Rehovot Railway Station
Encyclopedia
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
. The station is named after Ehud Hadar, CEO of Israel Railways between 1994 and 1996.
–Lod
branch of the Tel Aviv
– Be'er Sheva line. It is located in the northern part of Rehovot, 600 meters north of the main gate of the Weizmann Institute and about 1.5 km north of the city center.
–Cairo
railway. The station was mostly used for freight, transporting oranges from the many orchards in Rehovot to the Port of Haifa
, with a daily passenger train to Jaffa
. The regular passenger service was disrupted in 1927, and continued to operate sporadically during the 1930's.
During World War II
the station was used by the allied forces which were sent to the North African front. The warehouses that previously housed citrus fruits were used as barracks and even as a military hospital. In 1943, a group of 714 children who escaped from Poland
arrived at the station via Tehran
and Port Said
. This group was known in Israel as the "Tehran Children". On May 14, 1948, only hours before the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the last British military train left the station for Egypt
. The citrus freight service continued until the 1960s.
The station was reopened in 1990 with a suburban service to Tel Aviv. It proved to be a major success, since most residents of Rehovot work in Tel Aviv. Following this success, extensive reconstruction work began in 2000, which included the construction of two new passenger terminals, a pedestrian tunnel under the railway, a bus terminal and two large parking lots. The renovated station opened on December 31, 2001. The Rehovot - Lod railway was double-tracked in 2001.
Following the June 21, 2005 railway disaster near Kibbutz Revadim
, trains from Be'er Sheva were diverted through the Kiryat Gat – Ashkelon line and non-stop through Rehovot for a day. This led to severe disruptions of the Ashkelon - Tel Aviv suburban service. Trains from Be'er Sheva were also periodically diverted through Rehovot during the reconstruction of the Lod - Kiryat Gat line.
over the railway just west of the station is under construction, and it is due for completion in 2014.
A new railway line between Tel Aviv and Ashdod is currently under construction. When completed, It will allow passenger trains between these two cities to bypass Rehovot. Despite this, Israel Railways plans to double-track the Rehovot-Ashdod line to provide for more freight capacity from the Port of Ashdod
.
and an island platform
, numbered 1 to 3 from north to south. Between the side platform and the island platform there are two parallel rail tracks, and an additional track to the south of platform
3. There is available land for a fourth rail track and a second side platform which are not built as of 2009.
There are two passenger terminals. The larger northern terminal serves passengers from Nes Ziyyona and the science industries park. A small bus terminal was built next to the northern terminal serving south bound buses, and all northbound buses stop on Route 412, just west of the terminal. The northern terminal houses the station manager's office, the cafeteria and the toilets, as well as ticket cashiers and two ticket machines. The southern terminal mostly serves passengers from the city, Weizmann Institute and the Hebrew University's Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinarian Studies. There is a parking lot adjacent to each terminal.
Platform 1 is used for northbound trains, platform 2 for southbound trains and platform 3 is used for trains terminating at the station.
/Ashkelon
Suburban Service). All trains in this service stop at Rehovot, and some trains terminate at the station.
On weekdays the station is served by 38 southbound and 38 northbound suburban trains. First train departs at 05:57 and last train arrives at 23:31.
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...
passenger station located in the city of 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,...
. It serves the city, the Weizmann Institute of Science
Weizmann Institute of Science
The Weizmann Institute of Science , known as Machon Weizmann, is a university and research institute in Rehovot, Israel. It differs from other Israeli universities in that it offers only graduate and post-graduate studies in the sciences....
and the nearby science industries park, as well as the city of Ness Ziona
Ness Ziona
Ness Ziona is a city in central Israel founded in 1883. At the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 38,100, and its jurisdiction was 15,579 dunams.-Nahalat Reuben:...
. The station is named after Ehud Hadar, CEO of Israel Railways between 1994 and 1996.
Location
The station is situated on the East-West AshkelonAshkelon
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...
–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...
branch of the 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...
– Be'er Sheva line. It is located in the northern part of Rehovot, 600 meters north of the main gate of the Weizmann Institute and about 1.5 km north of the city center.
History
The station opened in 1920 on the historic BeirutBeirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
–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...
railway. The station was mostly used for freight, transporting oranges from the many orchards in Rehovot to the Port of Haifa
Port of Haifa
The Port of Haifa is the largest of Israel's three major international seaports, which include the Port of Ashdod, and the Port of Eilat. It has a natural deep water harbor which operates all year long, and serves both passenger and merchant ships. It is one of the largest ports in the eastern...
, with a daily passenger train to Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
. The regular passenger service was disrupted in 1927, and continued to operate sporadically during the 1930's.
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...
the station was used by the allied forces which were sent to the North African front. The warehouses that previously housed citrus fruits were used as barracks and even as a military hospital. In 1943, a group of 714 children who escaped from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
arrived at the station via Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
and Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
. This group was known in Israel as the "Tehran Children". On May 14, 1948, only hours before the Israeli Declaration of Independence, the last British military train left the station for 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...
. The citrus freight service continued until the 1960s.
The station was reopened in 1990 with a suburban service to Tel Aviv. It proved to be a major success, since most residents of Rehovot work in Tel Aviv. Following this success, extensive reconstruction work began in 2000, which included the construction of two new passenger terminals, a pedestrian tunnel under the railway, a bus terminal and two large parking lots. The renovated station opened on December 31, 2001. The Rehovot - Lod railway was double-tracked in 2001.
