Mount of Olives to Jerusalem

Mount of Olives from Jerusalem is the place from where it is believed that Jesus has been departed the Earth to be with God.

Getting from Jerusalem to Mount of Olives is definitely on each pilgrim travel list because of the importance of this hill for Christians, Jewish and Muslims. The name comes from the olives tree which once covered the area.

Mount Olivet as it is also called is the place from where the resurrection of the Dead will begin when Messiah will come for the second time.

The Mountain is located in the eastern part of Jerusalem, a place considered by some experts a pretty unsafe area for tourists.

I’ve been there many times and I must tell you that I did not feel unsafe at all. It is a place full of tourists, peaceful and secure, especially if you go there during the daytime.

Jerusalem to Mount of Olives

Getting to Mount of Olives from Jerusalem is pretty easy. You can take a taxi, public transport or go on foot from Jerusalem Old Town or why did not book a tour?!

I don’t recommend you to climb and go down on foot because the hill is pretty steep and you’ll waste a lot of energy going up and down! You’d better save the energy and visit all the important sites from the Hill.

All the attractions from Mount of Olives are beautiful and have a strong significance in the Bible.

My advice is to go up with public transport or taxi and go down on foot! This is the simplest and most comfortable way to visit the Hill.

But now let’s take each option presented above and discuss it!

1. Using public transport from Mount of Olives to Jerusalem

Bus No 75 goes up to the hill. You take this bus from East Jerusalem; the bus stop is located right near the Damascus Gate.

From Jerusalem to Mount of Olives, line 275 passes along the Old City Walls and Herod’s gate and then starts the climbing up on the Hill.

Get off the bus one stop after Makassed Hospital, right at the Chapel of Ascension. The bus stop name is Rabi’a Al-Adawiya and is located 13 minutes away from the bus stop near the Old City Walls.

From there walk a few hundred metres to Mount of Olive’s viewpoint from where you can see the cemetery and the Jerusalem walls. Then follow the road and the crowds and for sure you will find all the major attractions from the Hill.

Buses no 257 and 3 climb also the Mount Olivet. Go to the Sultan Sulliman Terminal near Damascus Gate and take the bus to Chapel of the Ascension. The ride is about 15 minutes and the price is somewhere around 6-7 Shekels.

Oh! And there is another bus! Bus number 84 which leaves from the Ammunition Hill Light Rail Station.

2. Walking from Jerusalem city to Mount of Olives

There are 3 main ways to go from Mount of Olives to Jerusalem and vice versa: a short path, a long path and one with amazing views! Which one do you prefer? Not decided yet? OK then, I will tell you some words about each of them!

No matter which of these three paths you choose you have to know that from the bottom of the Hill to the top there is a steep climb, pretty tiring especially when outside is extremely hot! Take with you proper shoes, not flip-flops or something similar because you might get hurt if you fall down.

The climb from the city of Jerusalem to Mount of Olives is pretty difficult and will take you around 30 minutes from the bottom to the top. The climbing path starts from behind the Church of Gethsemane.

Church of all nations Jerusalem Gethsemane

There are also cars on the road and locals usually drive with high speed so be careful as the road is very narrow. If you don’t feel comfortable walking on the road, near the cars you can follow the staircase which starts right near the cafe located close to the Gethsemane.

There are many stairs so you’ll be exhausted when you reach the top.
That is why I advise you to use public transport or a taxi to get to the top. And if you want to walk do it when you go down the Mount of Olives.

Path no 1– the shortest path from Mount of Olives to Jerusalem– walk through the Muslim Quarter and exit from Lion’s Gate

Path no 2– the nicest way. Exit the Old Town of Jerusalem through the Dung Gate and walk towards the Mount of Olives. There is a beautiful promenade out there and a lot of interesting monuments around.

Path no 3– the longest way. Get out from Old Town of Jerusalem through Zion Gate. Cross the parking lot and head towards Mount of Olives. After a few minutes of walk, you will get to the promenade mentioned on path no 2.

3. Taking a taxi from Jerusalem to Mount of Olives

Taxis are fast, convenient and comfortable. From the Old Town up to the top of the Hill, you’ll pay around 60 or 70 Shekels and the ride lasts for around 15 minutes. If you choose to take the taxi from the bottom of the Hill, then you’ll most probably pay around 40-50 Shekels and the ride will last for 10 minutes.

4. A guided tour Mount of Olive’s to Jerusalem

You can choose to book a tour of the Mount of Olives with a professional guide. New Jerusalem: Mount of Olives Tour is one of the best tours you can book if you want to visit this holy place and find out much useful information about each monument from the area.

The tour starts at Jaffa Gate, where is a bus waiting for you and goes up to the Hill. Church of Pater Noster, Mosque of the Ascension, Jewish cemetery where were buried deads according to Jewish tradition, Church of Mary Magdalene and Church of All Nations are just some of the holy sites you’ll visit during your tour. The tour starts at 2 p.m. and lasts for 3 hours.

New Jerusalem Mount of Olives Tour Israel

Going from Mount of Olives to Jerusalem might seem a little bit complicated and tiring, but this Hill is very important for Christians, Jewish and Muslims.

This is for sure one of the places in the world which you have to put on your bucket list!