By The Visit Israel Editorial Team · Last updated
Browse the full range of accommodation across Israel — from beachfront Tel Aviv hotels and Old City Jerusalem guesthouses to Dead Sea spa resorts and Galilee kibbutz stays. Free cancellation on most properties.
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Israel has long been one of the most popular long-haul destinations for British travellers — Tel Aviv is under five hours from London, direct flights run daily, and the country packs an extraordinary range of experiences into an area roughly the size of Wales. This guide collects the practical information specific to British visitors: the FCDO situation, flights from the UK, the ETA-IL requirement, driving on a UK licence, adapters, banking and emergency contacts.
For the broader trip-planning picture, see the complete first-time visitor guide and the safety guide.
The FCDO publishes live, tiered travel advice for Israel and the Palestinian Territories at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel. Advice differs by area:
The advice changes in response to events, so check it before you book, again before you travel, and monitor for updates during your trip. Third-party summaries (including this guide) can go stale — the FCDO page is the authoritative source.
Register with the FCDO. The FCDO travel registration service (formerly LOCATE) allows you to register your travel plans so the British Embassy can contact you in an emergency.
Several airlines operate nonstop services between the UK and Ben Gurion Airport (TLV):
| Route | Carriers |
|---|---|
| London Heathrow (LHR) | El Al, British Airways |
| London Gatwick (LGW) | El Al, easyJet (seasonal) |
| Manchester (MAN) | El Al, Jet2 (seasonal), Wizz Air |
| Birmingham (BHX) | Jet2 (seasonal) |
| Edinburgh (EDI) | Jet2 (seasonal) |
Flight time from London is approximately 4 hours 45 minutes eastbound. Manchester adds roughly 20 minutes. Seasonal services from regional UK airports typically operate April to October.
El Al runs the most frequencies year-round — often multiple daily departures from both Heathrow and Gatwick — and tends to be price-competitive on the nonstop market. British Airways serves Heathrow year-round. Budget carriers easyJet, Jet2 and Wizz Air offer lower base fares but charge separately for hold luggage and seat selection, which can narrow the price gap significantly.
When to book. Fares from the UK are typically lowest in October (after the Jewish High Holiday season) and November to mid-December. The most expensive periods are Passover (March–April), the High Holidays (September–October), and the Christmas–New Year window. Booking around 10–20 weeks in advance usually produces competitive fares from London. See the cheap flights to Israel guide for fare tool tips and a full airline comparison.
Several European hubs offer useful connecting options — particularly if you live outside a direct-served UK city:
Since January 2025, British citizens must hold an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA-IL) before boarding any flight to Israel. This applies even though no visa is required.
Key facts:
The ETA-IL is linked electronically to your passport. You do not receive a physical stamp or document to print. Keep a record of your application reference number. See the full ETA-IL and visa guide for the application steps in detail.
Israeli entry stamp policy. Ben Gurion Airport has not issued passport stamps to tourists since around 2013 — instead, you receive a small paper entry slip. Keep this slip throughout your trip; hotels and some internal checkpoints may ask to see it. This policy means visiting Israel does not add a visible mark to your passport.
Israel Standard Time (IST) is UTC+3 in summer (late March to late October) and UTC+2 in winter (late October to late March). From the UK in summer, Israel is 3 hours ahead of British Summer Time (BST). In winter it is 2 hours ahead of GMT.
The time difference is manageable — many British travellers report little or no meaningful jet lag. A 7am flight from London lands around 2pm local time, giving you a full afternoon on arrival day.
Roaming charges. UK mobile networks are not bound by EU roaming rules and typically apply charges for voice calls, texts and — especially — data in Israel. Check your specific plan before you travel: some UK operators include Israel in their roaming plans; most charge at per-MB or daily-bolt-on rates.
Best options for data:
Wi-Fi is widely available in hotels, restaurants and cafés across Israel’s main tourist areas.
Israel’s currency is the New Israeli Shekel (₪, ILS). Card payments are broadly accepted in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Eilat and most tourist-facing businesses throughout the country. The Israeli payments system is highly digitised — contactless Mastercard and Visa are accepted in most shops, restaurants and taxis.
Monzo and Starling work smoothly in Israel — contactless NFC payments are accepted virtually everywhere, and both cards process shekel withdrawals at near-interbank rates without foreign transaction fees. They are among the most cost-effective options for British travellers.
ATMs. Israel Post Bank ATMs (also marked “ATM”), Bank Leumi and Bank Hapoalim ATMs are widely distributed. Your UK bank will typically charge a foreign ATM fee (often £1.50–3 per withdrawal) plus a foreign transaction fee (typically 2.75%). Monzo and Starling charge no fees for withdrawals abroad (within monthly limits).
Cash. While cards cover most situations, carry some cash (₪200–500) for smaller vendors, markets, shared taxis (sheruts) and rural areas. Carmel Market in Tel Aviv and many stalls in the Old City Jerusalem bazaars are cash-preferred. Airport exchange desks carry poor rates — exchange at a city-centre exchange bureau or use an ATM.
Exchange bureaus. Dedicated exchange bureaus (not banks) typically offer better shekel rates than airport desks or bank branches. Look for exchange bureaus near the major markets in Tel Aviv (Allenby area) and Jerusalem (Jaffa Road and Ben Yehuda Street). See the Israel money guide for current rate benchmarks.
Israeli sockets use Type H — a unique three-flat-pin format (V-shape or Y-shape configuration) not used in any other country. UK plugs (Type G) do not fit without an adapter.
What you need: A UK-to-Israel travel adapter or a universal adapter with Type H compatibility. Voltage (230V) and frequency (50Hz) are identical to the UK, so no voltage converter is needed — all standard UK dual-voltage devices (phones, laptops, tablets, most electric shavers) will function correctly once plugged in via the adapter.
