Beginning Sunday, thousands of public transportation passengers in Israel will be able to claim refunds for unused travel subscriptions that could not be fully utilized because of reduced public transit service during Operation Roaring Lion.
The Ministry of Transportation announced that the reimbursement program, delayed for several months, will compensate passengers who purchased prepaid transit passes but were unable to use them during the period when bus and rail services were curtailed due to the security situation.
The refunds are available to passengers who held a monthly Chofshi-Chodshi pass during the affected period, as well as students who purchased either an annual transit pass or a second-semester pass for the 2025–2026 academic year.
Passengers do not need to calculate their refund eligibility themselves. The system will automatically identify each Rav-Kav card, determine the amount of compensation based on the type of subscription and the number of days public transportation services were disrupted, and present the available redemption options. Eligible passengers may claim their refunds through Dec. 31, 2026.
Holders of monthly Chofshi-Chodshi passes will be able to choose from several compensation options. These include receiving equivalent Chofshi-Yomi daily passes based on the number of affected service days, a discount toward the purchase of a new monthly pass, or stored-value credit loaded onto their Rav-Kav card equal to 70% of the value of the eligible days.
Students will also be offered multiple reimbursement choices, including stored-value credit worth 70% of the eligible amount, a discount on a monthly pass, or a discount toward the purchase of an annual or first-semester student pass for the 2026–2027 academic year for those continuing their studies.
Passengers can redeem their benefits through the Rav-Kav Online and HopOn mobile platforms, as well as at Rav-Kav charging stations located in businesses across Israel. Users may also place an order online or by phone and complete the transaction later at a compatible charging device. Telephone orders can be made by calling 03-7207406.
The reimbursement options available to each passenger will depend on the type of transit pass previously purchased and the eligibility information recorded in the Ministry of Transportation’s system.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev said the refund initiative is intended to compensate passengers for services they paid for but were unable to use during the war.
“The passengers and their needs are always our top priority,” Regev said. “During the war, we were required to reduce public transportation services because of the security situation, and now it is our responsibility to ensure that the public receives compensation for the service it could not use. That is why we created a simple, accessible, and flexible refund mechanism that offers several alternatives. We will continue to place passenger service at the center of our efforts, both in routine times and during emergencies.”
