eSIM for Jerusalem

Jerusalem: what to know before you go

Shabbat

From Friday afternoon until Saturday night the light rail and the trains do not run, and bus service is much reduced. Check the times for your Friday and Saturday plans, and keep a taxi app as a fallback. Gett is one that works in Jerusalem.

From Ben Gurion airport

The train from the airport takes under 25 minutes to the Jerusalem-Yitzhak Navon station, where you change to the light rail to reach the centre. A taxi app also works from the arrivals hall.

The Old City

The Old City is a walled warren of lanes with small gates and steps. Offline maps and a saved pin of your hotel and the gate you used save time, and free printed maps are given out at the information office at Jaffa Gate.

Entry authorisation

Many visitors need an electronic travel authorisation, applied for online before the flight and linked to the passport. Use only the official government site, and check the current rules and how long it takes.

Bethlehem and the West Bank

Day trips to Bethlehem and other West Bank towns cross into areas where a phone can attach to a different network from the one it used in Israel. Plans are sold per country, so check your plan's coverage and your data roaming settings before you cross.

How much data you need

A week of maps, taxi apps and photos takes about 3 to 5 GB.

Written 24 October 2026. Opening rules, fees, prices at attractions and event dates change, so check the official site before you rely on them.

Jerusalem: when people go

28 March to 2 May 2027: Easter and Passover

Western Easter is on 28 March 2027, Passover begins on the evening of 21 April and runs to 28 April, and Orthodox Easter is on 2 May. Pilgrims fill the holy sites in spring, and holiday eves have followed a Friday train timetable, so check the operator's notices for transport.

1 to 11 October 2027: Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on 1 October 2027, and Yom Kippur is on 11 October, beginning the evening of 10 October. On Yom Kippur the country largely stops for about 25 hours: Ben Gurion airport halts flights, and trains, buses and light rail do not run. Opening hours shorten around the autumn holidays and rooms are in demand, so plan arrivals and departures around them.

Israel eSIM 2026: prices, network and coverage

10 plans, from $2.49 (1 GB, 7 days) to $51.99 (50 GB, 180 days). Networks: Cellcom 5G, Hot Mobile 5G, and Pelephone 5G.

Network

Cellcom 5G, Hot Mobile 5G, Pelephone 5G

Top-up

Yes, from the app, on the same eSIM

Validity starts

At the first connection at your destination

Install by

Shown on your order. An eSIM that is never installed expires

Your number

Stays active, plans are data only

Hotspot

Uses the same plan data, no separate charge

After the daily allowance

Day passes slow down to 512 Kbps

Updated October 29, 2026

Questions about Jerusalem

Can I get from Ben Gurion airport to Jerusalem on Shabbat?

Trains stop about an hour before Shabbat on Friday and resume about an hour after it ends on Saturday, so a taxi app or a pre-booked ride is the way. Check the airport's and the railway's notices.

Is the light rail useful for visitors?

It runs through the centre and links to the airport train at the Jerusalem-Yitzhak Navon station. It does not run from Friday before sunset until Saturday night.

How much does an eSIM for Jerusalem cost?

Jerusalem uses the Israel plans, because an eSIM belongs to a country and not to a city. Plans start at $2.49 for 1 GB, valid for 7 days. There are 10 plans, from 1 GB to 50 GB, plus unlimited day passes.

Do I need a local SIM card in Jerusalem?

No. The eSIM is a SIM card in digital form: you install it from a QR code before you leave, and there is nothing to buy at the airport or swap in your phone.

How is it different from roaming in Jerusalem?

With roaming, your own carrier bills the data you use abroad, usually by the day or by the megabyte, at the prices of your plan. The eSIM is prepaid: you know the cost before you leave and nothing is added later. Keep data roaming off on your usual line, so it cannot charge you.

Which networks does the Jerusalem eSIM use?

Wigoo connects to Cellcom, Hot Mobile, and Pelephone, with 5G where it is available. Each plan lists the operators it uses.

Can I add more data?

Yes. You top up the same eSIM from the app, without installing a new one.

Do I keep my phone number?

Yes. Plans are data only, so your usual line stays active for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps working as always.

When do the validity days start?

Not when you buy and not when you install: the days start counting when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination for the first time. A 30 day plan gives you 30 days from that first connection.

How long do I have to install the eSIM?

An eSIM that is never installed expires. The "Install by" date is shown on your order, on the site and in the app, so you can buy ahead of your trip. Install it before that date, on Wi-Fi.

Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot?

Data used through a personal hotspot comes out of the same plan, and Wigoo does not charge it separately. A laptop uses far more data than a phone, so for work a day pass or a bigger plan is safer.

What happens when the data runs out?

Plans are prepaid, so there are no extra charges: when the data is used up, the connection stops until you add more from the app. Day passes give a daily allowance at full speed, then continue at reduced speed (512 Kbps) until the next day.

When should I install the eSIM?

Before you leave, on Wi-Fi. When you land, set the Wigoo line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it.