Wikipedia

Israel Railways

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For mass transit in Gush Dan (Tel Aviv metropolitan area), see Tel Aviv Light Rail and Tel Aviv Metro.

Israel Railways Ltd. (Hebrew: רַכֶּבֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, Rakevet Yisra'el) is the state-owned principal railway company responsible for all inter-city, commuter, and freight rail transport in Israel. Israel Railways network consists of 1,138 kilometers (707 mi) of track. All its lines are standard gauge but some were originally built to other gauges and later regauged. Electrification began in 2018 with the new line to Jerusalem and there are ambitious plans to electrify the entire network at 25 kV 50 Hz supplied via overhead line. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from which lines radiate out in many directions. In 2018, Israel Railways carried 68 million passengers.

רכבת ישראל בע"מ
Israel Railways Ltd.
Company typeState owned
IndustryRailways
HeadquartersLod railway station,
Lod
,
Israel
Area served
Israel
Key people
Michael Maixner (CEO)
ServicesRail transport, Cargo transport
RevenueIncrease ₪940+ million[1] (2015)
Increase ₪1 billion[2] (2016)
Increase₪1.5 billion[3] (2014)
OwnerGovernment of Israel
Number of employees
4,366 (2022)
Websitewww.rail.co.il
רכבת ישראל
Israel Railways
Overview
Stations called at66
Locale Israel
Dates of operation1948–present
Technical
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
ElectrificationIn the process of conversion to electric; 25 kV, 50 Hz overhead wire (60% complete)
Length1,138 km
Other
Websitewww.rail.co.il

Unlike road vehicles and city trams, Israeli heavy rail trains run on the left hand tracks, matching neighboring Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries, whose formerly connected rail networks were constructed by British engineers. Those lines that formerly crossed Israel's borders were severed during the Israeli War of Independence and as of 2024 there are no international train lines or services to or from Israel.

Until 1980, the company's head office was located at Haifa Center HaShmona railway station. Tzvi Tzafriri, the general manager of Israel Railways, decided to move the head office to Tel Aviv–Savidor Center railway station. In 2017, the company's head office was moved to a new campus built on the grounds of the Lod railway station.

Stations

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There are 66 stations on the Israel Railways network, with almost all of the stations being accessible to disabled persons, with public announcement and passenger information systems, vending machines and parking.

Bicycle policy

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Bicycles are permitted on trains in designated coaches.

Israel Railways encourages people to use bicycles by building a double-deck parking for bicycles in every railway station and by allowing people to take bicycles with them on trains to minimise the need for private cars.

Smoking

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In Israel, smoking is prohibited in public enclosed places and in commercial areas. Although smoking in railway stations is allowed in designated areas, the sale of tobacco from automated vending machines is prohibited.

List of stations

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Israel Railways Route Map
Legend
  Nahariya
 
 
 
 
 Karmiel
  Acre
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ahihud
 
 
Kiryat Motzkin
 
Kiryat Haim
 
  Hutzot HaMifratz
 
 
 
 
 Yokneam–Kfar Yehoshua
      HaMifratz Central
 
 
Migdal HaEmek–
Kfar Baruch
  Haifa Center–HaShmona
 
 
 Afula
  Haifa–Bat Galim
 
 
 Beit She'an–David Levy
    Haifa–Hof HaCarmel
 
Atlit
 
Binyamina
 
Caesarea–Pardes Hanna
 
Hadera–West
 
Netanya
 
Netanya–Sapir
 
Beit Yehoshua
 
 
 
 
 
 Hod HaSharon–Sokolov
Ra'anana–South
 
 
 
 
 
 Kfar Saba–Nordau
Ra'anana–West
 
 
 
 
 
 Rosh HaAyin–North
Herzliya
 
 
 
 Petah Tikva–Segula
Bnei Brak–Ramat HaHayal
 
 
 
 
 Petah Tikva–Kiryat Aryeh  
Tel Aviv–University
 
   Tel Aviv–Savidor Center
 
  Tel Aviv–HaShalom
 
 
  Tel Aviv–HaHagana
 
 
 
 
 
Holon Junction
 
 
 
 
 Ben Gurion Airport  
Holon–Wolfson
 
 
 
 
 Paatei Modi'in
Kfar Chabad
 
 
 
