After a two decade delay, eight years of construction and an astronomical investment of 18.7 billion shekels ($4.94 billion), the first line of the Tel Aviv light rail system – the red line – was finally inaugurated on Thursday.
From where it can take you to what can or can't be found at its stations – the following is a complete guide to the new light rail's red line.
Who is in charge of the light rail and who operates it?
The government company NTA – Metropolitan Mass Transit System is responsible for building and maintaining the light rail, which is officially called the Dankal. But the trains and the stations will be operated by a private franchisee, the Tevel company.
Where does the red line run and how many stations does it have?
The line is 24 kilometers long (about 15 miles) and runs through five cities. Starting in Petah Tikva, it passes through Bnei Brak, Ramat Gan, Tel Aviv-Jaffa and finally Bat Yam.
How much does it cost to ride?
On opening day, passengers can travel for free. But starting Sunday, the price will be identical to the cost of a bus ride. This means trips of up to 15 kilometers will cost 5.5 shekels and longer trips will cost 12. But the fares are slated to rise in 2024 or 2025, after which the rates will start at 8 shekels.
Tel Aviv's new light rail station.Credit: Ofer Vaknin
How do you pay?
Passengers must pay before boarding the trains. Above ground stations will have machines that accept Rav-Kav, or you can pay using various available apps. At underground stations, there will be turnstiles that open when the scanner reads the Rav-Kav or the app’s QR code. Passengers can also buy a single-use paper ticket or charge their Rav-Kav at all stations.
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Are there inspectors?
Tevel inspectors will begin riding the trains on Sunday to check passengers’ tickets. The fine for not buying a ticket will be 180 shekels plus the price of the fare.
What are the operating hours?
On weekdays, the first trains will depart at 5:40 A.M. and the last at 10:34 P.M. On Fridays, the last trains will depart at around 4 P.M. On Saturday nights, the first trains will depart at 9:30 (an hour and a half after Shabbat ends) and the last at 10:15.
How often will the trains run?
The trains were originally supposed to run every three minutes. But NTA’s website was recently changed to say they would run every six minutes, but for the first few months, only every 10 minutes. However, frequency is expected to improve in the future.
Will the light rail operate at full capacity?
No. The red line has three routes, but only two will initially be in full operation – the underground R3 route, between Petah Tikva’s Kiryat Aryeh station and Tel Aviv’s Elifelet station; and the R1 route, between Petah Tikva’s central bus station and the Komemiyut station in Bat Yam. The R2 route, from Bat Yam’s Komemiyut to Petah Tikva’s Kiryat Aryeh, will have only two trains a day.
Tel Aviv's new light railCredit: Itai Ron
How long will a trip from Petah Tikva to Bat Yam take?
The light rail will have an average speed of 20 kilometers per hour above ground and around 40 kilometers an hour underground. Consequently, the system is intended mainly for short trips of only a few stations. Anyone who wants to travel from Petah Tikva to Bat Yam or vice versa would be better off taking the regular Israel Railways trains, which takes roughly 40 minutes, rather than the light rail, which will take around an hour and a half.
How long will the trains stop at each station?
They are slated to stop at every station for around 20 seconds.
Will the light rail get priority at intersections with traffic lights?
It is supposed to get priority at all such intersections, but initially, it is likely to wait for passing cars at some intersections due to expected problems on the line. NTA said it could take several months to a year to install all the necessary systems and calibrate all relevant traffic lights, but once that is done, all trains will get priority.
What can you find at the stations?
The underground stations will have bathrooms, but with only three or four toilets. There are no benches or seating options for passengers waiting for trains and no places to buy food or coffee. Tevel said it will solicit bids to run coffee stands and other such amenities in the coming months.
Can bikes and scooters be brought aboard the trains? And what about pets?
Only foldable bikes or scooters will be allowed onboard. Pets can be brought aboard if they are small enough to sit in the passenger’s lap or be carried in their arms. Dogs must be leashed, and other animals must be in a cage or a basket. These rules do not apply to guide dogs.
Tel Aviv's new light rail.Credit: Itai Ron
When are the other light rail lines slated to open?
The purple line is the next one slated to open, in 2027. It will run for 27 kilometers through Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Ramat Gan, Kiryat Ono, Givat Shmuel, Or Yehuda and Yehud-Monosson. Toward the end of the decade, the 39-kilometer-long green line is slated to open, which will run through Herzliya, Tel Aviv, Holon and Rishon Letzion. The red line is also expected to be extended to the Moshe Dayan interchange in Rishon Letzion.
Why was the project delayed for so long, and how much did this cost?
Plans for a Tel Aviv subway were first discussed in the 1970s, but the light rail project was approved only in 1996 and the first invitation to bid on the project was issued only in 2006. Back then, the first line was supposed to open in 2013. But the MTS group, which won the bid, couldn’t obtain financing, so in 2010, the project was nationalized and handed over to NTA.
This significantly delayed beginning construction, but even then, the trains were supposed to start running in October 2021. The opening was later postponed to November 2022, then again to March 2023, and finally to August 2023.
Amid all the delays, the costs also ballooned. The red line cost an estimated 18.7 billion shekels, significantly higher than the initial estimate of 10 billion shekels.
Will the light rail solve the transportation chaos in the greater Tel Aviv area?
It is expected to make trips to and from Tel Aviv a bit easier, but it’s not a magic solution to travel within Israel’s biggest metropolitan area. The red line is just one line out of several, which will take years to open. Once they do, the light rail still won't be able to meet the demand. Unlike a subway, which can carry 1,000 passengers per train, a light rail train can only carry around 450. Moreover, while a subway doesn't share its track, the light rail shares roads with cars, buses, bicycles, scooters and pedestrians - all of which slow it down.
A comprehensive solution, in addition to opening the other light rail lines, would require building a subway. But Transportation Minister Miri Regev held that plan hostage for seven months, using it to ensure she would get a budget for building additional railway lines. As a result, Israel's biggest transportation project is just now starting to move forward. And without it, the greater Tel Aviv area will continue to be stuck in traffic jams.
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