Rail transport in Israel
Encyclopedia
Rail transport
in Israel
is one of the modes of transport in the country. It includes heavy rail (inter-city and commuter rail), freight rail and light rail
. Excluding light rail, the network consists of 1001 kilometres (622 mi) of track, and is undergoing constant expansion. All of the lines are standard gauge
and as of 2011 are not electrified. The government owned company Israel Railways
manages the entire heavy rail network. Most of the network is located on the densely-populated coastal plain
. The only light rail line in Israel is the Jerusalem Light Rail
, though another line in Tel Aviv is currently under construction.
Most of the rail routes in Israel date back to before the establishment of the state – to the days of the British Mandate for Palestine and earlier. Rail infrastructure was considered less important than road infrastructure during the state's early years, and except for the construction of the coastal railway
in the early 1950s, the rail network saw little investment until the late 1980s. In 1993, a rail connection was opened between the coastal railway from the north and southern lines (the railway to Jerusalem
and railway to Beersheba
) through Tel Aviv
. Previously the only connection between northern railways and southern railways bypassed the Tel Aviv region – Israel's population and commercial center. The linking of the nationwide rail network through the heart of Tel Aviv was a major factor in facilitating further expansion in the overall network during in the 1990s and 2000s and as a result of the heavy infrastructure investments passenger traffic rose significantly, from about 2.5 million per year in 1990 to about 36 million in 2010.
Israel is a member of the International Union of Railways
and its UIC country code
is 95. The country does not have railway links to adjacent countries, but one such link is planned with Jordan
. Unlike road vehicles (including trams), Israeli railway trains run on the left hand tracks.
period. The Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
, initiated by the Jewish entrepreneur Joseph Navon
and built by the French, was opened in full in 1892 at 1 m gauge. The Ottomans soon built the Hejaz railway, which had an extension to Haifa
called the Jezreel Valley railway
. It was inaugurated in 1905. Major railway development was undertaken by the Ottomans, with German assistance, in World War I
, which saw the construction of the eastern
and southern
railways.
When the British Empire
was advancing on the Ottomans, it too built and repaired numerous railways to help in the war effort. In 1917–18, the British converted the Ottoman 1.05 m gauge
southern railway and railway to Jerusalem to standard gauge
. They also built 600 mm gauge lines in Jaffa and Jerusalem. After the war ended, the British nationalized all railways in the Palestine mandate and created the company Palestine Railways to manage operations.
When Israel gained independence in 1948, the state created Israel Railways
as a successor to the British company. During the 1948 War of Independence, much damage was done to the railways in the country, especially the Jezreel Valley railway, which was not rebuilt due to financial constraints. In the first years of Israeli independence, rail passenger traffic grew rapidly, reaching about 4.5 million passengers per annum during the early-to-mid 1960s, at which point traffic began to slacken due to improvements in the road infrastructure, increases in the automobile ownership rate, lack of investment in the rail network, and a continued favoring of public transportation using buses over trains. This trend reached a low point of about 2.5 million passengers in 1990, which on a per-capita basis represented about a 75% decrease from the heyday of the 1960s.
As of 2010, the rail network in Israel spans approximately 1000 km (621.4 mi), with around 250 km (155.3 mi) additional expected to be under construction early in the 2010s decade.
The network includes the coastal railway line
spanning from Nahariya
in the north to Tel Aviv
in the south, through Acre
, Haifa
(with a spur to eastern Haifa), Netanya
and other cities. A small commuter line goes from Kfar Sava in the north to Tel Aviv, and connects to a freight-only line from Rosh HaAyin
to Lod
, part of the defunct eastern railway
. Plans exist to rebuild the eastern railway from Hadera
to Rosh HaAyin, with a spur to Afula
.
Six lines go south from Tel Aviv, including two short lines to Rishon LeZion, which will be interconnected and extend south to Ashdod through Yavne
; a line to Ashkelon
through Lod
and Rehovot
with a spur to the Port of Ashdod
; a line to Modi'in
through the Ben Gurion International Airport
; a line to Jerusalem, which is part of the historical Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
; and the railway to Beersheba
, with spurs to Ramat Hovav
and the Israel Chemicals
factories through Dimona
. The railway to Beersheba is also connected to the line to Ashkelon through the Heletz railway
.
In the early 2000s, the Israeli government embarked on a major project to upgrade and electrify the existing rail network and build a number of entirely new lines. This includes rebuilding the railway to Beersheba and converting it to dual-track, constructing dozens of grade separations between road and rail, rebuilding the eastern railway and Jezreel Valley railway
, and creating new lines: Ashkelon
–Beersheba through Sderot
, Netivot
and Ofakim, lines to Karmiel
and Eilat and the High-speed railway to Jerusalem
. Many of these projects were frozen, but resumed in 2009–2010, when they were included in a major government plan to connect almost all cities in Israel to the rail network.
The long-term plan also calls for a railway to Arad through Nevatim
, a line from Modi'in to Rishon LeZion via Highway 431, a line to Nazareth
and continuing the Karmiel and Jezreel Valley lines to Kiryat Shmona
, Safed
and Tiberias.
s. In the spring of 2010, the government of Israel voted to appropriate the sum of NIS11.2 Billion (US$3 billion) to implement the first phase of Israel Railways' electrification programme. This phase includes electrifying 420 km of railways using 25 kV 50Hz AC and the construction of 14 transformer stations, plus the purchase of electric rolling stock. As of late 2011 however, some of the statutory permitting process for this complex nationwide undertaking had yet to be completed and therefore it is uncertain when construction will begin. Preliminary design for the electrification effort was conducted by TEDEM Civil Engineering in the early 2000s, while Yanai Electrical Engineering was selected by Israel Railways in 2011 to carry out the detailed design of the system. Currently the maximum speed on the national rail network is limited to 150 km/h (though this is expected to rise to 160 km/h by 2013); as part of the electrification project, portions of the network will be designed to allow operation at speeds of up to 200 km/h.