 
Ayalon Valley Bridge
Lod–Ganei Aviv
 
 
 
 
 
 Modi'in–Center  
Lod
 
 
 
 
 
 Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon   
Bat Yam–Yoseftal
 
 
 
 
Bat Yam–Komemiyut
 
 
 
 
 Be'er Ya'akov
Rishon LeZion–HaRishonim
 
 
 
 
 Ramla
Rishon LeZion–Moshe Dayan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Rehovot
Yavne–West
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Beit Shemesh
Yavne–East
 
 
 
 
 
 Biblical Zoo
Ashdod–Ad Halom
 
 
 
 Jerusalem–Malha
Ashkelon
 
 
 Mazkeret Batya
Sderot
 
 
 Kiryat Mal'akhi–Yoav
Netivot
 
 
 Kiryat Gat
Ofakim
 
 
 Lehavim–Rahat
Goral Junction
 
 
Be'er Sheva–North
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Dimona
  Be'er Sheva–Center
 
Station Passengers City District
2019[4] 2020[5] 2021[6] 2022[7]
Nahariya 3,076,039 1,241,173 1,915,761 2,529,474 Nahariya Northern
Akko (Acre) 2,043,343 732,180 1,067,444 1,471,117 Acre
Afula 776,477 268,214 495,069 722,153 Afula
Beit She'an–David Levy 442,417 162,902 295,790 427,176 Beit She'an
Migdal HaEmek–Kfar Baruch 259,977 85,531 138,467 210,073 Kfar Baruch
Yokneam–Kfar Yehoshua 339,789 122,210 224,054 327,172 Kfar Yehoshua
Ahihud 276,018 102,243 148,278 199,027 Ahihud
Karmiel 1,923,674 675,621 1,119,308 1,468,695 Karmiel
Kiryat Motzkin 2,376,278 844,709 1,317,716 1,766,157 Kiryat Motzkin/Haifa Haifa
Kiryat Haim 480,814 171,289 257,428 350,175 Haifa
Hutzot HaMifratz 626,017 245,094 419,471 567,226
HaMifratz Central 2,984,821 1,113,062 1,642,487 2,774,923
Haifa Center–HaShmona 2,242,279 773,862 1,066,835 1,662,346
Haifa–Bat Galim 2,282,213 874,919 1,480,565 1,906,404
Haifa–Hof HaCarmel 4,648,766 1,630,110 2,425,278 3,304,744
Atlit 363,614 143,931 254,038 346,930 Atlit
Binyamina 3,336,093 1,206,294 1,954,827 2,659,029 Binyamina-Giv'at Ada
Caesarea–Pardes Hanna 1,339,506 477,264 749,923 998,446 Pardes Hanna-Karkur/Caesarea
Hadera–West 2,430,825 879,112 1,424,860 1,990,340 Hadera
Netanya 3,563,026 1,212,729 1,596,659 2,508,795 Netanya Central
Netanya–Sapir 1,155,205 407,584 630,966 958,546
Beit Yehoshua 2,056,937 675,390 1,052,922 1,469,031 Beit Yehoshua
Herzliya 3,004,648 1,008,077 1,795,033 3,287,493 Herzliya Tel Aviv
Ra'anana–West 265,006 58,882 120,302 379,791 Ra'anana/Herzliya Central
Ra'anana–South 233,114 50,494 68,938 149,799 Ra'anana/Kfar Saba
Hod HaSharon–Sokolov 926,654 185,951 247,703 513,615 Hod HaSharon/Kfar Saba
Kfar Saba–Nordau 1,373,963 286,105 398,644 817,390
Rosh HaAyin–North 1,573,945 475,460 519,834 1,111,224 Rosh HaAyin
Petah Tikva–Segula 905,440 237,701 221,772 477,782 Petah Tikva
Petah Tikva–Kiryat Aryeh 1,943,818 528,942 477,782 1,145,391
Bnei Brak–Ramat HaHayal 1,271,141 320,820 282,841 604,381 Bnei Brak Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv–University 6,499,857 1,883,810 3,132,561 4,931,804 Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv–Savidor Center 13,426,398 4,980,537 6,476,362 9,384,612 Tel Aviv/Ramat Gan
Tel Aviv–HaShalom 15,352,944 5,635,092 8,425,111 13,220,102 Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv–HaHagana 6,596,080 2,516,573 3,659,147 5,309,215
Holon Junction 629,715 182,892 162,413 376,879 Holon/Tel Aviv
Holon–Wolfson 823,403 281,062 256,297 615,392
Bat Yam–Yoseftal 1,810,003 584,714 685,830 1,199,082 Holon/Bat Yam
Bat Yam–Komemiyut 934,648 288,396 274,700 611,642
Ben Gurion Airport 4,383,073 788,867 881,276 2,948,403 Ben Gurion Airport Central
Kfar Chabad 416,411 163,848 267,515 393,541 Kfar Chabad
Lod–Ganei Aviv 525,198 215,892 305,990 386,895 Lod
Lod 2,489,889 965,369 1,283,229 1,735,282
Ramla 861,166 336,700 452,460 668,712 Ramla
Paatei Modi'in 391,832 120,963 225,461 515,597 Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut
Modi'in–Center 1,711,198 594,652 957,050 1,762,050
Beit Shemesh 930,014 316,171 482,584 629,960 Beit Shemesh Jerusalem
Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon 2,674,840 1,651,659 3,598,443 6,536,393 Jerusalem
Biblical Zoo
(closed from March 2020)		 26,445 1,403 — —
Jerusalem–Malha
(closed from March 2020)		 115,118 17,744 — —
Rishon LeZion–Moshe Dayan 2,217,849 596,198 670,612 1,296,274 Rishon LeZion Central
Rishon LeZion–HaRishonim 360,136 111,024 137,386 36,809
Be'er Ya'akov 777,819 294,761 444,211 569,267 Be'er Ya'akov
Rehovot 3,855,766 1,395,040 1,654,749 2,199,938 Rehovot
Yavne–West 1,465,638 483,214 647,974 1,188,447 Yavne
Yavne–East 470,468 154,927 169,294 284,367
Mazkeret Batya 243,989 177,890 315,499 457,064 Mazkeret Batya
Ashdod–Ad Halom 3,765,864 1,273,176 1,590,702 2,727,842 Ashdod Southern
Ashkelon 3,005,131 1,026,198 1,220,611 2,290,614 Ashkelon
Sderot 1,025,670 359,793 398,278 635,242 Sderot
Netivot 970,450 382,667 480,892 710,581 Netivot
Ofakim 864,528 331,842 415,333 575,277 Ofakim
Kiryat Mal'akhi–Yoav 360,569 135,497 233,242 320,860 Kfar Menahem
Kiryat Gat 1,175,058 479,342 714,533 1,018,644 Kiryat Gat
Lehavim–Rahat 438,867 158,862 246,747 316,435 Lehavim/Rahat
Be'er Sheva–North 2,308,782 890,926 1,244,946 1,822,170 Beersheba
Be'er Sheva–Center 3,562,792 1,331,920 2,030,811 2,650,516
Dimona 14,745 5,278 7,969 6,397 Dimona

