Israel Transportation - Home Assistant Integration

A comprehensive Home Assistant integration for monitoring Israeli public transportation in real-time. Track buses, trains, and light rail with live arrival times and get notified when your ride is approaching.

Features

🚌 Real-time Bus Tracking - Get live arrival times for Israeli buses
🚆 Train Route Support - Monitor train departures between stations
🚊 Light Rail (Kala) Support - Track Jerusalem and Tel Aviv light rail
🎯 Multi-Station Support - Monitor multiple stations and routes simultaneously
🔄 Automatic Updates - Smart polling with dynamic update intervals
🌍 Bilingual - Full support for Hebrew and English
📊 Rich Sensor Data - Detailed attributes including direction, real-time status, and upcoming arrivals
⚙️ Easy Configuration - User-friendly UI configuration flow for all transport types
🔔 Automation Ready - Perfect for creating arrival notifications and automations
🛠️ Custom Services - Force refresh and dynamically update tracked lines
📈 Long-term Statistics - Sensor data compatible with Home Assistant history and statistics
⚡ Device Class Support - Proper duration device class for time-based sensors

Installation

HACS (Recommended)

Open HACS in your Home Assistant instance
Click on "Integrations"
Click the three dots in the top right corner
Select "Custom repositories"
Add this repository URL: https://github.com/ziv-daniel/hass-israel-transportation-integration
Select category: "Integration"
Click "Add"
Find "Israel Transportation" in the integrations list
Click "Download"
Restart Home Assistant

Manual Installation

Download the latest release from the releases page
Extract the custom_components/israel_transportation folder
Copy it to your Home Assistant custom_components directory
Restart Home Assistant

Configuration

Adding the Integration

Go to Settings → Devices & Services
Click Add Integration
Search for Israel Transportation
Follow the configuration steps:
- Step 1: Select transport type (Bus, Train, or Light Rail)
- For Buses/Light Rail:
  - Step 2: Enter station number (e.g., 24068)
  - Step 3: Enter line numbers separated by commas (e.g., 249, 40, 605)
- For Trains:
  - Step 2: Enter origin station (e.g., 3600 for Tel Aviv Center)
  - Step 2: Enter destination station (e.g., 2800 for Haifa Center)

Finding Station Numbers

Buses and Light Rail

bus.co.il - Official Israeli bus information site
BusNearby - Real-time bus tracking app

Trains

rail.co.il - Israel Railways official site

Common train station IDs:

Tel Aviv - Savidor Center: 3600
Tel Aviv - HaShalom: 3700
Jerusalem - Yitzhak Navon: 680
Haifa Center - HaShmona: 2800
Beer Sheva Center: 5800
Ben Gurion Airport: 8600

Configuration Options

After setup, you can modify settings by clicking Configure on the integration:

Bus Lines: Comma-separated list of bus line numbers to track
Update Interval: How often to fetch data (15-600 seconds, default: 30)
Maximum Arrivals: Number of upcoming arrivals to track per line (1-10, default: 3)

Sensors

Bus and Light Rail Sensors

The integration creates one sensor per line:

Entity ID: sensor.{type}_station_{station_name}_line_{line_number}

Example:

Bus: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
Light Rail: sensor.light_rail_station_central_station_line_1

Sensor State

Shows minutes until the next arrival:

5 - Arriving in 5 minutes
Arrived - Currently at the station
No data - No upcoming arrivals
Unavailable - API connection error

Bus/Light Rail Sensor Attributes

line_number: "249"
station_id: "24068"
station_name: "Azrieli Center"
next_arrival: "2025-12-25T14:35:00+02:00"
real_time: true
direction: "Tel Aviv - Jerusalem"
upcoming_arrivals:
  - arrival_time: "2025-12-25T14:35:00+02:00"
    minutes_until: 5
    is_realtime: true
    direction: "Tel Aviv - Jerusalem"

Train Sensors

One sensor per route:

Entity ID: sensor.train_route_{from}_{to}_next_train

Example: sensor.train_route_tel_aviv_center_haifa_center_next_train

Train Sensor State

Shows minutes until next departure:

15 - Departing in 15 minutes
Departing - Train is departing now
No data - No upcoming trains

Train Sensor Attributes

from_station: "3600"
to_station: "2800"
from_station_name: "Tel Aviv - Savidor Center"
to_station_name: "Haifa Center - HaShmona"
next_arrival: "2025-12-25T14:45:00+02:00"
duration_minutes: 65
real_time: true
direction: "Haifa Center - HaShmona"
upcoming_arrivals:
  - arrival_time: "2025-12-25T14:45:00+02:00"
    minutes_until: 15
    duration_minutes: 65
    is_realtime: true