, opened in 2011. The line is 13.8 km (8.6 mi) long and goes from Mount Herzl
in the west, with an extension planned to Ein Kerem
, to Pisgat Ze'ev
in the east, with a planned extension to Neve Ya'akov.
A major LRT
/BRT
network is planned for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, spanning three light rail lines for a total of 82 km (51 mi). The first (red) line
will go from Petah Tikva
in the northeast to west Rishon LeZion in the southwest, with a significant portion of it underground. As of 2011, the line is in the initial stages of construction. The second (green) line will go from Rishon LeZion and Holon in the south to north Tel Aviv. The third (purple) line will start in central Tel Aviv, go around the city and turn east. It will split into two in Kiryat Ono and reach Yehud
and Petah Tikva.
In addition, a funicular
underground rail line, the Carmelit
, was opened in Haifa in 1959.
The heavy investments in the rail infrastructure beginning in the early-to-mid 1990s made train travel more appealing, especially given the ever-increasing road congestion, and consequently passenger use began rising rapidly—by a factor of about fivefold over any given ten year span, beginning in 1990, a trend which has been continuing to the present day. With several large-scale railway infrastructure projects still underway and more planned in the future, the growth in passenger numbers is expected to continue.
s of freight in 2010. Chemicals from the Dead Sea
area, such as phosphate
s, potash
and sulphur, made up more than half of this amount.
in Egypt
, skirting the Mediterranean northward to the port of Tripoli, Lebanon
. In 1912, the French built an extension of the Baghdad Railway
south from Aleppo
, Syria
, to connect at Tripoli, Lebanon. Expanded during World War II
by both Australia
n and later New Zealand
engineers, the effective footprint extended as far as Damascus
.
For a railway both created and effected by the logistic
al need of military engineers supporting a various war efforts, on the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 and the outbreak of hostilities during the Israeli War of Independence, those connections were severed and have yet to be restored.
Israeli forces bombed the rail bridge on the way to Lebanon, and the remnants of this line can be seen at Rosh HaNikra grottoes
, where a virtual "train ride to peace" movie is shown inside the sealed tunnel that used to go into Lebanon. The tracks used to continue from Rosh HaNikra to Nahariya (the current northern end of the line) making it possible for one to travel from Lebanon all the way to Tel Aviv, Cairo
, and beyond. Northerly, there was a route to Syria
and connection via Chemins de Fer Syriens
to Damascus.
– defunct Syria – defunct (narrow gauge) Jordan – proposed Egypt – defunct
to Tulkarm
and/or building a new line from Gaza to Tarkumia (near Hebron
) with the aim of securely transporting people and goods between Gaza and the West Bank
through Israeli territory as well as for transporting cargo to and from the Israeli port of Ashdod destined to the Palestinian Authority. Another proposed line would involve the revival of the old Hejaz railway branch from Afula
to Jenin
.
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
is one of the modes of transport in the country. It includes heavy rail (inter-city and commuter rail), freight rail and light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
. Excluding light rail, the network consists of 1001 kilometres (622 mi) of track, and is undergoing constant expansion. All of the lines are standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
and as of 2011 are not electrified. The government owned company Israel Railways
Israel Railways
Israel Railways is the principal passenger railway operating company in Israel, and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban rail way passenger and freight traffic in the country. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from...
manages the entire heavy rail network. Most of the network is located on the densely-populated coastal plain
Israeli Coastal Plain
The Israeli coastal plain is the narrow coastal plain along Israel's Mediterranean Sea coast which houses 70% of the country's population. The plain extends north to south and is divided into a number of areas; the Plain of Zebulun , Hof HaCarmel , the Sharon plain , and the Plain of Judea The...
. The only light rail line in Israel is the Jerusalem Light Rail
Jerusalem Light Rail
The Jerusalem Light Rail is a light rail line, the first of several rapid transit lines planned by Israel for Jerusalem, Israel's capital city. Construction began in 2002 and ended in 2010, when the testing phase began. It was built by the CityPass consortium, which has a 30-year concession to...
, though another line in Tel Aviv is currently under construction.
Most of the rail routes in Israel date back to before the establishment of the state – to the days of the British Mandate for Palestine and earlier. Rail infrastructure was considered less important than road infrastructure during the state's early years, and except for the construction of the coastal railway
Coastal railway line, Israel
The Coastal railway line is a mainline railway in Israel, which begins just south of the Lebanon-Israel border on the Mediterranean coast, near the town of Nahariya in Northern Israel and currently ends in Tel Aviv; by 2013 it will be linked to the existing Ashdod Railway Station south of Tel Aviv,...
in the early 1950s, the rail network saw little investment until the late 1980s. In 1993, a rail connection was opened between the coastal railway from the north and southern lines (the railway to Jerusalem
Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
The Jaffa–Jerusalem railway is a railroad that connected Jaffa and Jerusalem. The line was built in Ottoman Palestine by the French company Société du Chemin de Fer Ottoman de Jaffa à Jérusalem et Prolongements and inaugurated in 1892, after previous attempts by the Jewish philanthropist Moses...
and railway to Beersheba
Railway to Beersheba
The Railway to Beersheba is the common name for the railroad which currently stretches from central Israel to the Zin Factories in southern Israel, with spurs to the Be'er Sheva Center Railway Station, Ramat Hovav and the Arad phosphate mines and factories in Tzefa...
) through Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. Previously the only connection between northern railways and southern railways bypassed the Tel Aviv region – Israel's population and commercial center. The linking of the nationwide rail network through the heart of Tel Aviv was a major factor in facilitating further expansion in the overall network during in the 1990s and 2000s and as a result of the heavy infrastructure investments passenger traffic rose significantly, from about 2.5 million per year in 1990 to about 36 million in 2010.
