Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem #36 Cinema City- Not Just for Intermission

 See #35,  #34,  #33, #32,  #31, #30, #29, #28, #27, #26, #25, #24,  #23, #22,  #21, #20, #19, #18, #17,   #16, , #15a, #15, #14, #13, #12, #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, #6, #5, Saved by The First Station aka #4a, #4, #3, #2 and #1.

In the cinemas of my youth, there was nothing other than a snack bar for buying popcorn, soda and other noshes before stepping into the darkened movie theater plus some difficult to find public toilets. One needed to remember to visit either before, after or during the intermission as not to disturb the other moviegoers. Of course, there was only one large screen and movie showing at a time. Sometimes there were double-features, and you got to stay to see two movies for the price of one. 

Today movie theaters are now malls offering a variety of restaurants and even event halls, besides the fact that there are multiple movies playing simultaneously. Even more "shocking" to those of us raised in the mid-twentieth century is the fact that you can go to a place like Cinema City for something as unentertaining as a visit to the doctor, which is why I was there yesterday.

Nestled among the restaurants, stores and pubs on the main floor are the public toilets. Look up, and you'll see the signs pointing the way. When I was there yesterday, they were clean and well-equipped with soap and toilet paper.
You can tell that they were designed to suit the ambience of the location. 

Having gone to movies in the Jerusalem Cinema City, I recommend taking advantage of these on the main floor, if possible. They are much larger and nicer than the ones near the movie-viewing halls.

Actually, you can think of Cinema City as a nice indoor restaurant mall or food court. There's a small selection of restaurants and snack places, all kosher, either meat or dairy. There's even a grocery store where you can buy some healthy food, not just sugared or salty nosherei.

Public transportation is convenient. I suggest searching on Google Maps. And for those who like to walk, you'd be amazed at how centrally located the Jerusalem Cinema City actually is.

I hope that this has been helpful and was surprised that I hadn't reviewed it earlier. If you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments, thanks. Or email me at [email protected] subject: Pishers' Guide to Jerusalem. I'm also on facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

"Only in Jerusalem" Bus Story

The picture illustrating this story doesn't show any faces or easily identifying whatevers, but I need a photo for each blog post. 

This afternoon I was on the #34 bus from Hadar Mall to Jaffa Street to catch the lightrail to make my bus home, which never showed, but that's irrelevant to the story*...

The bus was full but not super crowded. I was sitting near the front with my back to the driver. We were around the Keren Hayesod Street stop when I heard someone saying that "two seats were needed near the front." I saw people escorting a couple of blind men into the bus. Across from me was a man about ten years or more my junior and a girl who looked about 14. I told the girl that she must give up her seat. She looked a bit confused but got up, as did the man sitting next to her.

Other passengers helped guide the two blindmen to the seats. Then a message was passed from the driver, asking which stop they'd be getting off.

Across the aisle, a woman who was probably a bit older than me began a "silent conversation" with me just using our eyes. It was obvious that she thought the young teen should have realized that she needed to get up without my having to say something. It's very probable that the girl had never been taught proper "travel manners." Nowadays when so many families have cars, kids don't know that the front seats are for elderly and handicapped and that they are sometimes supposed to give up seats for those in need. 

A couple of months ago on a different bus a woman got up for me, and then she squeezed in with her children. A stop or two later, an elderly couple came in, so the woman and her children gave them their seats. These children are learning proper public transportation manners. 

I got off the bus before the blindmen, but I have no doubt that they were carefully and politely helped off the bus. Some days there's a bonus to traveling on public transportation in Jerusalem.

Is this an "Only in Israel" story?

*Although I was overjoyed that I got to the bus stop on time for my bus, the bus never showed, and I had to get home a more complicated way.

All For NS13.50, Less than $5-

Travelling on public transportation here in Israel is discounted for senior citizens, and if you know how to buy the "all day inclusive" chofshi yomi tickets, even for youngsters prices are very reasonable.

Things have been simplified. The country has been divided into districts. And to make life easier for the drivers and also speed up the trip for the passengers, we have to buy our tickets before boarding the bus. You either buy from special machines or a phone app, which unfortunately isn't compatible to all phones or use a special attachment, which costs only NS5- on your computer.

We have the special attachment. Just plug it into your computer, and register on the Ravkav site. Once you stick your actual Ravkav card into the plastic reader, you'll see how much money is in your card and all sorts of ticket possibilities.