Buy before you leave. Adapters are available at Amazon or most travel-accessory shops for £5–10. Adapters sold in the Ben Gurion Airport arrivals hall cost considerably more.
Several ABTA-regulated UK tour operators offer Israel packages — combining flights, accommodation and sometimes guided tours — which can simplify logistics and provide ATOL protection on the flight component:
Note that Thomas Cook collapsed in 2019 and is no longer a trading UK tour operator (a website relaunch in 2020 operates as an online price-comparison service, not a licensed operator). ATOL certificates and ABTA membership cover different things — the operator’s booking confirmation should specify which protections apply to your booking.
British Embassy Tel Aviv 192 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 63405 Telephone: +972 3 725 1222 Emergency out-of-hours: +44 1908 516666 (calls the UK Foreign Office emergency line, which can redirect to the duty officer) Email: BritishEmbassyTelAviv@fcdo.gov.uk
British Consulate General Jerusalem 19 Nashashibi Street, Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem Telephone: +972 2 541 4100
Emergency numbers in Israel:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Visa requirement | None for tourists (ETA-IL required since Jan 2025; ₪25) |
| FCDO advice | Check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel before travel |
| Flight time from London | ~4h 45min nonstop |
| Time zone (summer) | UTC+3 = 3 hours ahead of BST |
| Time zone (winter) | UTC+2 = 2 hours ahead of GMT |
| Currency | New Israeli Shekel (₪) — cards widely accepted |
| Power socket | Type H (unique to Israel); 230V/50Hz same as UK |
| Driving | UK licence valid; drive on the right |
| Mobile data | Check UK roaming rate; local SIM or eSIM recommended |
| Emergency number | 112 (mobile); 100 police; 101 ambulance |
The most popular itinerary structure for British visitors with 7–10 days splits roughly into Tel Aviv (2–3 nights), Jerusalem (2–3 nights) and a regional excursion — Galilee, the Dead Sea, Petra or Eilat. The 5 vs 7 vs 10 days guide helps you calibrate the right length.
For transport between cities, the high-speed train between Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon and Tel Aviv HaShalom takes 32–35 minutes and runs frequently. A rental car is useful for the Galilee and Negev but is not needed for the Jerusalem–Tel Aviv axis. See the car hire guide and the Israel driving guide if you plan to drive.
Is Israel safe? answers the security question in full, with area-specific context and FCDO advice links. How much does Israel cost? covers the budget picture — in short, Israel is a mid-to-high-cost destination comparable to southern Spain or Portugal.
No. British citizens holding a valid UK passport can enter Israel visa-free for stays of up to 90 days as tourists. Since January 2025, however, you must obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA-IL) before you travel. The ETA-IL costs ₪25 (approximately £5), is valid for multiple entries over two years, and takes between 72 hours and several days to process — apply well before your departure date at the official Israeli government portal. See the full ETA-IL and visa guide for step-by-step instructions.
The UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) publishes live travel advice for Israel and the Palestinian Territories at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/israel. Advice is tiered by area: as of mid-2026, the FCDO advises against all travel to Gaza and parts of the West Bank, and advises against travel within a defined zone near the Lebanese border in the north. The main tourist areas — Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, Galilee and Eilat — are generally covered by standard travel advice. FCDO advice is updated in real time; always check the official page before and during your trip, not a third-party summary.
Israel does not require proof of travel insurance for entry, but the FCDO strongly recommends comprehensive cover that includes medical evacuation. Healthcare costs in Israel for tourists without cover can be very high — a short hospital stay can run into thousands of pounds. Some UK home-insurance policies include limited overseas medical cover; check whether Israel is included and what the emergency medical limit is. Purpose-built single-trip or annual multi-trip policies from UK providers such as InsureandGo, Battleface or Staysure typically cover Israel and the region. Cross-link: the Israel travel insurance guide covers policy types, what to check, and typical costs.
UK mobile networks (EE, O2, Vodafone, Three) typically apply roaming charges in Israel, which is outside the EU. Check your provider's specific Israel roaming rates before travelling — data charges in particular can be high. The most cost-effective option is a local Israeli SIM or eSIM on arrival. Israeli operators such as Golan Telecom, Hot Mobile and Pelephone sell tourist SIM cards at Ben Gurion Airport arrivals and in city-centre phone shops; a 30-day unlimited-data SIM typically costs ₪50–90 (approximately £10–18). Alternatively, a UK eSIM provider such as Airalo, Nomad or Holafly lets you activate Israeli data before departure. See the full Israel eSIM guide for provider comparisons.
Yes. A UK driving licence (both photocard and paper counterpart, though paper counterparts are no longer valid separately) is accepted in Israel for driving rental cars. Israel drives on the right — the opposite to the UK. Most British drivers adapt within half a day, but give yourself extra attention at junctions and roundabouts where the right-hand traffic pattern is most counter-intuitive. Roundabout priority in Israel goes to traffic already on the roundabout (the same rule as the UK), which helps. See the full Israel driving guide for speed limits, road signs, petrol costs and GPS tips.
Israel uses Type H sockets (three flat pins in a Y-shape, 230V, 50Hz), which are unique to Israel and are not found anywhere else in the world. UK plugs (Type G, three rectangular pins) do not fit Israeli sockets directly — you need a specific UK-to-Israel or universal travel adapter. Voltage (230V) and frequency (50Hz) are the same as the UK, so no voltage converter is required — any dual-voltage UK device (phones, laptops, most shavers) will work fine once you have the adapter. Buy one before you leave: adapters sold at Ben Gurion Airport arrivals are significantly more expensive than ordering from Amazon beforehand.
By The Visit Israel Editorial Team · Last updated