Lines

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Schematic diagram of Israel Railways passenger services
 
Regional map of past and present railway lines

Israel Railways currently operates 15 passenger service lines.[8] These can be broadly subdivided into inter-city lines, which connect two or more of Israel's major metropolitan centres (Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba), usually skipping some of the intermediate stations, and commuter lines, centered on one metropolitan area and serving all stations on the line. However, Israel Railways no longer officially uses this classification.

Some services were partially or fully suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and electrification works.

Inter-city lines

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Corridor Service Terminus (start) Intermediate stops Terminus (end) Infrastructure
Haifa–
Tel Aviv–
Beersheba 		Nahariya–Beersheba
(partially commuter) ‡ 		Nahariya
17
 Be'er Sheva Center Coastal railway
Ayalon railway
Old Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
South railway
Karmiel–Beersheba ‡ Karmiel
15
 Karmiel–Acre railway
Coastal railway
Ayalon railway
Old Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
South railway
Haifa–
Tel Aviv 		Nahariya–Modi'in
(partially commuter) ‡ 		Nahariya
16
 Modi'in Center Coastal railway
Ayalon railway
New Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Anava–Modi'in railway
Nahariya–Ben Gurion Airport
(night train) 		Nahariya
9
 Ben Gurion Airport Coastal railway
Ayalon railway
New Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Tel Aviv–
Jerusalem 		Herzliya–Jerusalem † Herzliya
5
 Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon Coastal railway
Ayalon railway
New Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Tel Aviv–
Jerusalem 		Tel Aviv Center–Jerusalem (night train) † Tel Aviv–Center Ben Gurion Airport Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon
(closed on Wednesday for maintenance) 		Ayalon railway
New Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Tel Aviv–
Beersheba 		Tel Aviv–Beersheba
(night train, suspended) ‡ 		Tel Aviv Center
4
 Be'er Sheva Center Ayalon railway
New Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Old Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
South railway