Israel is a member of the International Union of Railways
International Union of Railways
The UIC , or International Union of Railways, is an international rail transport industry body.- Brief history :The railways of Europe originated as separate concerns. There were many border changes after World War I and the Treaty of Versailles. Colonial railways were the responsibility of the...
and its UIC country code
UIC Country Code
The UIC Country Code is a two digit number used to identify member countries of the International Union of Railways . The UIC has issued numbering systems for rolling stock and train stations that both contain the UIC Country Code. The values are defined in UIC leaflet 920-14.-Table of Codes:-...
is 95. The country does not have railway links to adjacent countries, but one such link is planned with Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. Unlike road vehicles (including trams), Israeli railway trains run on the left hand tracks.
History
Rail infrastructure in what is now Israel was first envisioned and realized during the OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
period. The Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
The Jaffa–Jerusalem railway is a railroad that connected Jaffa and Jerusalem. The line was built in Ottoman Palestine by the French company Société du Chemin de Fer Ottoman de Jaffa à Jérusalem et Prolongements and inaugurated in 1892, after previous attempts by the Jewish philanthropist Moses...
, initiated by the Jewish entrepreneur Joseph Navon
Joseph Navon
Joseph Navon was a Jerusalem businessman and the man principally responsible for the construction of the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway. For his effort, Navon was awarded the Légion d'honneur from the French government, and the Medjidie from the Turkish government, where he was also promoted to the title...
and built by the French, was opened in full in 1892 at 1 m gauge. The Ottomans soon built the Hejaz railway, which had an extension to Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
called the Jezreel Valley railway
Jezreel Valley railway
The Jezreel Valley railway, or simply the Valley railway refers to a historical railroad in Ottoman and British Palestine, which was part of the larger Hejaz railway and ran along the Jezreel Valley....
. It was inaugurated in 1905. Major railway development was undertaken by the Ottomans, with German assistance, in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, which saw the construction of the eastern
Eastern Railway (Israel)
The Eastern Railway refers to a railroad in central Israel stretching from Lod to Hadera. As of 2011, the section between Kfar Saba and Lod, as well as a short section just north of Hadera are in use, while the rest of the railway has not been operative since 1969, though there are plans to...
and southern
Railway to Beersheba
The Railway to Beersheba is the common name for the railroad which currently stretches from central Israel to the Zin Factories in southern Israel, with spurs to the Be'er Sheva Center Railway Station, Ramat Hovav and the Arad phosphate mines and factories in Tzefa...
railways.
When the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
was advancing on the Ottomans, it too built and repaired numerous railways to help in the war effort. In 1917–18, the British converted the Ottoman 1.05 m gauge
Narrow gauge
A narrow gauge railway is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the of standard gauge railways. Most existing narrow gauge railways have gauges of between and .- Overview :...
southern railway and railway to Jerusalem to standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
. They also built 600 mm gauge lines in Jaffa and Jerusalem. After the war ended, the British nationalized all railways in the Palestine mandate and created the company Palestine Railways to manage operations.
When Israel gained independence in 1948, the state created Israel Railways
Israel Railways
Israel Railways is the principal passenger railway operating company in Israel, and is responsible for all inter-city and suburban rail way passenger and freight traffic in the country. All its lines are standard gauge. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from...
as a successor to the British company. During the 1948 War of Independence, much damage was done to the railways in the country, especially the Jezreel Valley railway, which was not rebuilt due to financial constraints. In the first years of Israeli independence, rail passenger traffic grew rapidly, reaching about 4.5 million passengers per annum during the early-to-mid 1960s, at which point traffic began to slacken due to improvements in the road infrastructure, increases in the automobile ownership rate, lack of investment in the rail network, and a continued favoring of public transportation using buses over trains. This trend reached a low point of about 2.5 million passengers in 1990, which on a per-capita basis represented about a 75% decrease from the heyday of the 1960s.
Heavy rail
The network includes the coastal railway line
Coastal railway line, Israel
The Coastal railway line is a mainline railway in Israel, which begins just south of the Lebanon-Israel border on the Mediterranean coast, near the town of Nahariya in Northern Israel and currently ends in Tel Aviv; by 2013 it will be linked to the existing Ashdod Railway Station south of Tel Aviv,...
spanning from Nahariya
Nahariya
Nahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s...
in the north to Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
in the south, through Acre
Acre, Israel
Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country....
, Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
(with a spur to eastern Haifa), Netanya
Netanya
Netanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the...
and other cities. A small commuter line goes from Kfar Sava in the north to Tel Aviv, and connects to a freight-only line from Rosh HaAyin
Rosh HaAyin
Rosh HaAyin is a city in the Center District of Israel. To the west of Rosh HaAyin is the fortress of Antipatris and the source of the Yarkon River. To the southeast is the fortress of Migdal Afek...
to Lod
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
, part of the defunct eastern railway
Eastern Railway (Israel)
The Eastern Railway refers to a railroad in central Israel stretching from Lod to Hadera. As of 2011, the section between Kfar Saba and Lod, as well as a short section just north of Hadera are in use, while the rest of the railway has not been operative since 1969, though there are plans to...
. Plans exist to rebuild the eastern railway from Hadera
Hadera
Hadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain...
to Rosh HaAyin, with a spur to Afula
Afula
Afula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
.
Six lines go south from Tel Aviv, including two short lines to Rishon LeZion, which will be interconnected and extend south to Ashdod through Yavne
Yavne
Yavne is a city in the Central District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a population of 33,000.-History:...
; a line to Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
through Lod
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
and Rehovot
Rehovot
Rehovot is a city in the Center District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 112,700. Rehovot's official website estimates the population at 114,000.Rehovot was built on the site of Doron,...
with a spur to the Port of Ashdod
Port of Ashdod
The Port of Ashdod is one of Israel's two main cargo ports. The port is located in Ashdod, about 40 kilometers south of Tel Aviv, adjoining the mouth of the Lachish River. Its establishment doubled the country's port capacity. It is a major point of entry for both cargo and tourists in and out of...
; a line to Modi'in
Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut
Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut is a city in the Center District of Israel located approximately halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of Modi'in and Maccabim-Re'ut...
through the Ben Gurion International Airport
Ben Gurion International Airport
Ben Gurion International Airport , also referred to by its Hebrew acronym Natbag , is the largest and busiest international airport in Israel, handling 12,160,339 passengers in 2010...