You can choose your type of ticket and the date you need to travel. We generally buy the "all day inclusive" chofshi yomi ticket for the "Jerusalem Metropolitan Area," which not only covers Shiloh to Jerusalem  but as far as Ein Gedi to the southeast, Hebron to the south and includes Gush Etzion, Mevasseret Zion and Maale Adumim.

And the all day travel costs us only NS13.50. It would be double if we weren't senior citizens. That's still not much money at all.

For a bit more money we can buy a Jerusalem-Dan District all day ticket which would take us to Tel Aviv and beyond. There are more options. All can be found on the site.

Happy traveling!

Israel's Great Public Transport Deals, Especially for "Seniors"

Israeli Public Transportation is getting better and better in most ways. There are special discount tickets which give unlimited transportation within various districts at amazingly low prices, especially for senior citizens like myself. Today I met some friends in Gedera, which isn't near Shiloh at all. It's on the way to Ashdod, southeast of Tel Aviv.

Before leaving home I studied the map of travel discounts carefully, as did a friend who was joining me. We had already traveled cheaply to Beit Shemesh. The one day unlimited ticket to Beit Shemesh was the same as the one I use traveling to Jerusalem. The only thing I needed to tell the driver was to make sure it said Jerusalem Metropolitan West. The cost for the day was NS13.50. That's about $3.50. For someone too young for the senior discount, the price is about double.

Gedera is further than Beit Shemesh. The code name for us to get the discount fare to Gedera is Jerusalem-Gush Day. The fare was a bit more, just NS16, about $4.50. Unlike my Shiloh buses, these intercity buses are pretty reliable. The buses also had outlets to charge your phone. OK you need a long cord, too.

This district is humongous. It covers from Netanya in the north until Ashdod in the south, Jerusalem, of course, and all of Samaria and everything in between, Kfar Saba, Petach Tikva, Tel Aviv, Rechovot, Modiin and more.

The buses were clean; drivers and passengers polite.

It was a long day, and I am exhausted, but I just had to tell you about these great travel bargains. Frugal Israel is getting better.

Frugal Adventure to Beit Shemesh, Plus: Pishers' Guide to Beit Shemesh #1

The other day I met with some friends in Beit Shemesh, or to be more exact, we met at a Beit Shemesh mall. To be honest I've been in Beit Shemesh for a wedding, Shabbat Bar Mitzvah and maybe something else, but even after this little adventure, I still don't think that I know Beit Shemesh.

Over twenty years ago, when some real estate developers began marketing Beit Shemesh, they kept insisting that it's right near Jerusalem. I think they claimed it was something like seventeen minutes away. The truth is that it may be that from the border of Jerusalem, on the highway until the turnoff to Beit Shemesh, when driving in the middle of the night without traffic it may be '"seventeen minutes." But at 11am, in a fast bus on the highway, no traffic, to the first stop at the Beit Shemesh Junction, which has three malls but no residential buildings I could find, it took about thirty-three minutes from Jerusalem Central Bus Station.

Our plan was to meet for lunch in the Bleecker Street Bakery. My friends and I came from all over the country, Kedumim, Shiloh, Netivot, Beersheva and quite a few points in between.

I was happy to discover that I could buy a one day unlimited bus pass, Metropolitan Jerusalem West, senior citizen rate NS13.50 (just over $3-) when I got on my bus in Shiloh, and it would include Beit Shemesh. As I had written, I'm not familiar with Beit Shemesh. To be honest I began to panic when I got off the bus, even though it was the correct stop. I didn't expect to see three malls nearby. Nobody had warned me.

Since I was early, I decided to case out mall #1, and thank Gd I found Bleecker Street Bakery. My friends and I chose Bleecker Street Bakery, because it had a breakfast special which could be ordered all day. The food was delicious. Everyone was happy with their selections.

Pishers' Guide to Beit Shemesh #1

I couldn't resist the opportunity to check out the WC, 00, Restroom or just call it the Public Toilets of Beit Shemesh. One shouldn't need WAZE to find a WC. I'm from the "old world" of reading signs. Well, in this Rami Levy Mall, trying to follow the signs was like getting lost in a maze. So, I used the old standby, the closest supermarket. Yes, I walked into the Rami Levy Supermarket.  