Commuter lines

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Metropolitan core Service Terminus (start) Intermediate stops Terminus (end) Infrastructure
Haifa Nahariya–Binyamina
(inter-city connection) 		Nahariya
9
 Binyamina
inter-city to Modi'in → 		Coastal railway
Karmiel–Haifa Karmiel
8
 Haifa Hof HaCarmel Karmiel–Acre railway
Coastal railway
Beit She'an–Atlit Beit She'an
7
 Atlit Jezreel Valley railway
Coastal railway
Tel Aviv Binyamina–Ashkelon
(commuter connection) † 		Binyamina
17
 Ashkelon
commuter to Beersheba → 		Coastal railway
Ayalon railway
Old Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Lod–Ashkelon railway
Herzliya–Ashkelon † Herzliya
18
 Ashkelon Sharon railway
Eastern railway
Yarkon railway
Ayalon railway
Tel Aviv–Bnei Darom railway
Lod–Ashkelon railway
Netanya–Beit Shemesh ‡ Netanya
9
 Beit Shemesh Coastal railway
Ayalon railway
Old Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Netanya–Rehovot † Netanya
8
 Rehovot Coastal railway
Ayalon railway
Old Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Tel Aviv–Modi'in
(inter-city connection) 		Tel Aviv University
← inter-city to Nahariya
5
 Modi'in Center Ayalon railway
New Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Anava–Modi'in railway
Lod–Rishon LeZion Lod–Rishon LeZion Lod – Rishon LeZion HaRishonim Lod–Ashkelon railway
Jerusalem Beit Shemesh–Jerusalem (suspended) Beit Shemesh Biblical Zoo Jerusalem Malha Old Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Modi'in–Jerusalem † Modi'in Center Pa'atei Modi'in Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon New Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Anava–Modi'in railway
Beersheba Lod–Beersheba
(inter-city connection) ‡ 		Lod
← inter-city to Nahariya
6
 Be'er Sheva Center Old Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
South railway
Ashkelon–Beersheba
(commuter connection) ‡ 		Ashkelon
← commuter to Binyamina
4
 Ashkelon–Beersheba railway
Ashkelon–Beersheba ‡ Ashkelon
4
 Ashkelon–Beersheba railway
Beersheba–Dimona Be'er Sheva North – Dimona Beersheba–Dimona railway

† Fully electrified line
‡ Line electrification in progress

Future

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See also: Rail transport in Israel

Electrification

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Since the opening of the fully-electrified Tel Aviv–Ben Gurion Airport–Jerusalem railway line in 2018, work has been underway to electrify the passenger rail network with overhead 25 kV 50 Hz AC electrification. In 2024, Israel Railways estimated that work was 70% complete, with full electrification officially scheduled for 2027.[9]

Network expansion

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Due to increasing demand, Israel Railways is pursuing expansion to its infrastructure network.

The 64 km (40 mi) long Eastern Railway, which will connect Hadera to Kfar Saba in parallel to the Coastal Railway, began construction in 2019 and is scheduled to open in 2027.[10] This line follows the disused route of the Ottoman-period Tulkarm–Lydda railroad, which was abandoned in 1968, and will allow freight and passenger trains to bypass the congested Hadera–Herzliya corridor.[10]

The 30 km (19 mi) Rishon LeZion–Modi'in Railway also began construction in 2019, with opening planned in 2026.[11] This line will create an east-west link south of Tel Aviv, crossing the Tel Aviv–Ashkelon, Tel Aviv–Beersheba and Tel Aviv–Jerusalem rail corridors.

