Check cards, cash, mobile tickets and tap-off rules for
Tel Aviv Metropolitan Buses. Operated by Dan, Egged, Metropoline and other licensed operators; last verified on
2026-08-30.
Can I tap a bank card on Tel Aviv Metropolitan Buses?
Partly. Bank-card payment on Tel Aviv Metropolitan Buses is limited by route, vehicle, reader, issuer or card type. Documented schemes: Visa, Mastercard.
Source: Tel Aviv city life Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality states that cash is not accepted on buses; riders use Rav-Kav, an approved payment app or, where available, a supported bank card.
Transit or fare card
Yes
Rav-KavSource: Tel Aviv Rav-Kav Rav-Kav is Israel's national public-transport smart card and can be used across Tel Aviv bus operators.
Contactless bank card
Partial
Visa, MastercardSource: Dan contactless card payment Dan officially accepts contactless Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards, including foreign-issued cards, on all Dan routes. A validator photographed on Dan route 4 in Tel Aviv on 29 August 2026 displayed both card brands and the contactless symbol. The wider metropolitan network has multiple operators, and identical coverage is not established for every operator, so the network-wide status remains partial.
Paper ticket
No
Onboard paper tickets are not the standard fare medium for Tel Aviv buses.
Visitor pass
Partial
Anonymous Rav-Kav, Rav-Kav daily passSource: Tel Aviv Rav-Kav Visitors commonly use an anonymous Rav-Kav, which requires no personal profile and can carry stored value or eligible fare products. Product coverage depends on distance and included transport modes.
Phone or wearable
Mobile payment
Mobile wallet or digital transit card
Partial
Apple Pay, contactless bank-card walletsSource: Dan contactless card payment Dan states that smartphones, smartwatches and electronic wallets linked to eligible Visa or Mastercard products can validate directly on all Dan routes. Apple Pay is also listed by the municipality. Coverage across every metropolitan operator is not established; approved public-transport QR apps are recorded separately.
Official app
No
Tel Aviv municipality apps provide city services or travel information; the fare credentials are Rav-Kav or approved national payment apps rather than a municipal bus ticket app.
QR or barcode ticket
Yes
Moovit, Pango, Rav-Pass, CelloSource: Israel public transport apps Ministry-approved payment apps validate a bus trip by scanning the onboard barcode or QR sticker and selecting the destination.
A Dan route 4 onboard validator photographed in Tel Aviv on 29 August 2026 showed an NIS 8 fare for travel up to 15 km, a QR code for app validation, Rav-Kav, contactless, Visa and Mastercard acceptance. Validate on boarding; ordinary city buses do not require tap-off.