Movement within Palestine depends entirely on whether you are traveling in the West Bank or attempting to reach Gaza. The West Bank has internal mobility constrained by Israeli checkpoints and permit systems. Gaza has been under blockade since 2007, with entry requiring coordination through Egyptian or Israeli authorities and typically restricted to humanitarian workers, journalists with advance approval, or Gaza residents.
In the West Bank, yellow-plated Palestinian taxis and shared service taxis called serveece operate between major cities. A servees from Ramallah to Bethlehem costs approximately 10-15 shekels and departs when full, typically carrying seven passengers. Private taxis charge 150-250 shekels for the same route. Serveece vehicles follow fixed routes and will not cross Israeli checkpoints that require special permits, meaning some journeys require changing vehicles.
Palestinian bus companies including Al-Khayyat and Nabalsi operate scheduled routes connecting Ramallah, Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, Hebron, and Jericho. A bus from Ramallah to Nablus costs approximately 15-20 shekels and takes two hours under normal conditions. Delays at checkpoints can extend any journey by thirty minutes to several hours without warning. Friday travel is slower due to increased checkpoint activity.
No rental cars are available to foreign passport holders in Palestine. Visitors typically rent from companies in Jerusalem with yellow Israeli plates, which are permitted to enter Palestinian areas but may face restrictions. Driving yourself requires navigating checkpoints where soldiers may deny passage based on vehicle plates, current security designations, or without stated reason.
East Jerusalem to Ramallah is eleven kilometers and takes twenty minutes without delays or two hours during checkpoint slowdowns. The Qalandia checkpoint between them processes approximately 15,000 Palestinians daily for work permits into Israel. Foreigners typically pass faster but must present passports and may be questioned.
Bethlehem sits seven kilometers south of Jerusalem. The separation barrier and checkpoint at Rachel's Tomb require all vehicles and pedestrians to stop. Walking through the checkpoint takes five to thirty minutes depending on queue length and inspection intensity. Taxis cannot cross, requiring travelers to walk through and hire a new taxi on the Palestinian side.
Hebron lies thirty-two kilometers south of Bethlehem. The Old City contains H2 area under Israeli military control, where movement restrictions separate Palestinian neighborhoods from areas accessible to Israeli settlers. Certain streets are prohibited to Palestinian vehicles. Walking routes through the Old City encounter turnstiles and metal detectors at Israeli military checkpoints.
Jericho in the Jordan Valley is accessible from Ramallah via Highway 1, a forty-kilometer drive taking one hour. This route avoids major checkpoints but passes through Area C, which comprises sixty percent of the West Bank and remains under full Israeli civil and security control.
Nablus sits sixty-three kilometers north of Ramallah. The Huwwara checkpoint south of the city creates bottlenecks during morning and evening hours. Mount Gerizim above Nablus contains the Samaritan village of Kiryat Luza, accessible by taxi from Nablus center for approximately 30-40 shekels.
No trains operate in Palestine. The historical Hejaz Railway, which connected Damascus to Medina and passed through Sebastia, ceased passenger service in 1948. Track sections remain visible near Sebastia archaeological site.
Walking is the primary method within city centers. Ramallah's downtown area between Al-Manara Square and the Arafat Mausoleum covers approximately one square kilometer. Bethlehem's Manger Square to the Church of the Nativity is two hundred meters. The Old City of Hebron requires walking as vehicle access is restricted in many sections.
Mobile phone service in the West Bank operates through Palestinian providers Jawwal and Ooredoo. A tourist SIM card costs approximately 50-80 shekels with several gigabytes of data. Coverage drops in Area C zones and near the Dead Sea shoreline.
Wadi Qelt between Jerusalem and Jericho has no public transport. Organized tours from Ramallah or Bethlehem charge 200-400 shekels per person depending on group size. Hiking the wadi from St. George's Monastery to Jericho covers approximately ten kilometers and requires four to five hours.
The Dead Sea western shore in the West Bank has one functioning access point at Kalya Beach, reachable only by private vehicle or organized tour. Entrance costs approximately 60-80 shekels. The area sits in the Jordan Valley within Area C.
Movement between Palestinian cities after dark is limited not by formal curfew but by reduced servees frequency and increased checkpoint unpredictability. Taxis available after 8 PM charge premium rates, typically fifty percent above daytime fares.
Palestine experiences Mediterranean climate in the highlands and desert climate in the Jordan Valley and near the Dead Sea. Travel patterns depend on religious calendar events, checkpoint accessibility, and temperature extremes that make summer in Jericho and winter in Ramallah challenging for different reasons.