Just a few steps into the store I spotted the easy to recognize icons for the Public Toilets and followed the signs. My experiences with Rami Levy's WCs have been pretty good, and these didn't disappoint.

The public toilets were clean and stocked with paper and soap. My friends who had found the mall's WC admitted that it was "lacking."

.
I had a lovely time with my friends, who requested "no pictures" on the blog.

Adventures on Public Transportation

We don't have a car, so my traveling is a combination of public transportation and rides, tremps, the Israeli word for hitchhiking. I also call it siyate d'Shmaya kaful, a double dose of the hand of Gd.

Unlike the lies you'll hear in the international media, anti-Israel NGOs etc, there's no apartheid in Israel. Jews and Arabs travel together, at least on Israeli "Jewish" public transportation. You won't find Jews on the Arab buses.

In the afternoon, buses to Ariel from the "coastal plain," Tel Aviv, Petach Tikva, Kfar Saba etc are packed with Arabs. I've seen buses speed past bus stops many times, while Jews and Arabs stand tired and frustrated waiting for a bus that will take them on their way. The Yarkon Junction is one of the most difficult places to get a ride on a bus during that busy time. I've had better luck at the Oranit/Elkana bus stop off the main Cross-Samaria Highway. But that doesn't mean that I can easily get into the bus and find a seat.

The last time I needed to get home via Ariel, a bus stopped there to let a couple of people off, but at first wasn't going to let anyone on. Then the driver saw that there were just a few of us, so he opened the door and asked where we needed to go.

I answered: "Ariel."
So the driver replied: "Pay me and then go in through the backdoor."

That's what I did, sort of. I paid him, and then walked to the back door. He opened it. I could see that the back of the bus was packed with Arab workers. I had already paid and had no doubt that the next bus would be the same if not worse. So, I stepped up and sat on the step. It sure beat standing.

A minute later I felt someone tap me on the shoulder, so I looked up. "There's a seat for you."
"Thank you," I replied.

Yes, one of the Arab workers had gotten up to give me his seat. This has happened before. I've found the Arab workers are very polite to an old lady like me, thank Gd.

A few minutes later, at the Gitit Revava bus stop, the bus emptied almost entirely. That's where most of the Arabs get off. There were just a handful of other passengers traveling to Ariel, where I got a ride home, thank Gd.

Errands, Coffee and Shoelaces

Yesterday I ended up having to go to Jerusalem for an "emergency" dental appointment. And since I travel mostly by bus, I ended up with time to spare/waste, which was actually perfect. Our bus service isn't all that frequent, nor is it on a systematic, every --minutes a bus. We can have two buses in one hour and then two hours without any public transportation.

I had two errands to do in Jerusalem, and lucky for me, they could be done on the same street.

1-My French Press coffee stock is getting low, and I'm not expecting any gifts from the states. That meant that I had to go to one of the coffee places that grinds the beans on the spot for outrageous prices. It was that or to buy some American coffee in one of the few stores that sells it at inflated prices.
2-On Sunday, one of my shoelaces ripped. The shoes, Rockports, are probably a decade or more old. I bought them on sale in Malcha Mall, and they still look pretty new.

Both the tasks could accomplished on Agrippas Street in Machane Yehuda. First I searched for shoelaces. I asked in a few stores, but they didn't have, so I continued in the direction of King George Street, since there are a few shoemakers, repair places there. I finally found one open, and he ahd a slew of laces hanging by the door.

Luckily, I had pulled out the "good" lace from my shoe and had it with me. This way I bought the right length. NS5 per shoelace, a bit expensive, but I wasn't going to walk around with mismatched laces in quality Rockports.

After getting the laces, I walked in the other direction along Agripas Street to the big white building on the corner of Shiloh Street. That's where I bought my coffee, at Power Coffee Works. I got their dark roast, which is a blend.

I spent NS54 for half a kilo, not cheap, but they roast their coffee in the store, which makes me feel that I'm buying quality. It smells great.

And then I went to the dentist. Got there a half hour early, and B"H, the repair wasn't as complicated as I had feared.

A day in my life...

Don't Be Shy, Report

This isn't about the "Me, too" movement, but in a way it's connected. There are many things that should be reported. Not all are dramatic and sexual.

