Bahai gardens by taxi or funicular?

[LN50]

we will be visiting Haifa from a cruise ship. I would like to visit the bahai gardens. Would it be bast to take a taxi to the top and walk down?

 

I understand there is a tour at noon. What would the taxi likely to cost?

 

Or is it fairly easy to use the funicular? again how do I get there and what would be the cost ?

 

Is it then easy to walk back to the ship?

Any advice appreciated

[CathyK2]

We just got off of Vision of the Seas this weekend and went to Baha'i Gardens in Haifa. I can't really answer your particular questions, but thought if I responded, it would bring your note back up to the top.

 

For us, we did a private Christian tour out of Haifa that went to Nazareth, Sea of Galilee, etc, etc, etc and on the way back, we stopped at the top of Bahai'i Gardens for great scenic picture ops. From where we were and with all the pictures we took from up there, I saw no signs of this funicular although I thought I had read about one before the trip. Hopefully someone that went here straight from the ship will be able to step up to the plate and help you out. The area was so beautiful and clean. I'm sure you will have an amazing time.

 

Cathy

[Fblack]

When we went the Gardens were closed. Nothing but a view down from the top. It's closed this October 20th. Just check their schedule in advance.

[rsquare]

I would vote for a cab. While the funicular is a short walk from the Haifa Cruise Terminal (directions below if you still want to try), none of the stations are directly near a good overlook for the Gardens, and the streets curve and go up and down steps in that area, so even giving walking directions is difficult.

 

Eliezer Golomb station is not far from the Ba'hai House of Justice, but this does not directly line up with the gardens and I don't know if there is a path to an overlook. The last station, Gan Ha'Em, puts you on Sderot Ha'Nasi; about 500 yards from the station, just past the Japanese Art Museum, you would be roughly inline with the gardens, but I have no personal experience of how good the sightlines are. A cab could take you to Sderot Ha'Tsionut, which runs across the top of the Gardens, or somewhere along Sderot Ben Gurion, which runs downhill to the sea from the bottom of the gardens (which are on a hillside, as is all of Haifa).

 

If you still want to try the funicular - When you come out of the cruise terminal, turn left on Derech Ha'Atzmaut and continue until you come to Eliyahu - it's a major street that makes a T-intersection with Ha'Atzmaut. Turn right (away from the waterfront) on Eliyahu and the stone building with the golden-arched roof on the traffic island is the funicular station (the sign will say "Carmelit" in English and Hebrew; this is the name of the funicular subway).

[rsquare]

I would vote for a cab. While the funicular is a short walk from the Haifa Cruise Terminal (directions below if you still want to try), none of the stations are directly near a good overlook for the Gardens, and the streets curve and go up and down steps in that area, so even giving walking directions is difficult.

 

Eliezer Golomb station is not far from the Ba'hai House of Justice, but this does not directly line up with the gardens and I don't know if there is a path to an overlook. The last station, Gan Ha'Em, puts you on Sderot Ha'Nasi; about 500 yards from the station, just past the Japanese Art Museum, you would be roughly inline with the gardens, but I have no personal experience of how good the sightlines are. A cab could take you to Sderot Ha'Tsionut, which runs across the top of the Gardens, or somewhere along Sderot Ben Gurion, which runs downhill to the sea from the bottom of the gardens (see photo taken on this street).

If you still want to try the funicular - When you come out of the cruise terminal, turn left on Derech Ha'Atzmaut and continue until you come to Eliyahu - it's a major street that makes a T-intersection with Ha'Atzmaut. Turn right (away from the waterfront) on Eliyahu and the stone building with the golden-arched roof on the traffic island is the funicular station (the sign will say "Carmelit" in English and Hebrew; this is the name of the funicular subway).

[SMCruiseControl]

We just got off the Vision of the Seas and visited the Bahai gardens during our Haifa stop. The day we were there, the tourist office was running a free bus just outside the port. It made several stops around Haifa, including the top area of the gardens. We took this bus and joined the noon free guided tour in English, then walked down.

 

My husband has been to Haifa before and learned you can take the #23 bus to/from the top of the gardens as well. You must pay with shekels, though.