Even in the past year, which has been one of the most difficult in the State of Israel’s history, the Ministry of Transport and Israel Railways continue the momentum of development throughout the country, carrying out railway projects valued at NIS 60 billion to develop and upgrade the transportation and railway infrastructures and adapt them to expected future demand, which will reach 300 million trips in 2040.
Alongside the construction of new tracks and stations throughout the country, connecting Israel from the south to the north with advanced trains, and integrating new technologies, the development plans of the Ministry of Transport and Israel Railways include many broad investments in Jerusalem, which will dramatically upgrade the transportation future of Israel’s capital and the entire State of Israel.
In honor of Jerusalem Day and on the 132nd anniversary of the beginning of railway history in the Land of Israel, which began at the old train station complex in Jerusalem, Israel Railways is providing Jerusalem Post readers with a unique glimpse into its plans in Jerusalem, which include upgrading the Yitzhak Navon station, expanding the high-speed line to Jerusalem to additional stations, and establishing modern transportation complexes that combine commerce, employment and housing adjacent to the train stations.
According to the plan, the line to Jerusalem, which currently ends at the Yitzhak Navon station, will be extended via underground tracks to two new train stations that will be built in the city’s center, Jerusalem Center (Davidka) and Jerusalem - Khan. These stations will provide passengers with much easier access to major tourist attractions such as Jaffa Street, Mamilla Boulevard, the Old City, and of course, the Western Wall. In addition, Yitzhak Navon Station will receive additional new entrances and exits and an extension of the platforms that will allow the entry of longer trains and increase frequency.
The highlight of the plan is the first project of its kind in the country, currently being promoted by Israel Railways in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and the Israel Land Authority: transportation centers combined with vibrant commercial and entertainment venues that will be built near the train stations and will significantly improve the fabric of life in the city and service to passengers.
This project, recently approved by the Israel Railways Board of Directors, headed by Chairman of the Board Adv. Moshe Shimoni, is a groundbreaking program that includes accelerating and promoting the construction of commercial complexes at railway stations throughout the country. The new complexes will provide passengers with fast and convenient transportation and a package of services, employment, housing, and entertainment venues adjacent to the train centers. Two of these complexes, which will also create new places of employment and leisure for the city’s residents, will be built in strategic areas in Jerusalem – the Malha complex and the old Khan station complex – a station that constitutes a major milestone in the history of Israel Railways.
In the Malha complex, for example, alongside the train station and other means of transportation, such as the light rail, 40-story towers will be built that will house 400 new housing units, commercial areas, hotels, and employment. In the future, the complex and the adjacent station will be connected to the project of extending the line to Jerusalem using underground tracks that will also pass through the two new train stations that will be built in the center of the city. At the same time, Israel Railways is working on relocating the Railway Museum, which reveals the rich history of the railway, from Haifa to Malha.
The transportation centers project and the extension of the King David Railways project are part of the implementation of the five-year plan of Israel Railways together with the Ministry of Transport, at a cost of NIS 48 billion. Its goal is to connect the entire country through fast and advanced rail transportation arteries and improve urban transportation by creating easy and convenient transitions between various means of transportation and enhancing connectivity. The five-year plan also includes projects that are currently being carried out: the Eastern Railway project, which will serve as an additional route connecting the north and south of the country; Railway 431, which will connect the lowland communities to Jerusalem and Modi’in by direct trains, and the Fourth Ayalon Railway, which will enable a significant increase in the frequency of trains and ease congestion.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of Israel Railways, Adv. Moshe Shimoni: “Nearly 60 years ago, Jerusalem was liberated, and there is no more appropriate way to mark this day than by continuing to build and develop the city with a variety of innovative and futuristic projects and programs. The transportation centers project represents a real revolution in the use and optimal utilization of infrastructure projects, some of which are located in the heart of high-demand areas in the country. The model was developed by learning from many countries in the world where train stations serve as vibrant, income-generating centers of employment, entertainment, and business, serving not only as transit stations for passengers, but as active centers in the heart of the urban fabric, accessible to efficient public transportation throughout the hours of the day. Along with these, we continue to develop the train lines in the capital, and at the same time, we are advancing the plan to move the train museum to the Malha complex in a way that will place the history of the train in the Land of Israel exactly where it began.”
Israel Railways CEO Shiko Zana: “I am proud to head a company that aligns itself with the most advanced railway companies in the world. Israel Railways is leading a necessary strategic plan for a significant change in the perception of train stations as advanced transportation centers that are connected by a variety of means of transportation, with an emphasis on trains, which include an upgraded travel experience alongside services that will satisfy the needs of passengers and passersby at the station: commerce, employment, and real estate. These centers will also encourage more residents to switch to train travel at the expense of private vehicles and will upgrade the fabric of life in Jerusalem, our capital city.”
This article was written in cooperation with Israel Railways