My Thank you to Israel Railways

I am the Director for Alumni Relations at Galilee Institute and have been living in the Northern part of Israel for the last 16 years and I wanted to share my pleasure and gratitude to Israel Railways.

Born and growing up in London, coming to live in Israel more than thirty years ago – I missed the trains, really missed their comforting rattle as they made their way through the tangle of tracks that are as much as part of London as theatres and museums.

Three hours by train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem!* Crazy, I thought, this country could develop even more, if the trains were up to scratch. Obviously the people at Israel Railways were of the same mind. There has been significant investment, over the last fifteen years, resulting in an increase of access, availability and passengers. The figures are truly impressive, from 12.7 million passengers carried in 2000, to 53 million in 2015 – and still increasing.

The benefits of an efficient railway system are multi-fold: it is far cheaper to transport goods by rail; less pollution from road transport; less traffic, with the added plus of reducing road accidents; the comfort of knowing you will reach your destination on time – especially when going to the airport!

Imagine the excitement, when Israel Railways announced a huge Railway Project to connect the outlying villages in Northern Israel. This new railway revives the line first built and opened by the Ottoman Turks in the late 19th century between Haifa and Damascus. It includes three tunnels and 26 bridges extending over 5.5 kilometres. Farmers were also taken into account, with crossings for farmers to cross from one side of the track to the other. The entire project cost about $1 billion. The government aim is that the new line will help further develop the northern peripheral regions.

Another bonus is cooperation with our neighbours! There will also be freight transported, with goods coming into the Port of Haifa, loaded onto the freight train, to the border with Jordan, where the goods will be taken to Jordan, and from there on to other Arab countries.

Living in one of these outlying villages, I have been watching this project with great interest for the entire duration. When our new Station opened in October, all residents were invited to take trips for free using the new service. Not only that, Israel Railways now offers reduced fares for local residents. As I drive pass the station car park every day, I am delighted to see that it is getting busier and busier as more and more commuters realise the benefits of rail travel. I am also happy to hear the trains running near my home again; it is a comforting noise and lulls me to sleep.

* The high-speed railway to Jerusalem is a railway line that will connect the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. It is now under construction and service is set to commence in March 2018.