Since 2019, work is underway to quadruple the 3.5 km (2.2 mi) section of the Ayalon Railway from Tel Aviv Center to Tel Aviv HaHagana, which forms a critical bottleneck for the entire rail network. Upon completion, this project will nearly double the capacity of the corridor, allowing a significant increase in train frequency across the network.[12] Completion is scheduled for 2028.[13]

Plans and proposals

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A 23.5 kilometres (14.6 mi) line from the city of Acre, on the Mediterranean coast, to Karmiel was completed in March 2017. However, this tract bypasses Acre and does not make a stop there; it is planned to be extended north to the north-eastern town of Qiryat Shemona, with future stations also planned for Jadeidi-Makr and Majd al-Krum, though there is no timetable for construction. This line will be fully electrified.[14][15]

There were plans to build a high-speed railway to Eilat but in 2019 the project was frozen indefinitely.[16]

In 2011 the reconstruction and expansion of the 60 kilometres (37 mi) long, formerly abandoned Jezreel Valley railway line connecting Haifa and Beit Shean (near the Jordanian border) started. This was completed in 2016. There has been talk of further extending the line to Irbid, in Jordan (to allow a direct freight connection from Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea); however, no decision has yet been made on this matter. Another proposed extension under discussion would connect the reconstructed Jezreel Valley railway at Afula to Tiberias.[17]

In May 2017, an extension of the railway from Arad via Kuseife was approved. The line would connect to the existing Beersheba–Dimona rail line at the proposed new station at Nevatim.[18]

Rolling stock

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Israel Railways currently owns a total of 193 locomotives, 717 passenger cars, and 110 MU trainsets.

Current

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Locomotives

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Class Image Type Top speed Number Remarks Built Entered service[19]
mph km/h
EMD G12   Diesel-Electric locomotive 10 Bo-Bo.[20] Israel imported 23 from EMD 1954–62 and captured four more from Egyptian National Railways in the 1967 Six-Day War. Some have been withdrawn and one (No. 107) is now in the Israel Railway Museum in Haifa.[21] No. 106 was withdrawn after sabotage. Nos. 119 & 123 withdrawn after incidents. No. 130 never in service due to Six-Day War. 1954–62 1961
EMD G26   14 [22] 1971–82 1971
EMD GT26CW-2   13 Number 701 is an original EMD unit delivered in 1989. In the mid-2010s Israel Railways purchased thirteen units from NRE which were completely rebuilt by TŽV Gredelj from 11 Croatian Railways HŽ series 2063 GT26 units plus 2 new frames and designated as NGT26CW-3 variants. They were delivered to Israel Railways between August 2015 and December 2017 and numbered 710–722. 1989, 2015–17 2015
Alstom Prima JT 42CW   68 110 7 Series 702–709. EMD prime mover. 1996 1997
Alstom Prima JT 42BW   87 140 48 Series 731–778. EMD prime mover. 1996–2006 1997
Vossloh Euro 3200   100 160 24 Series 1301–1324. With modifications capable of 200 km/h. EMD prime mover. 2011–13 2015
Vossloh Euro 4000   80 130 14 Series 1401–1414. EMD prime mover. 2011 2014
Bombardier TRAXX P160 AC3   Electric locomotive 100 160 63 (32 options)[14] Ordered in 2015.[14] 25 kV 50 Hz AC operation. 6 MW electric output. Initial delivery began in 2017. 2017 2018

Multiple Units

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Class Image Type Top speed Number Remarks Built
mph km/h
Siemens Desiro HC   EMU 100 160 ~60 sets (330 cars) Siemens won tender in September 2017.[23][24] Tender called for two basic double-deck sets: 15 short (composed of 4 cars) and 45 long (6 cars). First delivery, consisting of three sets, took place in November 2020. 2019

Carriages

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Israel Railways owns a total of 717 passenger cars.

