The Taba Terminal was opened for passengers and vehicles on April 26, 1982, one day after the withdrawal from Sinai.

In 1989 an international arbitration determined that the Sonesta Hotel (now the Taba Hilton), Rafi Nelson’s village and the public beach would be handed over to the Egyptians, thus increasing  activities at the border crossing, due to the traffic of holidaymakers vacationing at Taba.

Between 1995 - 2000 the annual volume of traffic at the Terminal reached about 1 million passengers on average, with the record reached in 1999, when about 1.04 million passengers passed through the Terminal.

During the intifada years, 2001 - 2002, a decrease of about 60% in passenger traffic was registered, and in 2003, the number stabilized at about 700,000 passengers annually.

In 2004 we expect that the number of passengers will reach 900,000 by year end, and this trend will lead to over 1 million passengers in 2005.

The increased activity during holidays and festivals, in conjunction with the narrow dimensions of the Terminal, situated between the mountains and the ocean, frequently creates problems of congestion and pressure.

We are planning to improve conditions at the Terminal in the near future, and to add:

          Awnings providing shade

          Drinking water facilities

          Air conditioning systems

         Duty free shops for the benefit of passengers

         A spacious Hall on the second floor

         Drive-through stations for private vehicles.

         Ad-hoc passage alternatives during festivals, in coordination with the Egyptian authorities, in the Ein Netafim Area.

         Upgrading of the agreement with the Egyptian authorities with respect to the transition of four wheel drive vehicles, Jeeps, diesel vehicles etc.

I hope that the problems of congestion at the Terminal will be solved and the Taba Terminal will be geared up to handle both outbound and inbound passengers by 2005.

I wish you a pleasant and safe holiday.

Itzik Hai

Taba Terminal Manager

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