Visa to Israel
Visitors to Israel from most European countries, the USA, Canada, Australia, and Singapore are not required to obtain visas. More information can be obtained at the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (this site also contains a list of visa requirements from visitors from different countries).
If in doubt, please contact an Israeli embassy or consulate.
Rehovot
The city of Rehovot was founded in 1890. It is located approximately 20 Kms south-east of Tel Aviv in central Israel; its population is 126,000. The Weizmann Institute of Science is located in the northern part of Rehovot (map).
Currency
The currency in Israel is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS). You may convert foreign currency into NIS (and vice versa) at Ben Gurion Airport and/or at banks and private exchange shops throughout Israel. There is a bank branch on the campus of the Weizmann Institute.
Getting to Rehovot from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport
Important: Some flights to and from Tel Aviv are scheduled for late at night or very early in the morning. Please take this into consideration when making hotel reservations. Land travel to and from the airport operates 24 hours a day.
In order to get from the airport to Rehovot independently, it is best to take a taxi. Taxi services are regulated and the taxi companies operate under permission. It is recommended not to use random taxi services, but to approach the taxi dispatcher. The Taxi Rank and the Supervisor's Station at Terminal 3 (where most international flights arrive) are on Level 2 of the multi level road. Ask the driver to take you to the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot. The cost should be about 170 NIS (equivalent to about $44), and the ride should take around 30-40 minutes.
If you’re traveling light, you can take a bus from the airport. Take the No. 5 bus from Terminal 3 and get off at the El Al intersection (Tzomet El Al). At the El Al intersection take the No. 249 bus to the central bus station in Rehovot. The 249 is not an express bus and the drive will take approximately 50 minutes (when you purchase your bus ticket at Terminal 3, tell them to include a transfer to the No. 249 bus in the ticket). The cost of the ticket is about NIS 15. Once you arrive at the Rehovot Central Bus Station, there are a multitude of local buses that go to the Weizmann Institute (ask at the information window), or you can take a taxi from the taxi stand directly across the street from the bus station.
You can also get to the Weizmann Institute by taking the train from the airport. Change at the Tel Aviv Hagana stop for the train to Rehovot. The train station in Rehovot is about a 5 minute walk from the Weizmann Institute campus.