; a line to Jerusalem, which is part of the historical Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
The Jaffa–Jerusalem railway is a railroad that connected Jaffa and Jerusalem. The line was built in Ottoman Palestine by the French company Société du Chemin de Fer Ottoman de Jaffa à Jérusalem et Prolongements and inaugurated in 1892, after previous attempts by the Jewish philanthropist Moses...
; and the railway to Beersheba
Railway to Beersheba
The Railway to Beersheba is the common name for the railroad which currently stretches from central Israel to the Zin Factories in southern Israel, with spurs to the Be'er Sheva Center Railway Station, Ramat Hovav and the Arad phosphate mines and factories in Tzefa...
, with spurs to Ramat Hovav
Ramat Hovav
Ramat Hovav is an industrial zone in southern Israel and the site of Israel's main hazardous waste disposal facility. Ramat Hovav Industrial Zone is the locus of 19 chemical factories, including Makhteshim Agan, a pesticide plant; Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, a pharmaceuticals plant; Israel...
and the Israel Chemicals
Israel Chemicals
Israel Chemicals Ltd. , also known as ICL, is a multi-national Israeli manufacturing concern that develops, produces and markets fertilizers, metals and other special-purpose chemical products.-History:...
factories through Dimona
Dimona
Dimona is an Israeli city in the Negev desert, to the south of Beersheba and west of the Dead Sea above the Arava valley in the Southern District of Israel. Its population at the end of 2007 was 33,600.-History:...
. The railway to Beersheba is also connected to the line to Ashkelon through the Heletz railway
Heletz railway
The Heletz Railway is a 20 km railway in southern Israel which connects the Railway to Beersheba from a point just south of Kiryat Gat to the Lod–Ashkelon railway near moshav Mavki'im...
.
In the early 2000s, the Israeli government embarked on a major project to upgrade and electrify the existing rail network and build a number of entirely new lines. This includes rebuilding the railway to Beersheba and converting it to dual-track, constructing dozens of grade separations between road and rail, rebuilding the eastern railway and Jezreel Valley railway
Jezreel Valley railway
The Jezreel Valley railway, or simply the Valley railway refers to a historical railroad in Ottoman and British Palestine, which was part of the larger Hejaz railway and ran along the Jezreel Valley....
, and creating new lines: Ashkelon
Ashkelon
Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age...
–Beersheba through Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
, Netivot
Netivot
Netivot is a city in the Southern District of Israel in Israel. At the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 26,700. It was founded in 1956 as a development town along with Sderot to the north, and Ofakim to the south...
and Ofakim, lines to Karmiel
Karmiel
Karmiel is a city in northern Israel. Established in 1964 as a development town, Karmiel is located in the Beit HaKerem Valley which divides upper and lower Galilee. The city is located south of the Acre-Safed road, from Safed and from Acre...
and Eilat and the High-speed railway to Jerusalem
High-speed railway to Jerusalem
The high-speed railway to Jerusalem is a railway line from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israel, under construction since 2001. It is set to be completed in 2017...
. Many of these projects were frozen, but resumed in 2009–2010, when they were included in a major government plan to connect almost all cities in Israel to the rail network.
The long-term plan also calls for a railway to Arad through Nevatim
Nevatim
Nevatim is a moshav in southern Israel. Located in the northern Negev desert around south-east of Beersheba, it falls under the jurisdiction of Bnei Shimon Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 629....
, a line from Modi'in to Rishon LeZion via Highway 431, a line to Nazareth
Nazareth
Nazareth is the largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel...
and continuing the Karmiel and Jezreel Valley lines to Kiryat Shmona
Kiryat Shmona
Kiryat Shmona is a city located in the North District of Israel on the western slopes of the Hula Valley on the Lebanese border. The city was named for the eight people, including Joseph Trumpeldor, who died in 1920 defending Tel Hai....
, Safed
Safed
Safed , is a city in the Northern District of Israel. Located at an elevation of , Safed is the highest city in the Galilee and of Israel. Due to its high elevation, Safed experiences warm summers and cold, often snowy, winters...
and Tiberias.
Electrification
Currently Israel Railways relies solely on diesel locomotives and DMUDiesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s. In the spring of 2010, the government of Israel voted to appropriate the sum of NIS11.2 Billion (US$3 billion) to implement the first phase of Israel Railways' electrification programme. This phase includes electrifying 420 km of railways using 25 kV 50Hz AC and the construction of 14 transformer stations, plus the purchase of electric rolling stock. As of late 2011 however, some of the statutory permitting process for this complex nationwide undertaking had yet to be completed and therefore it is uncertain when construction will begin. Preliminary design for the electrification effort was conducted by TEDEM Civil Engineering in the early 2000s, while Yanai Electrical Engineering was selected by Israel Railways in 2011 to carry out the detailed design of the system. Currently the maximum speed on the national rail network is limited to 150 km/h (though this is expected to rise to 160 km/h by 2013); as part of the electrification project, portions of the network will be designed to allow operation at speeds of up to 200 km/h.
Light rail
The only light rail line in Israel is the Jerusalem Light RailJerusalem Light Rail
The Jerusalem Light Rail is a light rail line, the first of several rapid transit lines planned by Israel for Jerusalem, Israel's capital city. Construction began in 2002 and ended in 2010, when the testing phase began. It was built by the CityPass consortium, which has a 30-year concession to...
, opened in 2011. The line is 13.8 km (8.6 mi) long and goes from Mount Herzl
Mount Herzl
Mount Herzl , also Har HaZikaron , is the national cemetery of Israel on the west side of Jerusalem. It is named for Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern political Zionism. Herzl's tomb lies at the top of the hill. Yad Vashem, which commemorates the Holocaust, lies to the west of Mt. Herzl....
in the west, with an extension planned to Ein Kerem
Ein Kerem
Ein Kerem , lit. “Spring of the Vineyard”, and - ‘Ein Kārem), is an ancient village of the Jerusalem District and now a neighbourhood in southwest of Jerusalem. According to Christian tradition, John the Baptist was born in Ein Kerem, leading to the establishment of many churches and monasteries....
