Since we don't have a car, our primary means of getting around is by bus. Around the neighborhood we do a lot of walking, and the train is great for getting to Tel Aviv or the airport, but for everyday, the bus is it.
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| Standard issue city bus |
Like most of Israel, Haifa has a great bus system. We are lucky to be in a central location on many different bus routes. It's a short walk up some stairs (well, 117 stairs to be exact) to one bus stop, and a short walk down the block to another.
Jason can take the bus directly to the University (usually a 30 minute trip) and we can easily get to the two central bus stations, the train stations, and the major shopping centers. I often walk down to the shuk and take the bus home since, even when it's not 90 degrees out, lugging armloads of produce up the mountain is no fun.
Haifa is also one of the only places in Israel (Nazareth is another) that has bus service on Saturday (Shabbat). There are fewer lines and the buses are less frequent, but we can still get to most places we need to go in the city.
The bus drivers seem to think they are driving sports cars. Sometimes you have to hang on for dear life even if you are sitting down. Also, when you see the bus coming, you have to really look like you want to get on it - pointing to the ground works, as does stepping to the edge of the curb. Stay seated at the bus stop and the bus is likely to drive right past you!
When Jason's mom was here, we rented a car for a week. Although it was nice to go where we wanted whenever we wanted, we still appreciate the bus for getting around.
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