Following the June 21, 2005 railway disaster near Kibbutz Revadim
Revadim
Revadim is a kibbutz in Israel on the southern coastal plain. It is under the administration of the Yoav Regional Council and affiliated with the Hashomer Hatza'ir movement.-History:...
, trains from Be'er Sheva were diverted through the Kiryat Gat – Ashkelon line and non-stop through Rehovot for a day. This led to severe disruptions of the Ashkelon - Tel Aviv suburban service. Trains from Be'er Sheva were also periodically diverted through Rehovot during the reconstruction of the Lod - Kiryat Gat line.
Future plans
A road bridge designed to carry Route 412Route 412 (Israel)
Route 412 , is a regional road in the south-east of the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area in Israel. The road connects Bilu Jucntion south of Rehovot, with Yehud Ma'arav Junction, running through Rehovot, Ness Ziona, Rishon LeZion and Beit Dagan and spanning a distance of approximately 22 km.-Route...
over the railway just west of the station is under construction, and it is due for completion in 2014.
A new railway line between Tel Aviv and Ashdod is currently under construction. When completed, It will allow passenger trains between these two cities to bypass Rehovot. Despite this, Israel Railways plans to double-track the Rehovot-Ashdod line to provide for more freight capacity from 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...
.
Design
The station consists of a side platformSide platform
A Side platform is a platform positioned to the side of a pair of tracks at a railway station, a tram stop or a transitway. A pair of side platforms are often provided on a dual track line with a single side platform being sufficient for a single track line...
and an island platform
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
, numbered 1 to 3 from north to south. Between the side platform and the island platform there are two parallel rail tracks, and an additional track to the south of platform
Railway platform
A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms...
3. There is available land for a fourth rail track and a second side platform which are not built as of 2009.
There are two passenger terminals. The larger northern terminal serves passengers from Nes Ziyyona and the science industries park. A small bus terminal was built next to the northern terminal serving south bound buses, and all northbound buses stop on Route 412, just west of the terminal. The northern terminal houses the station manager's office, the cafeteria and the toilets, as well as ticket cashiers and two ticket machines. The southern terminal mostly serves passengers from the city, Weizmann Institute and the Hebrew University's Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinarian Studies. There is a parking lot adjacent to each terminal.
Platform 1 is used for northbound trains, platform 2 for southbound trains and platform 3 is used for trains terminating at the station.
Train service
The station is situated on the Tel Aviv suburban line (Binyamina/Netanya – Tel Aviv – RehovotRehovot
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,...
/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...
Suburban Service). All trains in this service stop at Rehovot, and some trains terminate at the station.
On weekdays the station is served by 38 southbound and 38 northbound suburban trains. First train departs at 05:57 and last train arrives at 23:31.
Public transport connections
Bus Lines:- 26: Rehovot Railway Station - Mazkeret BatyaMazkeret BatyaMazkeret Batya is a town in the center of Israel located southeast of Rehovot and from Tel-Aviv. Mazkeret Batya spans an area of 7,440 dunams . In December 2008, it had a population of 9,900. The mayor of Mazkeret Batya is Meir Dahan.-History:Mazkeret Batya was established on November 7, 1883 by...
, via Rehovot Central Bus Station and Kiryat EkronKiryat EkronKiryat Ekron or Qiryath Eqron is an Israeli town located on the coastal plain in the Central Region of Israel. Kiryat Ekron is named after the biblical Ekron, a major Philistine city that once existed at nearby Tel Mikne....
. Operated by EggedEgged Bus CooperativeEgged Israel Transport Cooperative Society Ltd , a cooperative owned by its members is the largest transit bus company in Israel. It provides about 55 % of public transport services throughout the country, employs 6,227 workers and has 2,861 buses for more than 928 service routes and 3,103...
. - 13: Rehovot Railway Station – Eastern Neighbourhoods, operated by Egged.
- 201, 301, 371, 274, 164: Rehovot Central Bus Station - Tel Aviv via Nes Ziyyona.
Facilities
- PayphonePayphoneA payphone or pay phone is a public telephone, often located in a phone booth or a privacy hood, with pre-payment by inserting money , a credit or debit card, or a telephone card....
- TicketTicket (admission)A ticket is a voucher that indicates that one has paid for admission to an event or establishment such as a theatre, movie theater, amusement park, zoo, museum, concert, or other attraction, or permission to travel on a vehicle such as an airliner, train, bus, or boat, typically because one has...
cashierCashierCashier is an occupation focused on the handling of cash money.- Retail :In a shop, a cashier is a person who scans the goods through a machine called a cash register that the consumer wishes to purchase at the retail store. After all of the goods have been scanned, the cashier then collects... - Ticket machineTicket machineA ticket machine, also known as a ticket vending machine , is a vending machine that produces tickets. For instance, ticket machines dispense train tickets at railway stations and tram tickets at some tram stops and in some trams...
- BuffetBuffetA buffet is a system of serving meals in which food is placed in a public area where the diners generally serve themselves. Buffets are offered at various places including hotels and many social events...
- Parking lotParking lotA parking lot , also known as car lot, is a cleared area that is intended for parking vehicles. Usually, the term refers to a dedicated area that has been provided with a durable or semi-durable surface....
- ToiletToiletA toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
- TaxiTaxicabA taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
station