Usage Examples

Dashboard Card

Display public transport times using the built-in entities card:

type: entities
title: Public Transport
entities:
  - entity: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
    name: Bus 249
  - entity: sensor.light_rail_station_central_station_line_1
    name: Light Rail 1
  - entity: sensor.train_route_tel_aviv_center_haifa_center_next_train
    name: Train to Haifa

Icons are automatically set based on transport type:

🚌 Bus: mdi:bus
🚊 Light Rail: mdi:tram
🚆 Train: mdi:train

Automation: Notify When Bus Approaching

Get notified when your bus is 10 minutes away:

automation:
  - alias: "Bus 249 Approaching"
    trigger:
      - platform: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
        below: 10
    condition:
      - condition: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
        above: 0
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          title: "Bus 249 Approaching"
          message: "Bus arrives in {{ states('sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249') }} minutes"

Automation: Train Departure Notification

Get notified when your train is departing soon:

automation:
  - alias: "Train to Haifa Departing Soon"
    trigger:
      - platform: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.train_route_tel_aviv_center_haifa_center_next_train
        below: 15
    action:
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          title: "Train Departing Soon"
          message: >
            Train to {{ state_attr('sensor.train_route_tel_aviv_center_haifa_center_next_train', 'to_station_name') }}
            departs in {{ states('sensor.train_route_tel_aviv_center_haifa_center_next_train') }} minutes.
            Journey time: {{ state_attr('sensor.train_route_tel_aviv_center_haifa_center_next_train', 'duration_minutes') }} min

Automation: Turn On Lights When Bus is Near

Prepare to leave when bus is 5 minutes away:

automation:
  - alias: "Prepare to Leave - Bus Approaching"
    trigger:
      - platform: numeric_state
        entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
        below: 5
    action:
      - service: light.turn_on
        target:
          entity_id: light.hallway
      - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
        data:
          message: "Time to leave! Bus 249 in {{ states('sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249') }} min"

Template Sensor: Next Bus Across Multiple Lines

Create a sensor showing the soonest bus from multiple lines:

template:
  - sensor:
      - name: "Next Bus Home"
        state: >
          {% set lines = [
            states('sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249'),
            states('sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_40'),
            states('sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_605')
          ] %}
          {% set times = lines | reject('in', ['No data', 'Arrived', 'unavailable']) | map('int') | list %}
          {% if times | length > 0 %}
            {{ times | min }}
          {% else %}
            No data
          {% endif %}
        unit_of_measurement: "min"
        icon: mdi:bus-clock

Automation: Force Refresh Before Leaving

Refresh arrival times when you're getting ready to leave:

automation:
  - alias: "Refresh Bus Times When Leaving"
    trigger:
      - platform: state
        entity_id: binary_sensor.front_door
        to: "on"
    action:
      - service: israel_transportation.refresh_data
        data:
          entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249

Automation: Dynamic Line Updates

Update tracked lines based on time of day:

automation:
  - alias: "Update Bus Lines for Morning Commute"
    trigger:
      - platform: time
        at: "07:00:00"
    action:
      - service: israel_transportation.update_lines
        data:
          entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
          lines: "249, 40, 189"  # Morning express lines

  - alias: "Update Bus Lines for Evening Commute"
    trigger:
      - platform: time
        at: "17:00:00"
    action:
      - service: israel_transportation.update_lines
        data:
          entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
          lines: "249, 40, 605"  # Evening lines

Script: Check Next Bus and Decide

Create a script to check if you need to hurry:

script:
  check_bus_status:
    sequence:
      - service: israel_transportation.refresh_data
      - delay:
          seconds: 2
      - choose:
          - conditions:
              - condition: numeric_state
                entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
                below: 5
            sequence:
              - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
                data:
                  title: "Hurry!"
                  message: "Bus arrives in {{ states('sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249') }} minutes!"
                  data:
                    priority: high
          - conditions:
              - condition: numeric_state
                entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
                above: 15
            sequence:
              - service: notify.mobile_app_your_phone
                data:
                  message: "You have {{ states('sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249') }} minutes. No rush!"

For more examples including train and light rail configurations, see examples/configuration_examples.yaml.

Services

The integration provides custom services for advanced automation scenarios:

`israel_transportation.refresh_data`

Force an immediate refresh of arrival times data. Useful when you want the latest information before making a decision.

Parameters:

entity_id (optional): Specific entity to refresh. If not provided, all Israel Transportation entities will be refreshed.

