To call Israel from the UK, dial 00 972, then the Israeli number without its leading zero. On a mobile you can press and hold 0 for a plus sign and dial +972 instead.
So a Tel Aviv landline written 03-123 4567 becomes 00 972 3 123 4567, and a mobile written 052-123 4567 becomes 00 972 52 123 4567.
Israeli area codes and mobiles
Israeli landlines use a single-digit area code after the leading 0: 2 for Jerusalem, 3 for Tel Aviv and the centre, 4 for Haifa and the north, 8 for the south and Beersheba, and 9 for the Sharon area. Mobile numbers start 05 locally, so from the UK they begin 00 972 5. Mobiles cost more to call than landlines, as they do in most countries.
What does it cost from a UK phone?
Dialled straight from a UK mobile or landline, a call to Israel is charged at your network’s standard international rate unless you pay for an international add-on that covers it. That is usually pounds a minute on a mobile. Inclusive UK minutes never cover international calls, so check your provider’s price list before a long call.
The cheap ways to call Israel
All three work from any UK landline or mobile, with nothing to install.
1. Free, using your inclusive minutes
Israel is on our free calls service. For landlines, if your plan includes calls to 0845 numbers, dial 0845 222 6666, wait for the tone, then 00 972 and the number. Israeli mobiles are only on our 0870 number, so for a mobile dial 08700 477 477 then 00 972 and the number; the 0870 number works for landlines too. The call to us comes out of your inclusive minutes, so it costs nothing extra. No registration, no PIN. If your plan does not include these numbers, calls to 0845 222 6666 cost 5p a minute and calls to 08700 477 477 cost 13p a minute, plus your provider’s access charge. Details on the free calls to Israel page.
2. Prepaid account, from 3p a minute
Set up an account, register the UK phone you will call from and top up by PayPal from £5. Then dial 0161 328 7777, then 00 972 and the number. We recognise your phone, so there is no PIN. Landlines cost 3p a minute from your credit, mobiles a little more, plus a 5p connection charge per call. Nothing goes on your phone bill and your credit never expires. Current rates are on the cheap calls to Israel page.
3. Instant access, no sign-up
For a one-off call, dial 0845 222 6666 then 00 972 and the number. Your phone provider bills you 5p a minute plus their access charge.
Which should you use?
If your plan includes 0845 calls, use the free service. If not, or you call Israel often, the prepaid account is cheapest and keeps the calls off your phone bill. Use instant access for the occasional call.
When to call
Israel is usually two hours ahead of the UK, so 6pm in London is 8pm in Jerusalem. Israel puts its clocks forward a few days before the UK in March, so for that short spell the gap is three hours. The Israeli weekend runs from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening, and many people do not use the phone during Shabbat, so Sunday to Thursday or Saturday night are often the best times to reach family.
If the call does not connect
Check you dropped the leading 0 from the Israeli number and that you dialled 972, not 00972 twice. On a prepaid account, make sure you are calling from a registered phone and have credit. If it still fails, send us the number and the time of the call through the support form.