I'm sure that in the rest of the modern world, like in Israel, the various public transportation companies have phone numbers and internet sites through which you can report various irregularities. My husband and I have gotten free tickets to be used to and from Jerusalem when reporting that scheduled buses haven't arrived.

Today I reported something else. Not for the first time did a bus driver take off before I could get near a seat. But today I reported it. I was very annoyed and sat myself down on the steps. I managed to twist around and place my Rav-Kav (prepaid bus pass) on the "sensor" to pay, which could have been dangerous for me. But I had been holding it and wanted to put it safely away.

Click here to report it.

I'm sure this driver has done it to me before. Another time a driver told me to sit in a proper seat, and I told him that I don't walk in moving buses. That's extra true when the bus is making turns, as it did seconds after I boarded.

Luckily I wasn't dressed in anything fancy. Denim skirts are pretty hardy.  I even took a picture.

As you can see, I was sitting on the steps of the bus.

It was about a seven minutes' drive until the next stop. When the bus stopped, I quickly got up and found a seat. And when I got home, I reported it to Egged Tavura.

A Visit f2f to Beersheva

photo by Yocheved Golani,
https://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com/

Over the past few years, I've blogged about a group of friends I have who communicate on Facebook, secret group, and get together f2f periodically in all sorts of locations. This time we decided to visit Beersheva, since quite a few of our members live there or nearby.

At this Beersheva f2f, besides a couple of locals, we came from Netivot, Netanya, Maale Adumim and Shiloh. Yes, that shows you how spread out we are over the country. I traveled from Jerusalem by bus with my friend from Maale Adumim after spending the previous night in Jerusalem to enjoy some of my progeny.

photo by Yocheved Golani,
https://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com/

BTW, about the public toilets in the Beersheva Central Bus Station, the "pay a shekel" entrance didn't work well, and many, including yours truly, squeezed through with a friend, not to cheat, but because it only opened every two sh'kallim. 

The 470 express, which had a bare minimum of stops, was a great way to travel from Jerusalem to Beersheva and back. As a "senior" it only cost me a total of ns20 for a day's trip including buses in Beersheva.

We met in the older part of Beersheva in the Allenby Park, near the old "mosque," municipality building and British Commonwealth ANZAC Cemetery. One of our friends gave us a fascinating overview of the history of Beersheva and the two old buildings we faced. Then we entered the nearby British ANZAC Cemetery and placed stones on the one Jewish grave there.

Then we squeezed into a car and drove to the "Grand Kenyon" Shopping Mall and had a very pleasant late lunch together. A few of us then shared a cab to the bus and train stations, which are conveniently side by side. Following are a few photos taken in Beersheva.

photo by Yocheved Golani,
https://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com/

Thankful that there has been rain so far this winter, but we were also very happy that it was dry during our visit to Beersheva. Except for the fact that some of us looked like crazy old bag-ladies, schlepping our coats, pocketbooks and additional bags, it really was perfect weather for a walking tour.

On the bus back to Jerusalem, my friend and I succeeded in charging our phones via the overhead outlets. It's one of those modern conveniences one needs nowadays. We are so dependent on electrical communication devices. The outlets didn't work on the bus going to Beersheva, so we were very relieved to discover that these did work. She had an extra long cord, but mine was just minimally the right length. It wasn't all that comfortable to use it and keep my phone safe. If I find myself traveling a lot on such buses, I'll have to buy a longer cord.

Photos included here were taken by me, except for those identified as by https://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com/.

Pet Peeve, Bad Bus Design

Israel's intercity buses are starting to cause me pain. That's because they have the bell, which announces to the driver that he must stop at the next stop, on the ceiling.

I'm short and I have short arms. There's no way I can reach it while sitting. And even if I stand up, I end up pulling my arm and re-injuring my shoulder.

So, I pray that someone else, who is getting off at the same stop will ring it. Or I ask another passenger to ring the bell. And if there's no one available, I try to get the driver's attention to inform him that I need to get off the bus at the upcoming stop.

I may be wrong, but it seems like the bus designers are all taller than me with longer arms. And they don't travel on buses.

Do you have this problem or anything similar?

Public Bus Travel Update, Easier Than I Thought

For the first time in ages, last Friday I traveled via the Jerusalem Central Bus Station. The last time I had taken a bus from there, I just had to say "senior" when I bought my ticket from the driver. I remember being "insulted" that he didn't claim I looked too young or at least ask for identification.