Class Image Type Top speed Number Remarks Built
mph km/h
Bombardier Double-deck Coach   double deck push-pull (DDPP)[25] 100 160 24 Driving- and generator trailer (PC-103) series 401–424. Two trailers out of operation[26] 2001–04
68 Coaches (TC-101) series 425–490. Four trailers out of operation[26] 2001–04
7 Driving- and generator trailer (PC-103) series 501–507.[26] 2005–06
18 Coaches (TC-101) series 521–538.[26] 2005–06
82 Coaches (TC-101) series 2201–2394.[26] 2005–06
Siemens Viaggio Light   single deck push-pull[27][28] 87 Three types: standard coach (901-953[29]), standard coach with wheelchair accessible toilets (825-849[29]) and DVT with diesel generator (801-814[29]).[30] First stock in service on 8 March 2009[31] 2008
single deck push-pull[32] 31 2011
Bombardier Double-deck Coach   double deck push-pull[33] 78 Further coaches were ordered from Bombardier in 2010. 2011
72 Ordered in 2012 and delivered from the end of March 2014. Similar in overall appearance to previous DDPP sets but capable of higher speeds and advanced safety measures (although previous Bombardier DDPP sets were later upgraded to these standards). First rolling stock capable of operating on Israel Railways' 25 kV 50 Hz electrified lines. 2014
93 Twindexx. Similar in overall appearance to previous DDPP sets. Sixty Ordered in 2016 and a further 33 in mid-2017. 2018
48 Twindexx. Similar in overall appearance to previous DDPP sets. Electric operation only (no diesel generator installed in control car). Ordered in late 2017. 2019
74 Twindexx. Similar in overall appearance to previous DDPP sets. Ordered in May 2019. 2020

Retired

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Locomotives

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Steam Locomotives
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Class Image Top speed Number Remarks Built
mph km/h
Baldwin H class   6 Series 7-12 (H2), 13-17 (H3), 33 of series 871–920. Taken over from Palestine Railways. Last went out of service in 1959 and scrapped in '60. 1918
NBL/Borsig Egyptian 545 class 4 5 captured during 1956 Israeli invasion of Sinai on the former Palestine Railways main line between El Kantara East and Gaza: numbers 546, 550 and 557 (NBL) and numbers 607 and 613 (Borsig). 4 taken into stock and used them around Lod in central Israel for 1–2 years. Withdrawn and scrapped in 1959. 1928, 1931
NBL P class 4-6-0   6 Series 60–65. Taken over from Palestine Railways. Last went out of service in 1959 and scrapped in '60. Tender of 62 preserved at Israel Railway Museum. 1935
LMS Stanier Class 8F   23 Series around 70513. Taken over from Palestine Railways. Last went out of service in 1958. One (the 24th) stranded 8F, 70372 (NBL works no. 24680), on a small section of the main line near Tulkarm on the West Bank side of the 1949 Armistice line.It remained there, increasingly derelict, until after the 1967 Israeli 6 day war. The Israelis finally removed and scrapped it in about 1973. A similar 8F (a Turkish TCDD 45151 Class locomotive) preserved at Be'er Sheva Turkish railway station and numbered 70414. 1935–46
USATC S100 Class   2 Number 21 &22 (class 957?). Transported from Europe to Suez in September 1942. To Palestine Railways, later Army. Later to Israel Railways.[34] 1 1942
Diesel Locomotives
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Class Image Top speed Number Remarks Built
mph km/h
SAFB (GM-EMD)   68 110 3 BoBo locomotives series 101-103, fitted with EMD 3RSW engines. In service until 1998.[35] First diesel locomotive in IR's service. 102 locomotive is preserved. 1952
Esslingen   18 Series 211–228. Similar to DB Class V 60. In the mid-1960s, the Esslingen factory was closed. As a result, some almost-new locomotives were cannibalised for parts.[36] One example preserved at the Railway Museum and another at the Jezreel Valley railway heritage site in Elro'i. 1955–56
Deutz   3 Series 201-203 shunting locomotives. 203 is preserved under the 201 number 1958
EMD G16   3 Co-Co. During the Six-Day War Israel captured Egyptian Railways 3304, 3329 and 3361 which were appropriated into Israel Railways stock as numbers 301–303, later 161–163.[37] All have now been withdrawn from service but 163 (formerly ER 3361) is preserved at the Israel Railway Museum. 1960–61
GA DE900   50 80 3 Series 261–263. Primarily used for shunting. Withdrawn from service in the early 2020s. One placed on static display near the historic Petah Tikva railway station. 1997

