Israel Travel Guide for Australian Visitors (2026)

Israel and Australia share a deeper connection than most travellers realise: the Battle of Beersheba in October 1917, when the Australian Light Horse charged Ottoman lines in what is often called the last great cavalry charge in history, is commemorated at the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in Beersheba and at an outdoor light-and-sound display on the anniversary. Beyond that heritage, Israel is a rewarding long-haul destination for Australians — rich history, beaches, food culture and a generous visa-free allowance of 90 days. This guide covers the practicalities specific to Australian visitors.

For the broader trip-planning picture, see the complete first-time visitor guide and the safety guide.

Australian DFAT travel advisory

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) publishes live travel advice for Israel at smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/middle-east/israel-and-the-occupied-palestinian-territories. The current overall advisory is Level 3 (“Reconsider your need to travel”), with area-specific guidance:

• Gaza Strip — Do Not Travel (Level 4); the border is closed to civilians and entry is not possible.
• Parts of the West Bank — Reconsider or Do Not Travel (varies by location); specific towns and checkpoints are flagged.
• Northern border zone — elevated caution applies near the Lebanese border; Haifa, Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee are outside the highest-caution zone.
• Main tourist areas — Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, Galilee (south of the border zone), the Negev and Eilat are the principal destinations visited by Australian tourists and are not specifically restricted as of mid-2026.

Register on Smartraveller. Create a travel profile at smartraveller.gov.au so DFAT can contact you in an emergency and so you receive automatic alerts if the advisory changes while you are travelling. Registration is free.

Flying from Australia

There are no nonstop flights between Australia and Israel; all routes require at least one connection.

Via Dubai or Abu Dhabi (most common)

Qantas codeshares with Emirates on the Australian segment to Dubai, which means you can book through Qantas, earn Frequent Flyer points and use Qantas customer service — while flying Emirates metal to Dubai and connecting onward to Tel Aviv.

Perth travellers benefit from a shorter first leg to Dubai (~10–11 hours), making the Dubai routing particularly convenient.

Via Singapore

Singapore Airlines flies from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth to Singapore Changi (SIN), with onward connections to Ben Gurion. Journey time is 20–23 hours total. Scoot (low-cost subsidiary of SIA) does not currently serve TLV.

When to book

Fares from Australia are typically lowest in October (after the Jewish High Holiday season) and in January–February. The most expensive periods are around Passover (March–April), the High Holidays (September–October) and the Christmas–New Year window. Booking 12–20 weeks in advance usually produces competitive fares. See the cheap flights to Israel guide for fare tool tips.

Entry requirements: ETA-IL

Since January 2025, Australian citizens must hold an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA-IL) before boarding any flight to Israel. Australia is on the visa-exempt list — the ETA-IL replaces the old visa-free stamp arrangement with a pre-approved electronic record linked to your passport.

Key facts:

• Cost: ₪25 per application (roughly $10 AUD at recent exchange rates; priced in shekels)
• Validity: Up to 2 years, or until your passport expires — whichever is earlier; valid for multiple entries
• Processing time: Usually 72 hours; can take longer during peak periods — apply at least a week before departure
• Apply at: iaa.gov.il (the Israel Airports Authority official portal; other sites that charge higher fees are not official)
• Stay: Up to 90 days per visit as a tourist

Ben Gurion Airport no longer issues passport stamps; instead, you receive a small paper entry slip. Keep this throughout your trip — hotels and some checkpoints may ask to see it. See the full ETA-IL and visa guide for step-by-step instructions.

ANZAC heritage: Beersheba and beyond

The connection between Australia and Israel is anchored in the First World War. On 31 October 1917, the 4th Light Horse Brigade of the Australian Imperial Force charged the Ottoman defences at Beersheba (modern Beer Sheva), capturing the town and its vital wells in one of the last successful cavalry charges in history. The operation was a turning point in the Palestine Campaign.

Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, Beersheba — The cemetery on the northern edge of Beer Sheva contains 1,240 Commonwealth graves, including many Australian Light Horsemen. Maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), it is open to visitors and well-maintained year-round.

The Charge of the Light Horse Memorial, Beer Sheva — An outdoor site in the city marking the charge, with an annual light-and-sound commemoration on 31 October (ANZAC Day equivalent in Israel for Australian veterans’ groups and the Australian Embassy).

Haifa and Nazareth — Australian and New Zealand forces also served in Galilee during the same campaign; smaller CWGC cemeteries are located in Haifa.

Yad Vashem — Many Australian Jewish families were affected by the Holocaust; the Names Database and Hall of Names at Yad Vashem is used by Australian families to find relatives. See the Yad Vashem visitor guide for visiting information.

For the Beer Sheva area, see the Beer Sheva guide, which covers the CWGC cemetery, the Ottoman railway station and day-trip options from Tel Aviv.

Mobile phones and connectivity

Australian SIM cards work in Israel on international roaming, but rates vary considerably by carrier:

• Telstra — International Day Pass ($10 AUD/day) gives access to your domestic plan’s data while in Israel. Activate through the My Telstra app before you leave.
• Optus — International roaming plans; check the Optus website for Israel-specific rates.
• Vodafone AU — International Day Pass (~$5–10 AUD/day depending on plan).