Now since I heard that I'd have to put money into my RavKav bus/train card and use it to pay, like a prepaid credit card, I was nervous. I had never done that before. Friends told me that it was the only way I could get the senior discount.

I'm lucky that I know Hebrew, because so many of the signs were Hebrew only, but the machine does have an English option. I went to a clerk; I prefer people. I asked him to put ns100 into my card, which he did. Of course I paid. I used a credit card.

The RavKav is personal. It has my Identity number and a photo of me. You only get a discount if you have a personal one, and you're old enough, or handicapped, of course.

Tourists pay full-fare. Actually a few years ago when I was in the states and took the train from New York to Philadelphia, I was told that my US passport didn't qualify me for senior discount. I needed a special American card. Later on in the visit my friend and I went to the special office to get one, and they still wouldn't give me. They said that I needed something other than a passport. And I'm an American citizen...

Apparently, here in Israel, if you're qualified for a discount, the sum you deposit in your card is doubled automatically. When you pay a fare, the "full fare" is subtracted from the card. But it's really the half fare, because as in my case the ns100 became ns200.

Not only was I able to use my RavKav to pay for the bus to Ashdod, but in Ashdod the local bus driver accepted it for payment to the hotel.

The only English signs I found in the bus station told people about the special bus to Ben-Gurion Airport and the bus to Tel Aviv. Information about depositing money in your RavKav was only in Hebrew. The powers there figure that anyone who's Israeli enough to have a RavKav must know Hebrew.

And if you need English explanations, I hope this blog post helped you.

Where was The Police?

Yesterday afternoon we got stuck in a humongous mess of a traffic jam at the junction of Sha'ar Binyamin. Apparently, a car had seriously stalled between Sha'ar Binyamin and Adam, and by the time our bus was ready to rejoin traffic on Route 60, the traffic was already backed up a kilometer to the north.

There was total bedlam as cars, vans and trucks cut and U-turned wherever they dared. Traffic on the dirt security road was heavy.

There's a police station in Sha'ar Binyamin, and a fit policeman could have walked over in about five minutes, even faster by car. There should have been a police crew directing traffic. It's a total miracle that we didn't get totally tangled up for hours. That was my fear, since we were in a rush to make it to Jerusalem on time for Israel's Place Among the Nations, in the Menachem Begin Heritage Center.

I sent an email to the police at the time and don't know if they actually sent anyone, since the bus driver managed to join the slow-moving traffic on Route 60 to Jerusalem. We crawled for a couple of miles and by then the stalled car must have been towed. Thank Gd we got to Jerusalem and the Begin Center on time, no thanks to the local police.

Israeli Independence Day, 5778, 2018, Tremping Saga

Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day is a very big national holiday here. Not only are schools and government offices closed, it's almost impossible to find an open grocer or supermarket. Some supermarkets opened in the afternoon yesterday, since they figured there would be customers who needed to restock for Shabbat. Also public transportation is seriously reduced frequency-wise in order to allow the bus drivers to celebrate with their families. As many of you probably know by now, we don't have a car. Generally we manage pretty well by taking buses. We even pay for a monthly bus/lightrail pass that gives us unlimited rides to and from Jerusalem, which is generally all we need. That didn't help me yesterday.

Our family Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day custom is to spend the afternoon at my cousin in Hod Hasharon with all the family and close friends. They make a humongous barbecue, supplemented by salads and other side-dishes brought by the rest of us. By car Hod Hasharon is about the same travel time as Jerusalem, but it's a bit more complicated by public transportation. On Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day, there isn't a bus to Ariel in order to go in that direction. Our daughter passes Shiloh on her way, but she only has room for one extra passenger. Since I'm the fearless trampistit, (hitchhiker,) the seat goes to my husband.

I don't take anything for granted, and I firmly believe that we must make an effort for Gd to pitch in and help us. Traveling by tremping is very much a method which needs Gd's help. So, I sent out an email in Hebrew and English to the neighbors on three lists, including Shvut Rachel, that I needed a ride, at least to Ariel. Nobody replied with a ride late morning. So, at 11:15, which would give me almost two hours for the forty minute drive, I left my house and walked down to the main Shiloh bus stop.

