Transport fare hike delayed again until late 2026

Israel’s Transport Ministry said on Thursday that it has reached an agreement with the Finance Ministry to postpone the scheduled update of public transport fares, which was due to raise ticket prices on July 1. This is the fourth time the increase has been delayed. During Minister Miri Regev’s current term, the price of a single bus ride has already risen from 5.5 shekels to 8 shekels.

The sharp rise was driven in part by the “Transportation Justice” reform, which expanded discounts for a wider public while making rides more expensive for passengers who are not eligible for benefits. In addition, fares are normally adjusted each year through an automatic indexation mechanism. The government has now delayed that annual update again, and the resulting gap has been covered from the Transport Ministry’s budget.

The current delay is for about six months, until the end of 2026. That means the next round of discussions will likely be the responsibility of the next government. The article says Transport Minister Regev and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich do not want to be associated with another fare hike before elections, so they are pushing the issue onto their successors. If the frozen increase is eventually implemented, the fare could climb to 9 shekels or more.

Regev said, “We committed that there would be no further increase in public transport in 2026, and we delivered.” She added that public transport is an essential service for millions of citizens and said the ministry will keep working for “transportation justice,” lower living costs, and better service across the country. The ministry also said Regev is seeking to cancel the automatic fare indexation system entirely to prevent future increases and give passengers more price stability.