Study Reveals Public Transport Commutes to Universities Lag Behind Private Cars
A study by Or Yarok reveals that public transport commutes to Israeli academic institutions take significantly longer than private cars during morning rush hour, leading many students to abandon buses despite heavy discounts.
As the academic year opened earlier this week, hundreds of thousands of students returned to campuses across the country. For many, the daily commute involves the familiar challenge of heavy traffic jams. However, a special survey conducted by the "Or Yarok" association reveals a frustrating reality: even in morning rush hour traffic, traveling by private car is significantly faster than using public transportation.
The Cost of Commuting: Time vs. Car
The sample survey, conducted on Sunday at 08:00 AM using navigation apps (excluding walking time to and from stations), examined travel times to leading academic institutions. The results were unequivocal: in all tested cases, buses lagged significantly behind private cars, sometimes by dozens of minutes or even over an hour. For example, traveling from Rosh HaAyin to Reichman University in Herzliya takes just 26 minutes by private car compared to an hour and 25 minutes by bus—a gap of 59 minutes.
Similarly, a trip from Hatzor Haglilit to Kinneret Academic College requires 51 minutes by car versus an hour and 32 minutes by bus. From Yavne to Ashkelon Academic College, the drive takes 38 minutes compared to an hour and 13 minutes by public transport. Similar disparities were recorded across numerous routes nationwide, including from Karmiel and Shfaram to the Technion in Haifa, from Modi'in to Azrieli College in Jerusalem, and from Ashdod to Sapir Academic College.
Passenger Statistics and Financial Disincentives
This inefficiency is well-reflected in actual passenger numbers. According to Central Bureau of Statistics data for 2025, out of 780.9 million bus validations on regular lines, only 6.5% (about 51 million validations) used a student profile. This is despite the state offering significant discounts ranging from 33% on single rides to 45%–50% on semester and annual passes. The data also shows that a substantial portion of the general public (26%) travels using an anonymous profile that does not grant discounts.
The explanation lies in the fact simply that financial savings fail to compensate for the massive loss of time. Students prefer to pay more for fuel and vehicle maintenance, enduring traffic jams, rather than waste precious hours on the road.
"Students forced to travel by bus waste a lot of valuable time," said Adv. Yaniv Yaakov, CEO of the Or Yarok association. "Conversely, students who arrive every morning by private car to save time increase their risk of being involved in a road accident. If public transport were more available, faster, and accessible than private cars, many students would choose to use it, save money, and reduce their risk of traffic injuries."
In response, the Ministry of Transportation stated: "The percentage of student profile holders does not necessarily reflect all students using public transportation. Following the expansion of geographical profile eligibility under the transportation justice reform, some students transitioned to this profile, which also grants a 50% discount on monthly passes. Therefore, it cannot be concluded from student profile data alone that there has been a decline in student use of public transport or a shift to private cars."
