Practical Information The central bus station (information (03) 537 5555) is on Ben Gurion St. Bus *5 will take you downtown to Zephaniah Square (Merkaz Afridar) in the heart of Afridar, the business center, or to the pedestrian mall (midrahov) in the old Migdal. Bus #13 runs to the beach (July and Aug. only); buses #3 and 9 pass within walking distance of the park behind the beach (ask to get off on Shapiro Rd.). Buses #300, 311, and 362 go to Tel Aviv (every 15min. until 10:30pm, NIS11). Bus #437 runs to Jerusalem (every hr. until 8:15pm, NIS14). Bus #363 or 364 runs to Be’er Sheva (hourly until 9:15pm, N1S10).

Visitors should stop by the gracious Tourist Information Office (tel. 73 24 12) at Zephaniah Sq. (bus #5) for maps and information (open Sun., Mon., Wed., and Thurs. 8:30am-lpm, Tues. 8:30am-12:30pm). Banks, several outdoor cafes, and a frozen yogurt shop are all clustered around the square. The central post office (open Sun.-Tues. and Thurs. 8am-12:30pm and 3:3O-7pm, Wed. and Fri. 8am-noon) is in Migdal on 18 Herzl St.; Poste Restante available. For sherut taxi service to Tel Aviv CNIS7) try Yael Daroma, on Tzahal St. (tel. 75 03 34) in Migdal. The police station is at the corner of HaNassi and Eli Cohen St. (tel. 100 or 7714 44); for first aid call 101 or 72 33 33; for fire tel. 102. Ashkelon’s telephone code is 07.