, to Pisgat Ze'ev
Pisgat Ze'ev
Pisgat Ze'ev , is an Israeli settlement and a residential neighborhood with a population of 50,000 located in northern East Jerusalem. The international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal under international law, although the Israeli government disputes this...
in the east, with a planned extension to Neve Ya'akov.
A major LRT
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
/BRT
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
network is planned for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, spanning three light rail lines for a total of 82 km (51 mi). The first (red) line
Red Line (Tel Aviv Light Rail)
-External links:****...
will go from Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately...
in the northeast to west Rishon LeZion in the southwest, with a significant portion of it underground. As of 2011, the line is in the initial stages of construction. The second (green) line will go from Rishon LeZion and Holon in the south to north Tel Aviv. The third (purple) line will start in central Tel Aviv, go around the city and turn east. It will split into two in Kiryat Ono and reach Yehud
Yehud
Yehud is a city in the Center District in Israel that is part of the joint municipality of Yehud-Monosson. In 2007, Yehud's population was approximately 25,600 .- History :...
and Petah Tikva.
In addition, a funicular
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
underground rail line, the Carmelit
Carmelit
The Carmelit is an underground funicular railway in Haifa, Israel. Construction started in 1956 and ended in 1959. The Carmelit was closed in 1986 after showing signs of aging...
, was opened in Haifa in 1959.
Passenger traffic
Statistics
| Year | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers (millions) | 5.1 | 5.6 | 6.4 | 8.8 | 12.7 | 15.1 | 17.5 | 19.8 | 22.9 | 26.8 | 28.4 | 31.8 | 35.13 | 35.93 | 35.87 |
Passenger stations
| Name | Hebrew | City | Lines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acre Acre Railway Station Acre Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station serving the city of Acre and the surrounding towns and villages.- Location :The station is situated on the North-South coastal line... |
עכו | Acre Acre, Israel Acre , is a city in the Western Galilee region of northern Israel at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay. Acre is one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country.... |
Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in |
| Ashdod Ad Halom Ashdod Ad Halom Railway Station Ashdod Ad Halom Railway Station is a railway station in Ashdod, Israel. It is on the suburban line Binyamina/Netanya - Tel Aviv - Rehovot/Ashkelon. Ashdod Ad Halom Station was opened in June 1995 and was fully rebuilt in 2003... Ashdod South |
אשדוד עד הלום אשדוד דרום |
Ashdod | Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Ashkelon Ashkelon Railway Station Ashkelon Railway Station is a railway station in Ashkelon, Israel. It's a suburban terminus on the line Binyamina/Netanya - Tel Aviv - Rehovot/Ashkelon. The station was in service on the line to Egypt before the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.... |
אשקלון | Ashkelon Ashkelon Ashkelon is a coastal city in the South District of Israel on the Mediterranean coast, south of Tel Aviv, and north of the border with the Gaza Strip. The ancient seaport of Ashkelon dates back to the Neolithic Age... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Atlit Atlit Railway Station Atlit Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station serving the town of Atlit as well as the Surrounding rural communities and military bases.- Location :... |
עתלית | Atlit | Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in |
| Be'er Sheva Center Be'er Sheva Center Railway Station Be'er Sheva Center Railway Station is an Israel Railways terminal in Be'er Sheva on the main intercity line from Nahariya to Be'er Sheva. The station is located in Yitzhak Ben Zvi St. near the Be'er Sheva central bus station and HaNegev Mall.... |
באר שבע מרכז | Beersheba Beersheba Beersheba is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. Often referred to as the "Capital of the Negev", it is the seventh-largest city in Israel with a population of 194,300.... |
Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Tel Aviv Central - Be'er Sheva Center |
| Be'er Sheva North Be'er Sheva North Railway Station Be'er Sheva North Railway Station is an Israel Railways station in Beersheba. It is a stop on the intercity line from Tel Aviv and Nahariya, and the terminus of the Beersheba - Dimona spur.... University |
באר שבע צפון אוניברסיטה |
Beersheba | Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Tel Aviv Central - Be'er Sheva Center Be'er Sheva North - Dimona |
| Be'er Ya'akov Be'er Ya'akov Railway Station Be'er Ya'akov railway station, is a railway station in the Israeli town of Be'er Ya'akov, the station is located at the southern end of the town, roughly 2 miles east of Ness Ziona and 2.5 miles south east of Rishon LeZion.-Access:... |
באר יעקב | Be'er Ya'akov | Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Ben Gurion Airport Ben Gurion Airport Railway Station Ben Gurion Airport Railway Station is a station on the Israel Railways lines between Tel Aviv and Modi'in. The station is located in the lower level of Ben Gurion International Airport's Terminal 3, and was opened in 2004.-Services:... |
נמל תעופה בן גוריון | Ben Gurion International Airport Ben Gurion International Airport Ben Gurion International Airport , also referred to by its Hebrew acronym Natbag , is the largest and busiest international airport in Israel, handling 12,160,339 passengers in 2010... |
Nahariya - Modi'in |
| Beit Shemesh Beit Shemesh Railway Station Beit Shemesh Railway Station is an Israel Railways station in Beit Shemesh, Israel on the Tel Aviv – Jerusalem line. The station is located near the northern industrial zone of Beit Shemesh.-History:... |
בית שמש | Beit Shemesh | Tel Aviv Central - Jerusalem Malha |
| Beit Yehoshua Beit Yehoshua Railway Station Beit Yehoshua Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station located in Beit Yehoshua and serves the village and the southern part of the city of Netanya, with its large industrial zones, as well as other small communities in the area.-Train service:... |
בית יהושע | Beit Yehoshua Beit Yehoshua Beit Yehoshua is a moshav in central Israel. Located in the coastal plain near Netanya, it falls under the jurisdiction of Hof HaSharon Regional Council. In 2006 it had a population of 784.... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Biblical Zoo | גן החיות התנ"כי | Jerusalem | Tel Aviv Central - Jerusalem Malha |
| Binyamina Binyamina Railway Station Binyamina Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station located in the region of Binyamina-Giv'at Ada and serves these towns, as well as Zikhron Ya'akov, Or Akiva and other small communities in the area.- Location :... |
