Israel Taxi Tariff Changes — April 2026: What You Need to Know

The Big Change: A Distance Surcharge for Long Rides

Every year on April 1st, Israel's Ministry of Transport updates taxi tariffs. In 2026, this isn't just a routine adjustment — it's a structural overhaul. And no, it's not an April Fools' joke. The official tariff publication took effect on April 1, 2026.

The main change: the base per-kilometer and per-minute rates dropped slightly — but a new distance surcharge of ₪1.84 per kilometer was added for every kilometer beyond 10 km.

In practice: short rides within the city got slightly cheaper. Long rides — any intercity trip — got significantly more expensive.

Important: VAT

In the Ministry of Transport's official publication, prices are listed excluding VAT. In practice, the meter calculates everything including VAT (18%) — and that's what the passenger pays. All prices in this article, and in our calculator, include VAT.

What Exactly Changed — Before vs. After

Bottom line: Under 10 km, each kilometer costs ₪1.95. Over 10 km, each kilometer costs 1.95 + 1.84 = ₪3.79 — nearly double.

Full Tariff Table — April 2026

All prices include VAT (18%).

When each tariff applies:

Real-World Examples — From the Calculator

These examples include all ride components: meter start, distance, time, and booking fee. All examples use Tariff A (daytime).

Short ride — Ramat Gan to Habima Theater (3.7 km, 13 min) — Tariff A

Before the change (2025): The same ride would have cost ~₪52.31 (booking ₪5.92 + meter start ₪12.82 + distance and time at ₪2.01). The ride is under 10 km — the new distance surcharge doesn't apply, and the difference is barely noticeable (₪1.70 cheaper, about 3%).

Borderline ride — Dan Panorama Tel Aviv to Hof HaTzuk Beach (11.2 km, 26 min) — Tariff A

Before the change (2025): The same ride would have cost ~₪93.51 (booking ₪5.92 + meter start ₪12.82 + 11.2 km × ₪2.01 + 26 min × ₪2.01). Almost the same price — a difference of just ₪0.11. At the 10 km boundary, the change is barely noticeable: the new distance surcharge only applies to 1.2 km, and the time component (₪51.23) is the dominant factor.

Medium ride — Ben Gurion Airport to Ramat Gan (24.3 km, 23 min) — Tariff A

Before the change (2025): The same ride would have cost ~₪113.81 (booking ₪5.92 + meter start ₪12.82 + 24.3 km × ₪2.01 + 23 min × ₪2.01). That's ~₪24 more expensive (about 21%).

Here you can see the impact: the 14.3 km beyond 10 were charged at ₪3.79/km instead of ₪1.95/km. But notice that the time component (₪45.61) is a significant part of the price — it's not just about distance.

Long ride — Ben Gurion Airport to Haifa (116.5 km, 86 min) — Tariff A

Before the change (2025): The same ride would have cost ~₪425.77 (booking ₪5.92 + meter start ₪12.82 + 116.5 km × ₪2.01 + 86 min × ₪2.01). That's ~₪182 more expensive (about 43%).

On a long ride like this, the new distance surcharge dominates: 106.5 km beyond the first 10 × ₪3.79 = ₪403.46.

Why Was This Change Made?

Taxi drivers had been avoiding long rides because they weren't profitable. A driver would travel dozens of kilometers to the destination but return empty. Under the old tariff, the revenue didn't justify the time and fuel.

The Ministry of Transport's solution: make long rides more expensive so drivers actually want to take them. Meanwhile, they slightly reduced the price of short urban rides — where taxis compete with ride-hailing apps.

Quick Mental Math — Works, but Only Under 10 km

Before this change, there was a simple rule of thumb that gave a very close estimate for Tariff A: add the time in minutes and distance in km, add 10 (meter start + booking fee), and multiply by 2. Take the Ramat Gan to Habima ride from above: (3.7 + 13 + 10) × 2 = ₪53.40. The actual price is ₪50.60 — very close.

This rule still works — but only for rides under 10 km. Once the ride is longer, the new distance surcharge breaks the formula, and the math gets more complex. For longer rides, it's better to use the calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this apply to rides booked through Gett and Yango? For metered rides — yes, exactly the same change. The tariff is official and universal, whether you flag a cab on the street or book through Gett or Yango. App-booked rides include an additional booking fee (₪5.78). As for business rides (rides with a pre-set price, not metered) — we have no idea. Gett doesn't publish how they price business rides, and it's unclear whether the new distance surcharge affects them. That's worth a separate article.

Why did drivers avoid long rides? Under the old tariff, a long ride meant many kilometers at a relatively low price plus an empty return trip. The new distance surcharge compensates drivers for those long kilometers.

What if I feel I was overcharged? Check the expected price on our calculator before the ride and compare afterwards. Keep the receipt — the driver is required to provide one. If there's a significant discrepancy, you can report it to the Ministry of Transport.