Multiple Units

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Class Image Type Top speed Number Remarks Built
mph km/h
Esslingen   DMU 12 Similar to German VT08. 3-car sets (powered coaches 1-12, intermediate coaches 1-12, driving coaches 1-12), some later extended to 4-unit sets (with intermediate coaches 13-22).[38] In the early sixties converted to non-powered coaches in push-pull service because of high maintenance costs. Withdrawn in 1979. Some carriages continued in regular services from 1992 until nineties as 111–117.[35] One trailer should be preserved by the Country Museum in Tel Aviv 1956
FIAT 7225 Railcar 80 128 0 10 ordered. After 8 were finished, the order was cancelled for unclear reasons. Italian literature wrote because of the Yom Kippur War. All ten units were sold to Ferrocarril del Pacifico and Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico in Mexico,[39][40] where they entered service in 1975.[41] 1970/1973[41]
ABB Scandia IC3   DMU 112[42] 180[42] 9 sets (42-50) The introduction of IC3-trains in the early 1990s marked the beginning of a political recommitment to major improvements in the services of Israel Railways.

Each IC3 set is composed of 3 cars and multiple sets may be joined together. Sets 42-50 purchased from SJ in 2005. 31 was scrapped after an incident near Revadim on 10 August 2006.[43] 19, 21, 25 possibly out of service. 01 is now in the Israel Railway Museum.

1990
  100[42] 160[42] 10 sets (01-10) 1992
31 sets (11-41) 1994–96

Carriages

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Class Image Number Remarks Built
O&K 8 3rd class coaches similar to German Eilzugwagen series 51-58. Seating however different with 2+3 seat arrangement and 96 seats.[44] 1955
Carel et Fouché [fr] CarF   14 Picture: first carriage. Series 71-84 1961
Boris Kidrič/Metalka "Yugo"   43 Series 601–643, delivered in several batches between 1964 and 1972. 601-615 in 1964, series 616-625 in 1965, 626-633 in 1966, 634-637 in 1971 and 638-643 in 1972. Coaches 631, 632 and 633 were fitted with buffets. 610 converted to half passenger carriage, half generator car. Some other were converted to full generator carriages.[45][46] 621 in 2009 used as office in red colors in Bnei Brak.[47] 1964–72
DEV-Inox Carel et Fouché  

 

8 Bought from SNCF in 1994 (Series 91-98) to create superfuous coaches for refurbishment by HaArgaz.[48] Original 1st class A9TJ-mainline carriage U64. Declassified to B10 1/2TJ in eighties. Scrapped in 2006.[49] 1 preserved in Railway Museum. 1965
British Railways Mark 2c TSO  
  		8 (13) Bought from British Rail in 1977 (Series 681-688 (ex BR 5567, 5570, 5575, 5580, 5588, 5593, 5606, 5612) and retro-fitted with air conditioning equipment at Wolverton Works.[50] 1 preserved at Railway Museum.[35][51] In 1989, restaurant chain Apropo bought 5 Mk1 (BR 3947, 7675, 18768, 84338) and 1 Mk2 (5250) and shipped these to Israel, never to be used. 1970
Alstom MoDo   35 Assembled in Israel by Haargaz and were the first push-pull carriages operated by Israel railways. In August 2022 Israel Railways announced they were pulling the Alstom Modo from service starting September 2022.[52] Driving Coach 302 is preserved on display at Railway Museum. 1996-1997

Organizational structure

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The company is headed by a chief executive officer. It has two subsidiaries: a real estate development company, and a freight rail company. The main organization has five operational departments: freight, infrastructure, rolling stock, passengers and development.[53]

In 2017, Israel Railways founded a Tunnels Unit that is responsible for the daily operation of railway tunnels, including lighting, air circulation, etc. and managing emergencies.[54]

Performance

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The passenger number history (in millions) is as follows:

1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 1991[55] 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004[56] 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
1.6[57] 4.4 4.1 3.3 2.5 2.9 4.8 5.1 5.6 6.4 8.8 12.7 15.1 17.5 19.8 22.9 26.8 28.4 31.8 35.1 35.9 35.9 35.9 40.4 45[58] 48.5[59] 53[60] 59.5[61] 64.6[62] 67.7[63] 69[64] 24.2[65] 35.0[66] 54.7[67]
Additional statistics[68][69][70]
1990 1995 2000 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Total Revenue (million NIS)a 102 200 402 776 840 842 902 997 1,095 1,158 1,102 1,159 1,155 1,146 518
Passenger-kilometers (million) 170 267 781 2,011 1,986 1,927 2,133 2,376 2,485 2,608 2,645 2,765 3,032 3,580 1,253
Train-kilometers (passenger, million) 3.812 9.375 8.905 8.767 8.348 10.035 11.17 12.101 12.92 13.767 14.137 14.796 10.158
Train-kilometers (cargo, thousand) 1,498 1,571 1,609 1,508 1,556 1,584 1,782 1,817 2,063 2,141 1,934 1,934 1,791
Ton-kilometers (cargo, million) 1,048 1,176 1,173 799 1,062 1,099 1,011 1,058 1,165 1,155 1,404 1,381 1,235 1,241 1,250
Network length (km) 940 858 926 1,001 1,035 1,079 1,138 1,153 1,194 1,277 1,337 1,384 1,462 1,462 1,486