בנימינה | Binyamina-Giv'at Ada Binyamina-Giv'at Ada Binyamina-Giv'at Ada is a town in the Haifa District of Israel. It is the result of the 2003 merger between the two local councils of Binyamina and Giv'at Ada. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , the population of Binyamina-Giv'at Ada was 12,000 at the end of 2009... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in |
| Bnei Brak Bnei Brak Railway Station Bnei Brak Railway Station is a suburban passenger railway station in Israel, operated by Israel Railways. It is located near the Bnei Brak – Ramat Gan and Bnei Brak – Tel Aviv borders next to the Ayalon Mall and the Ramat Gan Stadium... |
בני ברק | Bnei Brak / Ramat Gan | Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Caesarea-Pardes Hanna Caesarea-Pardes Hanna Railway Station Caesarea-Pardes Hanna Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station between the local council Pardes Hanna-Karkur and Caesarea's industrial zone, and serves these towns, their large industrial zones, as well as Or Akiva and other small communities in the area.- Location :The station is... |
קיסריה-פרדס חנה | Pardes Hanna-Karkur Pardes Hanna-Karkur Pardes Hanna-Karkur is a town in the Haifa District of Israel. In 2009, it had a population of 31,800.-History:In 1913, 15 square kilometers of land was purchased by the Hachsharat Hayishuv society from Arabs in Jenin and Haifa for 400,000 francs... Caesarea Industrial Zone |
Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Dimona Dimona Railway Station Dimona Railway Station is a train station in Dimona, Israel opened in 2005.It is a 35km line between Dimona and Beersheba. It is a separate operating line within Israel Railways. The actual track carries on beyond the actual town itself to mines and freight yards.... |
דימונה | Dimona Dimona Dimona is an Israeli city in the Negev desert, to the south of Beersheba and west of the Dead Sea above the Arava valley in the Southern District of Israel. Its population at the end of 2007 was 33,600.-History:... |
Be'er Sheva North - Dimona |
| Hadera West | חדרה מערב | Hadera Hadera Hadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Haifa Bat Galim Haifa Bat Galim Railway Station Haifa Bat Galim Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station situated on the coastal railway line and serves the city of Haifa. The station takes its name from the neighborhood of Bat Galim, where it is located... |
חיפה בת גלים | Haifa Haifa Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher... |
Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Haifa Hof HaCarmel - Kiryat Motzkin |
| Haifa Hof HaCarmel | חיפה חוף הכרמל | Haifa | Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Haifa Hof HaCarmel - Kiryat Motzkin |
| Haifa Central | חיפה מרכז | Haifa | Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Haifa Hof HaCarmel - Kiryat Motzkin |
| Herzliya Herzliya Railway Station Herzliya Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station located in the city of Herzliya. The station has 3 platforms with a design which can accommodate a fourth platform in the future... |
הרצליה | Herzliya Herzliya Herzliya is a city in the central coast of Israel, at the western part of the Tel Aviv District. It has a population of 87,000 residents. Named after Theodor Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism, Herzliya covers an area of 26 km²... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Hod HaSharon Sokolov (Kfar Sava) |
הוד השרון סוקולוב כפר סבא |
Hod HaSharon Hod HaSharon Hod HaSharon is a city in the Center District of Israel.Officially declared a city in 1990, Hod HaSharon was created from the union in 1964 of four neighboring villages: Magdiel, Ramatayim, Hadar, and Ramat Hadar... / Kfar Saba Kfar Saba Kfar Saba , officially Kfar Sava, is a city in the Sharon region, of the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2009, Kfar Saba had a total population of 83,600.-History:... |
Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Hutzot HaMifratz Hutzot HaMifratz Railway Station Hutzot HaMifratz Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station serving Hutzot HaMifratz Mall , Israel's largest open-air mall, and the surrounding Haifa-Bay industrial zone just north of Haifa.-Location:... |
חוצות המפרץ | Haifa | Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Haifa Hof HaCarmel - Kiryat Motzkin |
| Jerusalem Malha | ירושלים מלחה | Jerusalem | Tel Aviv Central - Jerusalem Malha |
| Kfar Habad Kfar Habad Railway Station The Kfar Habad Railway Station is a railway station in the central Israeli town of Kfar Habad. The station lies between Lod, and Tel Aviv HaHagana. It is served by trains on the line between Binyamina and Ashkelon. The town of Kfar Habad is a Haredi town affiliated to the Chabad movement... |
כפר חב"ד | Kfar Habad | Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Kfar Saba – Nordau (Hod HaSharon) |
כפר סבא נורדאו הוד השרון |
Kfar Saba Kfar Saba Kfar Saba , officially Kfar Sava, is a city in the Sharon region, of the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2009, Kfar Saba had a total population of 83,600.-History:... / Hod HaSharon Hod HaSharon Hod HaSharon is a city in the Center District of Israel.Officially declared a city in 1990, Hod HaSharon was created from the union in 1964 of four neighboring villages: Magdiel, Ramatayim, Hadar, and Ramat Hadar... |
Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Kiryat Gat Kiryat Gat Railway Station Kiryat Gat Railway Station is a station on the Israel Railways lines between Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva, serving Kiryat Gat. It is located in the industrial zone in the east of Kiryat Gat. The station was first opened in July 1960, but was closed form 1979 to 1997... |
קרית גת | Kiryat Gat | Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Tel Aviv Central - Be'er Sheva Center |
| Kiryat Haim | קריית חיים | Haifa (Kiryat Haim Kiryat Haim Kiryat Haim is one of the five Krayot suburbs located north of Haifa, Israel. In 2003, Kiryat Haim had a population of 40,000. Kiryat Haim is within the municipal borders of the city of Haifa, and lies on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.-History:... ) |
Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Haifa Hof HaCarmel - Kiryat Motzkin |
| Kiryat Motzkin | קריית מוצקין | Haifa (Kiryat Shmuel) Kiryat Motzkin |
Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Haifa Hof HaCarmel - Kiryat Motzkin |
| Lehavim Rahat | להבים רהט | Lehavim Lehavim Lehavim is a town in the Southern District of Israel, in the northern Negev desert. Founded in 1983, it is located 15 km north of Beersheba. In 2009, the population was 6,000. -History:... |
Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Tel Aviv Central - Be'er Sheva Center |
