Transportation Ministry: Foreign Residents Now Eligible for Discounts in Israel on Public Transportation
08.12.2016
The Transportation Ministry announced today that public transport discounts to which Israelis have long been eligible will also be available to foreign residents living in Israel who are in possession of a year’s visa.
Public transport discounts are regularly given to the disabled, elderly (over 60 years), students, and youths. Even if foreign nationals were living for dozens of years in Israel, they were not eligible for this benefit because they lacked an Israeli identity card. The extra cost for them often totaled hundreds of dollars a year.
Yesterday, this discrimination came to an end. The Transportation Ministry issued a directive to all public transport in Israel including buses, light rails and trains requiring them to offer discounts to those with a year’s visa.
To get the new benefit, foreign nationals will have to go to Rav Kav service centers nearest them, show their student card, and then their Rav Kav card will be upgraded to the discounted rate.
Click here for the list of recognised institutions whose students are eligible for a student discount.
Israeli Shortcut chairman R' Zev Zer thanked the head of the Public Inquiries office in the Transportation Ministry for this beneficial directive. He expressed his satisfaction at this latest step taken in consideration of the needs of foreign nationals in Israel, and believes this is a harbinger of many more positive changes to come from the government on their behalf.