For stays longer than a week, a local Israeli SIM card is usually more cost-effective:

• Local SIM at Ben Gurion — Golan Telecom and Hot Mobile kiosks in the arrivals hall are typically open around the clock. A 30-day unlimited data SIM costs approximately ₪50–90 (roughly $20–35 AUD). Your phone must be unlocked (not carrier-locked to Telstra/Optus etc.).
• eSIM — Providers such as Airalo, Nomad and Holafly sell Israeli data eSIMs activated before departure. Compatible with iPhone XS and later and most recent Android flagships. See the Israel eSIM guide for comparisons.

Wi-Fi is broadly available in hotels, cafés and restaurants across Israel’s main tourist areas.

Currency and banking

Israel’s currency is the New Israeli Shekel (₪, ILS). Card payments are widely accepted in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Eilat and tourist-facing businesses throughout the country. The payments infrastructure is highly digitised — contactless Mastercard and Visa are accepted in most restaurants, shops and taxis.

Australian card notes:

• ANZ, Commonwealth Bank (CBA) and Westpac debit and credit cards work at Israeli ATMs and for card payments, but typically charge a foreign transaction fee of 2–3% per transaction plus an ATM withdrawal fee. Check your specific card terms.
• Wise (formerly TransferWise) debit card — widely used by Australian travellers for fee-free or low-fee international spending; worth setting up before you leave.
• EFTPOS (Australian debit network) and BPAY are not accepted in Israel — use your Visa or Mastercard function, not the CHQ/SAV function.
• Tap-and-pay (contactless) works on Australian Visa/Mastercard cards; Apple Pay and Google Pay also work.

ATMs. Bank Leumi, Bank Hapoalim and Israel Post Bank ATMs are widely distributed in cities and tourist areas. Most accept foreign cards on the Visa/Mastercard/Plus/Cirrus networks.

Cash. Carry some cash (₪200–500) for smaller vendors, markets, shared taxis (sheruts) and rural areas. Exchange bureaus in city centres typically offer better rates than airport desks. See the Israel money guide for current rate benchmarks and tips.

Power adapter and voltage

Israel uses Type H sockets — a unique three-flat-pin format (V-shape) found only in Israel. Australian plugs are Type I (three flat pins in a triangular arrangement) and do not fit Israeli sockets without an adapter.

The good news for Australian travellers: both Australia and Israel use 230V/50Hz electricity. There is no voltage difference, so you need only a plug adapter — no bulky voltage converter. Your Australian smartphone charger, laptop and camera charger will work fine with just the adapter.

Buy the adapter before you leave. A Type I to Type H adapter or a universal travel adapter with Type H compatibility costs $10–20 at Australian travel stores or online. Adapters at Ben Gurion Airport arrivals are available but priced significantly higher.

Australian Embassy and emergency contacts

Australian Embassy Tel Aviv (the main Australian mission to Israel) Level 28, Discount Bank Tower 23 Yehuda Halevi Street, Tel Aviv 6513601 Telephone: +972-3-693-5000 After-hours emergency line: +61 2 6261 3305 (call the Consular Emergency Centre in Canberra)

The Embassy provides consular assistance to Australian citizens in Israel for lost or stolen passports, arrests, hospitalisation, death and other emergencies.

Emergency numbers in Israel:

• Police: 100
• Ambulance (Magen David Adom): 101
• Fire: 102
• National emergency operator: 112 (works from Australian mobile phones)

Australian practicalities at a glance

ANZAC itinerary add-on: Beer Sheva day trip

For Australian visitors with a particular interest in the Light Horse heritage, a day trip from Tel Aviv to Beer Sheva is straightforward:

• By train: Tel Aviv Central station to Beer Sheva Central takes approximately 45 minutes on a direct service; trains run frequently. Beer Sheva Central is adjacent to the Ottoman railway station (now a heritage site and market).
• By car: approximately 1 hour via Highway 40. A rental car also allows you to continue south into the Negev — see the car hire guide for Ben Gurion Airport pickup options.
• What to see: Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery (20 minutes north of Beer Sheva centre); the Negev Museum of Art (in the old Ottoman governor’s house); the Bedouin market at Tel Sheva; and the ancient Tel Beer Sheva archaeological site (a UNESCO World Heritage site).

Planning your Israel trip from Australia

The most popular structure for Australian visitors with 10–14 days (given the long travel time, most Australians aim for at least 10 nights on the ground) combines Tel Aviv (2–3 nights), Jerusalem (2–3 nights), a regional excursion (Galilee/Dead Sea/Eilat), and optionally a day trip to Petra in Jordan. The 5 vs 7 vs 10 days guide helps calibrate the right itinerary length.

Is Israel safe? answers the security question in full with current advisory framing. How much does Israel cost? covers the budget picture — broadly comparable to Western Europe, with accommodation ranging from budget hostels to high-end resorts.