| Lev HaMifratz Lev HaMifratz Railway Station Lev HaMifratz Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station in Haifa, Israel, serving Lev HaMifratz Mall , one of Haifa's largest malls, and the surrounding Haifa-Bay industrial zone just north of Haifa.-Location:... |
לב המפרץ | Haifa Haifa Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher... |
Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Haifa Hof HaCarmel - Kiryat Motzkin |
| Lod Lod Railway Station Lod Railway Station is an Israel Railways station in Lod, Israel, served by most railway lines of Israel Railways. The station is located in the HaRakevet district of south Lod. In December 2006, Lod Station served a daily average of 7,786 passengers.... |
לוד | Lod Lod Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Tel Aviv Central - Be'er Sheva Center Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Lod Ganei Aviv | לוד גני אביב | Lod | Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Modi'in Central Modi'in Central Railway Station Modi'in Central Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger terminal and one of two stations serving the residents of Modi'in . It is the terminus of the Nahariya-Modi'in line, with service to the airport, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Akko as well. A connection to Jerusalem is currently under... |
מודיעין מרכז | Modi'in | Nahariya - Modi'in |
| Nahariya Nahariya Railway Station Nahariya Railway Station is a train station serving the city of Nahariya and the surrounding towns and villages of the Western Galilee region.It is the northern-most passenger station in Israel and is currently the terminus of the North-South coastal line.... |
נהריה | Nahariya Nahariya Nahariya is the northernmost coastal city in Israel, with an estimated population of 51,200.-History:Nahariya was founded by German Jewish immigrants from the Fifth Aliyah in the 1930s... |
Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in |
| Netanya Netanya Railway Station Netanya Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station located in the city of Netanya and serves the city, with its large industrial zones, as well as other small communities in the area.-Location:... |
נתניה | Netanya Netanya Netanya is a city in the Northern Centre District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is located north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa between the 'Poleg' stream and Wingate Institute in the south and the 'Avichail' stream in the north.Its of beaches have made the... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Paatei Modi'in Paatei Modi'in Railway Station Paatei Modi'in Railway Station is the next-to-last station on the Nahariya-Modi'in Israel Railways line, serving the residents of Modi'in. It was opened in September 2007. It served as the final stop on the line until April 2008, when service was inaugurated to the Modi'in Central Station.-... |
פאתי מודיעין | Modi'in | Nahariya - Modi'in |
| Petah Tikva Kiryat Arye | פתח תקווה קרית אריה | Petah Tikva Petah Tikva Petah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately... |
Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Petah Tikva Segula Petah Tikva Segula Railway Station The Petah Tikva Segula Railway Station is a suburban passenger railway station in Israel, operated by Israel Railways.It is located in northeast Petah Tikva at the Yarkonim shopping district across the Segula industrial zone and is separated from the rest of the city.... |
פתח תקווה סגולה | Petah Tikva Petah Tikva Petah Tikva known as Em HaMoshavot , is a city in the Center District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv.According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, at the end of 2009, the city's population stood at 209,600. The population density is approximately... |
Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Ramla Ramla Railway Station Ramla Railway Station is a railway station in Ramla, Israel, on the Tel Aviv – Jerusalem line. The station is located in the east of Ramla. The station is also on a section shared with the Be'er Sheva - Tel Aviv line, which branches out in a southerly direction about 3 km east of... |
רמלה | Ramla Ramla Ramla , is a city in central Israel. The city is predominantly Jewish with a significant Arab minority. Ramla was founded circa 705–715 AD by the Umayyad Caliph Suleiman ibn Abed al-Malik after the Arab conquest of the region... |
Tel Aviv Central - Jerusalem Malha |
| Rehovot Rehovot Railway Station Rehovot Railway Station is an Israel Railways passenger station located in the city of Rehovot. It serves the city, the Weizmann Institute of Science and the nearby science industries park, as well as the city of Ness Ziona... |
רחובות | Rehovot Rehovot Rehovot is a city in the Center District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 112,700. Rehovot's official website estimates the population at 114,000.Rehovot was built on the site of Doron,... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon |
| Rishon LeZion HaRishonim Rishon LeZion HaRishonim Railway Station Rishon LeZion - HaRishonim Railway Station is a station of Israel Railways in Rishon LeZion, part of the Kfar Sava – Rishon LeZion line. The station is located in the southern area of the city, in the middle of HaRishonim Interchange, at the intersection of the new Highway 431 and Route 412... |
ראשון לציון הראשונים | Rishon LeZion | Tel Aviv HaHagana - HaRishonim |
| Rishon LeZion Moshe Dayan Rishon LeZion Moshe Dayan Railway Station The Rishon LeZion Moshe Dayan Railway Station is an Israel Railways station in Rishon LeZion. The station is located adjacent to the Moshe Dayan Interchange on the Ayalon Highway. As of September 2011 it serves as the terminus of a new suburban passenger line serving the cities of Holon, Bat Yam,... |
ראשון לציון משה דיין | Rishon LeZion | Hod Hasharon Sokolov - Rishon LeZion Moshe Dayan |
| Rosh HaAyin Tzafon | ראש העין צפון | Rosh HaAyin Rosh HaAyin Rosh HaAyin is a city in the Center District of Israel. To the west of Rosh HaAyin is the fortress of Antipatris and the source of the Yarkon River. To the southeast is the fortress of Migdal Afek... / Neve Yerek Neve Yerek Neve Yarak is a moshav in central Israel. Located near Hod HaSharon, it falls under the jurisdiction of Drom HaSharon Regional Council. In 2007 it had a population of 1,100.... |
Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Tel Aviv HaHagana Tel Aviv HaHagana Railway Station Tel Aviv HaHagana Railway Station is an Israel Railways station in Tel Aviv. It is Tel Aviv's southernmost railway station, located some 400 meters to the east of Tel Aviv Central Bus Station. It is located between the lanes of the Ayalon Highway, just north of where Highway 1 splits from it... |
תל אביב ההגנה | Tel Aviv Tel Aviv Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Tel Aviv Central - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Tel Aviv HaShalom Tel Aviv HaShalom Railway Station Tel Aviv HaShalom Railway Station is one of the busiest railway stations in Israel, serving most lines of Israel Railways. It is located on HaShalom Interchange over Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv... |
