Yellow shared taxis, often Fords, are the mainstay of the Palestinian public transport system. Known as ‘Yellow service’ vehicles, abbreviated as ‘Service’ and pronounced “serveece”, the shared taxi is part of the West Bank urban landscape. You can catch a ‘Service’ from fixed stations, mostly parking lots near the centre of the towns and cities.

Larger mini-vans carry seven passengers and local city taxis take four. Once all the seats are filled, your trip can begin. You pay the driver directly once the journey has begun, even though you haven’t yet reached your destination. Fares are fixed and overcharging is extremely rare.