After a short wait, I got a ride to Shvut Rachel-Shiloh stop which offers more than twice the amount of potential rides, since anyone leaving Shvut Rachel and all of the small communities to the east will pass it on the way to Highway 60. After another reasonably short wait, I got a ride to someone going to the Shomron via Tapuach. I took that ride only to the exit/Junction of Eli, which is a good place to wait. It's not far from their security gate, and you can see that there are security cameras.

 Again, I didn't wait all that long when a car pulled up. There were four young men in it who were going to be passing through Ariel. The front seat passenger was a real gentleman, and he offered to squeeze in the back with his friends to give me the seat. The dropped me off at the Ariel exit bus stop. And I was overjoyed to see that there would be a bus in eight minutes. The Efo bus app confirmed it.

I calmly waited for the bus to arrive and messaged my cousin that I had made progress in my travels.

There wasn't much traffic, and I didn't even attempt to get a ride, because I knew that the bus would take me to the Yarkon Junction, where someone from the family would be waiting to pick me up. I was very comfortably ahead of schedule at that point.

I got the seat right behind the driver and messaged my cousin with estimated time of arrival. She replied that I'd be picked up no problem. Thank Gd I got there with time to spare.

Getting home I had to reverse the trip. Friends dropped me off at Ariel, that same bus stop you can see in the picture on the right, above this. I was hoping for either a ride or a bus to the Ariel University stop, near where I could get a ride home. Seconds after I got out of their car, I saw neighbors drive by. I waved but could see that their car was pretty full. Imagine my surprise when a few minutes later they pulled up to take me home. The wife squeezed in the back with her two sons to give me the roomier front seat, and they took me straight to my door, B"H.

I never know exactly how it will work out, but thank Gd I do manage to get to where I need to be.

Shabbat Shalom U'Mevorach

May You Have a Peaceful and Blessed Shabbat

Jerusalem Egged Buses Modernizing, Part 2

Jerusalem Egged Buses Modernizing, Part 1, is about the new way of paying for bus rides in order not to waste the driver's time. It's more complicated than the "exact change only" which is required in some places abroad. The complication is that not all bus stops are equipped with paying machines, and you can't pay the driver. Part 2 is about the modernizing of Egged Jerusalem buses:

Charge Your Phone/Tablet/Laptop As You Ride

Yes, in the newest buses, if you're lucky, you'll find yourself next to these chargers. You have to provide your own cord of course, but it's still a very nice little modern convenience.

People who travel in cars generally have chargers easily available, but we bus travelers dependent on public transportation  sometimes find ourselves wandering like gypsies.

I try to remember to have a portable charger with me and a charger you plug into an electric socket. They both have the type of wires you need to use the chargers on the bus.

Enjoy!

PS if have any suggestions for other topics of "improvement" or modernization on the buses, please let me know, thanks.

Jerusalem Egged Buses Modernizing, Part 1

For the past few weeks, there have been announcements and warnings about major changes on Egged's Jerusalem buses.

To speed up travel, bus drivers will no longer be "clerks" selling tickets and making change. They aren't going the way of the American "exact change only." We are supposed to use these little machines to load our RavKav cards with the tickets we need.

This is fine if the bus stop has one of the machines, like the one here, and you have a charge/credit card and time. Some machines will take cash, and there are special RavKav centers in some of the malls around town. Passengers on the Jerusalem Lightrail have gotten used to the fact that we can't buy a ticket on the train, but the trains are more frequent than than many buslines. It can be very annoying to miss a bus that only comes every twenty minutes, because you were loading your card.

Frequent travelers who get a monthly pass will just have to deal with it once a month. Many other regular users of the trains and buses keep a number of trips on their card, so they won't be caught empty. You can check the content on those machines. For people like me, who usually begin our bus travels to Jerusalem in Egged Taavura, it's less problematic, since our bus drivers can load the RavKav cards with the various options. There are no ticket machines in our area.

The only people who will really find this problematic are tourists and others who don't have RavKav cards*, but I think they can be purchased from the machines and other places.

If I've gotten anything incorrect here, please let me know, thanks.

*There are two basic types of RavKav cards. One is the personal one, with a picture, registered to a single person. It automatically charges discount rates for the Senior Citizens and those officially recognized as handicapped by government authorities. The second is the "anonymous" card which can be used by anyone. It gives the 90 minute transfer but no senior/handicapped discount, nor can you do the special "all day" ticket.