תל אביב השלום | Tel Aviv | Binyamina - Ashkelon Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Tel Aviv Central - Be'er Sheva Center Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Tel Aviv Central Savidor |
תל אביב מרכז סבידור |
Tel Aviv / Ramat Gan | Binyamina - Ashkelon Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Tel Aviv Central - Be'er Sheva Center Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv University Railway Station Tel Aviv University Railway Station is an Israel Railways station in northern Tel Aviv, Israel. It is officially named Tel Aviv Universita – Merkaz HaYeridim in Hebrew , due to its proximity to Tel Aviv University and the Israel Trade Fairs & Convention Center.The station has four platforms... Convention Center |
תל אביב אוניברסיטה מרכז הירידים |
Tel Aviv | Binyamina - Ashkelon Nahariya - Be'er Sheva Center Nahariya - Modi'in Hod Hasharon Sokolov - HaRishonim |
| Yavne Yavne Railway Station Yavne Railway Station is a railway station in Yavne, Israel. It is on the suburban line Binyamina/Netanya – Tel Aviv – Rehovot/Ashkelon... |
יבנה | Yavne Yavne Yavne is a city in the Central District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a population of 33,000.-History:... |
Binyamina - Ashkelon |
Freight
According to official statistics, Israel Railways transported 7021.6 kilotonTonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
s of freight in 2010. Chemicals from the Dead Sea
Dead Sea
The Dead Sea , also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Its surface and shores are below sea level, the lowest elevation on the Earth's surface. The Dead Sea is deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world...
area, such as phosphate
Phosphate
A phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
s, potash
Potash
Potash is the common name for various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form. In some rare cases, potash can be formed with traces of organic materials such as plant remains, and this was the major historical source for it before the industrial era...
and sulphur, made up more than half of this amount.
Rail links to adjacent countries
Originally part of the Palestine Railway, a line linked East Qantara north of the Suez CanalSuez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, skirting the Mediterranean northward to the port of Tripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in Lebanon. Situated 85 km north of the capital Beirut, Tripoli is the capital of the North Governorate and the Tripoli District. Geographically located on the east of the Mediterranean, the city's history dates back...
. In 1912, the French built an extension of the Baghdad Railway
Baghdad Railway
The Baghdad Railway , was built from 1903 to 1940 to connect Berlin with the Ottoman Empire city of Baghdad with a line through modern-day Turkey, Syria, and Iraq....
south from Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, to connect at Tripoli, Lebanon. Expanded during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
by both Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n and later New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
engineers, the effective footprint extended as far as Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
.
For a railway both created and effected by the logistic
Logistic
Logistic may refer to:* Logistics, the management of resources and their distributions** Logistic engineering, the scientific study of logistics** Military logistics, the study of logistics at the service of military units and operations...
al need of military engineers supporting a various war efforts, on the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 and the outbreak of hostilities during the Israeli War of Independence, those connections were severed and have yet to be restored.
Israeli forces bombed the rail bridge on the way to Lebanon, and the remnants of this line can be seen at Rosh HaNikra grottoes
Rosh HaNikra grottoes
Rosh HaNikra is a geologic formation in Israel, located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the Western Galilee. It is a white chalk cliff face which opens up into spectacular grottos....
, where a virtual "train ride to peace" movie is shown inside the sealed tunnel that used to go into Lebanon. The tracks used to continue from Rosh HaNikra to Nahariya (the current northern end of the line) making it possible for one to travel from Lebanon all the way to Tel Aviv, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, and beyond. Northerly, there was a route to Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and connection via Chemins de Fer Syriens
Chemins de Fer Syriens
Chemins de Fer Syriens is the national railway operator for the state of Syria, headquartered in Aleppo.-History:The first railway in Syria opened when the country was part of the Ottoman Empire, with the gauge line from Damascus to the port city of Beirut in present day Lebanon opened in 1895...
to Damascus.
Railway links with adjacent countries
LebanonRail transport in Lebanon
Rail transport in Lebanon began in the 1890s and continued for most of the 20th century, but has ceased as a result of the country's political difficulties.-The Ottoman Empire:...
– defunct Syria – defunct (narrow gauge) Jordan – proposed Egypt – defunct
Proposed rail lines to the PA
Talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority in 2004 have raised the possibility of reviving the old line from the Gaza StripGaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
to Tulkarm
Tulkarm
Tulkarem or Tulkarm is a Palestinian city in the northern Samarian mountain range in the Tulkarm Governorate in the extreme northwestern West Bank adjacent to the Netanya and Haifa districts to the west, the Nablus and Jenin Districts to the east...
and/or building a new line from Gaza to Tarkumia (near Hebron
Hebron
Hebron , is located in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judean Mountains, it lies 930 meters above sea level. It is the largest city in the West Bank and home to around 165,000 Palestinians, and over 500 Jewish settlers concentrated in and around the old quarter...
) with the aim of securely transporting people and goods between Gaza and the West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
through Israeli territory as well as for transporting cargo to and from the Israeli port of Ashdod destined to the Palestinian Authority. Another proposed line would involve the revival of the old Hejaz railway branch from Afula
Afula
Afula is a city in the North District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley", referring to the Jezreel Valley. The city had a population of 40,500 at the end of 2009.-History:...
to Jenin
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
.