Israel's new Eastern Railway Line will open to passenger service this Sunday, marking the first phase of one of the country's largest infrastructure projects in recent years.
The initial stage will include the opening of the Hadera East, Shomron-Tayibe, and Tira-Kochav Yair stations, all of which will connect to the upgraded Rosh Ha'ayin North Station. Passengers will be able to transfer trains at Rosh Ha'ayin and continue to Tel Aviv and other destinations across the country.
The new line will operate Sunday through Thursday between approximately 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., with two trains per hour in each direction. Israel Railways said most transfers at Rosh Ha'ayin are expected to take about seven minutes.
Travel time from Hadera East to Tel Aviv will be approximately one hour, including the transfer at Rosh Ha'ayin. The journey from Shomron-Tayibe to Tel Aviv will take about 46 minutes, while travel from Tira-Kochav Yair to Tel Aviv will take approximately 39 minutes.
The Eastern Railway consists of a double-track, electrified rail line stretching roughly 64 kilometers (40 miles) from Hadera to Lod alongside Highway 6. The project is being carried out jointly by Israel Railways and the Netivei Israel transportation infrastructure company.
The Transportation Ministry said the new railway is expected to increase the national rail network's travel capacity by about 30 percent and enable north-south train traffic without passing through the heavily congested coastal rail corridor.
In the next phase, following the completion of electrification and engineering works, the line will be expanded to include the Shoham-Aviation, Elad, and Lod stations. Operating hours will also be extended to include Fridays and Saturday nights.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev described the opening of the railway as "a historic moment in the State of Israel's transportation revolution." She said the project will connect communities in Samaria, the Sharon region, and the Arab sector to the national rail network while creating new opportunities in employment, education, and commerce.
Alongside the launch of the new line, Israel Railways announced extended operating hours at dozens of stations across northern and southern Israel on Fridays and Saturday nights, including Nahariya, Acre (Akko), Karmiel, Netanya, Beit Shemesh, Lod, Kiryat Gat, and Be'er Sheva.