^a In contemporary shekels – not adjusted for inflation

Notable accidents

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  • On 26 December 1963 two passenger trains on the then single-track main line linking Tel Aviv and Haifa collided head-on at Bet Yehoshua just south of Netanya.[71] The northbound train had passed a red signal and its locomotive rode over and crushed the locomotive of the southbound train.[72] None of the coaches was derailed but a coupler broke in the northbound train detaching the rear three coaches.[73] The continuous train brake should have then automatically stopped the detached coaches but it had not been connected properly so they started to roll back southwards.[73] 55 people were injured but only three seriously enough to be detained in hospital.[73] The two head-end crews survived but their locomotives, EMD G12s 105 and 118, were destroyed.[73]
  • HaBonim disaster: On 11 June 1985 a train collided with a bus carrying school children, killing 19 children and 3 adults, near moshav HaBonim.[74]
  • On 21 June 2005 an IC3 train crashed into a freight truck near kibbutz Revadim, killing 8 and injuring 198.[75]
  • 8 July 2005, a train collided with a truck between Kiryat Gat and Ahuzam, resulting in the death of the train driver and 38 injuries.[76][77] In February 2012 a plea bargain had been set[78] for the Revadim crash.
  • On 12 June 2006 a train crashed into a truck near Beit Yehoshua, killing 5 and injuring from 77 to over 80.[79][80]
  • On 27 December 2009 a train crashed into a car near Kiryat Gat. The driver proceeded without regard to the train checkpoint on the road. The train struck his car and he was killed.[81]
  • On 5 August 2010 a train crashed into a minibus near Kiryat Gat, killing 7 and injuring 6. The minibus was hit at 19:05 GMT+3 on Route 353, apparently as it tried to pass over a level crossing.[82][83]
  • On 28 December 2010 a fire started in a train near kibbutz Yakum, probably because of a short circuit, injuring 116.[84]
  • On 7 April 2011 two trains collided frontally near Netanya, injuring 59.[85]
  • On 4 October 2013, two men walking along railroad tracks in the Emek Hefer valley industrial zone were killed by a train.[86]
  • On 18 December 2013, a Beersheba-bound train collided with a group of camels walking along railroad tracks at the Segev Shalom Junction in the Negev, killing 14 camels. The incident caused massive delays in train traffic.[87]
  • On 29 December 2013, an Israel Railways worker was run down and killed by a train near Lod.[88]
  • On 15 March 2016, an Israel Railways locomotive crashed into freight wagons, injuring 6.[89]

See also

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Ottoman Palestine railways
  • Eastern Railway, Ottoman WWI line, Tulkarm to Hadera and Tulkarm to Lydda; connected to Jezreel Valley, Jaffa–Jerusalem, and Beersheba lines
  • Jaffa–Jerusalem railway (inaugurated 1892)
  • Jezreel Valley railway (1905-1948), segment of the Haifa–Dera'a Line which connected the Hejaz Railway to the port of Haifa
  • Railway to Beersheba or the 'Egyptian Branch', Ottoman WWI line headed towards the Suez Canal; two lines: (Lidda–) Wadi Surar (Nahal Soreq)–Beit Hanoun, and Wadi Surar–Beersheba
Mandate Palestine & Israel railways

References

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  86. ^ Mati Siver (18 December 2013). "14 camels killed by train in Negev". Ynetnews.
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  88. ^ Channel 10 (Israel) (15 March 2016). "6 injuring by train in Negev". Nana10.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

Bibliography

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  • Cotterell, Paul (1986). The Railways of Palestine and Israel. Tourret Publishing. ISBN 0-905878-04-3.
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