COVID-19 update (May 18th, 2022)

Important: Pre-flight test is mandatory until May 20th
                   Pre-flight declaration is mandatory
              

The official entry rules for non-Israeli visitors can be found here

COVID: rules for visitors


From Ben-Gurion Airport to Beer Sheva:
   
By Train:  There is a train service from the airport to Beer Sheva. One way ride cost about 32NIS. 
BGU has its own train station called Beer Sheva North/University. The University is a few minute walk  from the station.  
Trains run approximately every hour, Sunday through Thursday,  Fridays they run only in the morning, and Saturdays only in the late evening. A daytime train goes via (easy) connection in Tel Aviv (HaHagana station).   There used to be night trains to and from Beer Sheva, but the service is currently discontinued.  It normally takes between 1.5 to 2 hours to get to/from airport.
   
You can check the train schedule at the Israel Railways Web Site.
   
By Taxi: A convenient but quite expensive option. One hour ride for the price of about 450-500NIS.

By Car:  All major international and a few local car rental companies operate from the airport. A private car entrance into the BGU campus is  restricted. Entrance permit should be obtained  in advance and it requires  information about your rented car. Please contact the local organizers if you plan to come over by car.

Important notice: there is no public transportation in Israel on Saturdays (roughly from Friday 2pm till Saturday 8pm).  Taxi run on Saturdays as usual.

Pre and Post Conference Travel:
Israel offers a variety of choices for tourists. Historical, Cultural, Religious, Natural and Sport tourism are very popular in the country. The best way to explore  Israel is by car, which can be rented from all major car rental companies, and some local renters. All of the roads (apart of highway 6) in the country are toll-free and of  high quality by European and American standards. Israel also has developed system of public transportation between the major cities.  Further information can be obtained from various tour operators and from the Ministry of Tourism.

Visas: All visitors entering Israel are required to have a valid passport for at least six months from their arrival date, and for some countries a visa is required. Please, consult Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the visa issue.


Maps could be found here

Electricity: Electrical equipment in Israel is 220 volt A.C., single phase, 50 cycles. Some appliances may require a plug adapter that can be purchased locally. 

Smoking is prohibited in public buildings, restaurants, cafe etc. in Israel.  

Currency: The currency in the State of Israel is the New Israel Shekel (NIS). We recommend to use the local currency although most  expenses (excluding taxi and buses) in Israel may be paid with major credit cards. The current (March 2022) exchange rate is 1 US dollar = 3.25 NIS.

Tipping: 10-12% of your bill is a reasonable tip at restaurants. Tips are usually in cash only.  It is not necessary to tip taxi cab drivers unless they carry luggage for you.

Climate and Clothing
The time of conference falls at the end of mild season. The average day temperature at this period is about 30C, while it falls bellow 20C at nights. Clothing is informal on all occasions. We strongly suggest bringing  sunglasses, hats and sunscreen. You may need a light jacket for the evenings, which might be still cool at this time of year. Staying outside  during day time requires consuming large amount of liquid. We recommend drinking not less than 2 liters of water per day.