JERUSALEM TO EILAT AND BACK
 

What is the best and fastest way to get from Jerusalem to Eilat?

The fastest is to fly. Check out
1. http://www.israirairlines.com/category_ru.asp?cid=5

and

http://www.arkia.co.il/click/cl_4001.main

That said, they both fly from Tel Aviv, so you have to include the travel time from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv and back.

Then again there is the security check, time at the airport and so on, so all told you don't really save that much time on the flight.

The bus trip is long - about 5 1/2 hours - but very pretty especially if you haven't yet seen the Negev desert. There are 2 rest stops of about 20 minute each. The buses are modern and air-conditioned.

The bus does go directly from Jerusalem to Eilat and return. See:
http://www.egged.co.il/Eng/


So really, you do have to figure on about a 1/2 day no matter how you decide
to travel... ;)

I also thought you could take the train from Jerusalem to Beersheva, and then the bus to Eilat. Does that save any time? Is the bus terminal near the train station in Beersheva?

Yes it can be done. Sorry I don't know how close the Main Bus Station in Be'er Sheva is to the train terminal. You might try asking on the Lonely Planet forum, the Thorntree: http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/ca...s.cfm?catid=18

The Israel Rail site might also have some info:
http://www.israrail.org.il/english/index.html