Example:

service: israel_transportation.refresh_data
data:
  entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249

`israel_transportation.update_lines`

Dynamically update the bus lines being tracked for a station. Perfect for adjusting monitored routes based on time of day or other conditions. Only works for bus and light rail sensors, not trains.

Parameters:

entity_id (required): The Israel Transportation entity to update
lines (required): Comma-separated list of bus line numbers

Example:

service: israel_transportation.update_lines
data:
  entity_id: sensor.bus_station_azrieli_center_line_249
  lines: "249, 40, 605"

Smart Features

Dynamic Update Intervals

The integration automatically adjusts update frequency based on context:

Bus approaching (<10 min): Updates every 15 seconds
Normal hours (6:00-22:00): Updates every 30 seconds (default)
Night hours (22:00-6:00): Updates every 5 minutes
No upcoming buses (>60 min): Updates every 5 minutes

This optimizes API usage while ensuring timely updates when you need them most.

Error Handling

The integration includes robust error handling:

Automatic retries with exponential backoff for network errors
Graceful degradation when API is unavailable
Clear error messages in the UI
Sensor availability tracking - sensors marked unavailable during errors

Data Source

This integration uses the BusNearby API, which provides real-time Israeli public transportation data. The API does not require authentication and is free to use.

Troubleshooting

Sensors Not Updating

Check your internet connection
Verify the station ID is correct
Ensure the bus lines serve that station
Check Home Assistant logs for errors: Configuration → Logs

Station Not Found During Setup

Double-check the station number at bus.co.il
Try entering the station number without any prefix
Some stations may not be available in the API

No Data for Specific Line

Verify the line number is correct
Check if the line serves this station
The line may not be operating at the current time

Development

Setting Up Development Environment

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/ziv-daniel/hass-israel-transportation-integration.git
cd hass-israel-transportation-integration

# Install development dependencies
pip install -r requirements_test.txt

# Install pre-commit hooks
pip install pre-commit
pre-commit install

Running Tests

# Run all tests
pytest

# Run with coverage
pytest --cov=custom_components.israel_transportation --cov-report=html

# Run specific test file
pytest tests/unit/test_api.py

# Run pre-commit checks manually
pre-commit run --all-files

CI/CD Pipeline

This integration uses GitHub Actions for automated testing and validation:

Hassfest: Validates integration structure and Home Assistant compatibility
HACS Validation: Ensures HACS repository standards compliance
Tests: Runs pytest across Python 3.12/3.13 and multiple HA versions
Pre-commit: Automated code formatting and linting with Ruff
Release Drafter: Automatically generates release notes from PRs
Dependabot: Keeps dependencies and actions up to date

All workflows run automatically on push and pull requests.

Code Quality

This project uses:

Ruff for fast Python linting and formatting
pytest with coverage reporting via Codecov
Pre-commit hooks for automated code quality checks

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please:

Fork the repository
Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
Make your changes and ensure tests pass
Run pre-commit checks: pre-commit run --all-files
Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
Open a Pull Request

All PRs are automatically validated by CI/CD workflows.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Credits

Integration developed by @ziv-daniel
Data provided by BusNearby
Inspired by the original silent-bus Lovelace card

Support

🐛 Report bugs: GitHub Issues
💬 Discussions: GitHub Discussions
📖 Documentation: Integration Plan

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for release history.

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial integration and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Israeli Ministry of Transportation or BusNearby.

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 211 Commits
.claude		.claude
.github		.github
custom_components		custom_components
docs/plans		docs/plans
examples		examples
scripts		scripts
tests		tests
.coveragerc		.coveragerc
.gitignore		.gitignore
.pre-commit-config.yaml		.pre-commit-config.yaml
.publicignore		.publicignore
CHANGELOG.md		CHANGELOG.md
GTFS_DATA_DISTRIBUTION_ISSUE.md		GTFS_DATA_DISTRIBUTION_ISSUE.md
INTEGRATION_PLAN.md		INTEGRATION_PLAN.md
LICENSE		LICENSE
PRODUCTION_READINESS_REPORT.md		PRODUCTION_READINESS_REPORT.md
README.md		README.md
RELEASE_WORKFLOW_SETUP.md		RELEASE_WORKFLOW_SETUP.md
SESSION_STATUS.md		SESSION_STATUS.md
SESSION_SUMMARY_2025-12-30.md		SESSION_SUMMARY_2025-12-30.md
hacs.json		hacs.json
mypy.ini		mypy.ini
pytest.ini		pytest.ini
requirements_test.txt		requirements_test.txt
todo_bug_invastigation.md		todo_bug_invastigation.md

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