Israelis don't like public transport - reason named

According to a 2025 survey by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, the share of Israelis using public transport has declined over the past decade. Only 50% of residents over 20 used buses, compared to 57% in 2015. The share of workers commuting by public transport dropped from 20% to 16%. The main reason cited is public transport's inability to compete with cars in speed and trip predictability.

According to fresh data from Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, the popularity of public transport among Israelis is declining despite years of investment and reforms. A 2025 survey showed that only 50% of residents aged 20 and over used a bus in the past 12 months — 7 percentage points less than in 2015 (57%). The share of working citizens commuting by public transport fell from 20% to 16%. Over 60% still prefer private cars. The decline is especially noticeable in the central region (from 19% to 12%) and in Jerusalem (from 30% to 23%). The study covered 6,452 respondents representing about 6.3 million people. Although 82% of respondents are satisfied with stop locations and 71% with bus conditions, key issues are speed and trip predictability. Only 56% find travel time acceptable, and only 31% are satisfied with the frequency of intercity routes (29% in Tel Aviv). The main advantage of a car remains the ability to choose travel time independently, without relying on a schedule. Price, while important, is not decisive: savings on fare lose meaning with long waits and transfers.