Highway 1 from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem during rush hour. The legal alcohol limit for driving is extremely low so we recommend abstaining completely when using your rental vehicle.

Here are some important rules to remember when driving your car rental in Israel:

• Driving in Israel is on the right while speed limit signs are in km/h.
• From November to April headlights must be kept on during the day.
• Turning right at a red light is forbidden unless there is a separate light for turning. Some intersections have separate lanes for right turns.
• Talking on a mobile phone without a hands-free kit is not allowed.
• Parking on red and white is forbidden while parking on blue and white requires a fee.
• Speed limits in urban areas are generally 50 km/h and highways are 90 km/h.

Places of Interest

Top 4 Architectural Sights

• Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall, Jerusalem
• Masada
• Citadel Ashdod, Ashdod
• Rabin Square, Tel Aviv

The Dome of the Rock is an Islamic shrine in the old city of Jerusalem and one of the oldest works of Islamic architecture in existence. The ancient Western Wall is nearby on the western flank of the Temple Mount. Masada is an ancient fort situated on a high plateau that overlooks the red sea. It is a steep hike to the top but can also be visited by cable car. The Citadel Ashdod is an ancient castle situated on the beach outside of Ashdod. It has been brilliantly preserved as it was covered in sand for hundreds of years until its excavation. Rabin Square in the center of Tel Aviv was built in 1964 and designed by Yaski and Alexandroni. The square is next to the city hall and has been a site of major political rallies over the last 50 years.

Top 4 Natural Sights

• Dead Sea, Ein Gedi
• Sea of Galilee, Tiberias
• Baha'i Gardens, Haifa
• Coral Beach Nature Reserve, Eilat

The infamous Dead Sea is a gigantic salt lake that lies over 1,412 feet below sea level. The lake borders on Jordan, Israel and Palestine and is 31 miles long and 9 miles wide at its widest point. The Sea of Galilee, also known as Kinneret, is a popular site for Christian pilgrimage with many references in the bible. It is the lowest freshwater lake on earth and the River Jordan runs through it from the north to the south. The Baha'i Gardens in Haifa are also known as the Hanging Gardens of Haifa due to their impressive garden terraces. The gardens are a popular tourist destination and surround the Shrine of Bab on Mount Carmel. Eliat's coral beach is the most northern coral beach in the world. It is situated in the Red Sea and covers just under one mile of shoreline. On the south side of the reef is the largest aquarium in the middle east, the Coral World Underwater Observatory.

Top Filming Locations

Filming for 1972 "Jesus Christ Superstar" mostly took place in Advat, an ancient ruined Nabataean city in the Negev desert. The city was founded in the 3rd century BCE and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other notable locations for the film are Beit Guvrin, the Bell Caves, Bet Shean, the Dead Sea and Pratzim.

Crossing Borders

It is not allowed to cross the border into any of Israel's neighboring countries. More information is available here: Rental Information.