The public transport system operating in Tulkarm is pretty impressive especially since the occupation and the separation wall have made it difficult for most Palestinians to be financially independent. Many people use this method in the West Bank to get around.
They travel mainly by three modes of transport, by bus, serviş or taxi.
As usual, the bus is the most economical but also the slowest. Traveling around the West Bank by bus should cost no more than 13 NIS. Then there is the serviş. It is the most frequently used; it comfortably seats around seven people but we have to wait for it to fill before departure. Thankfully, the driver never overloads and everyone must buckle up before he drives off. It is normally well air-conditioned and very economical. I normally pay from Tulkarm to Nablus (45-minute trip) around 8.50 NIS. Approximately 22 NIS will bring me to Ramallah (1½ hour trip) while traveling to surrounding villages in the Tulkarm municipality can cost between
3 to 5 NIS. A word of caution though, for religious reasons men and women socialize completely separate from each other especially in the West Bank. Therefore, it is not preferred for men to sit next to women in the servis or bus, but sometimes this is unavoidable. The third and most expensive yet convenient option would be for me to travel by taxi. On occasion, I use a taxi depending on the distance; I usually pay anything from 10 to 50 NIS.
I have to admit the driver can sometimes be a risk taker because they often overtake at times that are potentially “life threatening”.
We mostly travel by servis, as this is a way to engage with the Israeli / Palestinian population and to show an international presence in the country. In this way, we often have opportunity to speak and learn from the locals.
They travel mainly by three modes of transport, by bus, serviş or taxi.
As usual, the bus is the most economical but also the slowest. Traveling around the West Bank by bus should cost no more than 13 NIS. Then there is the serviş. It is the most frequently used; it comfortably seats around seven people but we have to wait for it to fill before departure. Thankfully, the driver never overloads and everyone must buckle up before he drives off. It is normally well air-conditioned and very economical. I normally pay from Tulkarm to Nablus (45-minute trip) around 8.50 NIS. Approximately 22 NIS will bring me to Ramallah (1½ hour trip) while traveling to surrounding villages in the Tulkarm municipality can cost between
3 to 5 NIS. A word of caution though, for religious reasons men and women socialize completely separate from each other especially in the West Bank. Therefore, it is not preferred for men to sit next to women in the servis or bus, but sometimes this is unavoidable. The third and most expensive yet convenient option would be for me to travel by taxi. On occasion, I use a taxi depending on the distance; I usually pay anything from 10 to 50 NIS.I have to admit the driver can sometimes be a risk taker because they often overtake at times that are potentially “life threatening”.
We mostly travel by servis, as this is a way to engage with the Israeli / Palestinian population and to show an international presence in the country. In this way, we often have opportunity to speak and learn from the locals.
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