The Rav-Kav and Israel's Fare Cap

My post discussing an Israeli plastic card was popular. So it deserves a Keanu Reeves-style sequel.

Introducing another card in my wallet. Israel offers a unified travel solution through the Rav-Kav card, which grants access to public transportation throughout the country, even gondolas (6 shekels for the new Haifa gondola - it's amazing). In contrast to many US cities, each with its own transit card, the Rav-Kav simplifies travel by serving all of Israel.

But wait there is more. The Moovit app functions like an enhanced Rav-Kav by retroactively calculating the cheapest possible fare. This system enforces a "chofesh-chovshe" (free month) spending cap, meaning that the maximum monthly charge for bus travel (including long-distance routes) is capped at 255 shekels (approximately $70). This includes long range buses.

For around $70 a month, you can travel anywhere in Israel. It's like a monthly pass, but without having to pay in advance for a "monthly pass". It's a cap on your monthly spend. Has anyone heard of anything like this anywhere else? I haven't.

Another perk of Israeli public transport is not once has anyone puked on me (so far).