Jerusalem Light Rail
The Jerusalem Light Rail is a light rail system in Jerusalem. Currently, the Red Line is the only one in operation, the first of several light rail lines planned in Jerusalem.
Construction on the Red line began in 2002 and ended in 2010, when the testing phase began. It was built by the CityPass consortium, which operated it until 2019. The project required construction of the Jerusalem Chords Bridge as well as other renovation projects around Jerusalem.
After repeated delays due to archaeological discoveries and technical issues, service began, initially free of charge, on August 19, 2011. It became fully operational on December 1, 2011. The line is long with 35 stops. The last extensions to the red line were opened in February 2025 to the Israeli settlement of Neve Yaakov and to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital to the southwest.
With a total estimated cost for the Red Line's initial section of ₪3.8 billion, the project was criticized for budget overruns, for its route serving Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem and for contributing to air and noise pollution during construction.
The Green line's plans have been approved by the city of Jerusalem, with right-of-way clearing works underway. Construction tenders, including those for the red line extension, were awarded in August 2019 to TransJerusalem J-Net Ltd., owned by CAF and Shapir Engineering, and the first phase is expected to begin operations in 2026.
The Blue line has been approved and works on it have started in several locations.
History
In ancient times, Jerusalem was a point on the Ridge Route, also known as the Way of the Patriarchs, centrally located between the Via Maris and the King's Highway. The primary roads led to the gates of the Old City, such as the Jaffa Gate and the Damascus Gate. It was along these roads that the city grew when it expanded beyond the walls of the Old City in the 19th century, the major thoroughfares of the city thus becoming the Jaffa Road, leading to the west in the direction of the coastal plain, the watershed routes leading north to Ramallah, Nablus, and Damascus, and south to Bethlehem and Hebron, and one to the east to Jericho.Early plans for an electric tramway were drawn up by a Greek Lebanese engineer, George Franjieh, in 1892, who had been involved in planning the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway. The tram would connect the city with Ein Karem and Bethlehem. In 1910, a tender for a tramway was published by the Ottoman authorities.
In 1918, the British Army built a rail system linking the Jerusalem Railway Station, now referred to as "First Station", with Al-Bireh, on the outskirts of Ramallah, traversing Jerusalem along a winding route. It was built by Rail Builders Company 272 of the British Royal Engineers, commanded by Colonel Jordan Bell, with some 850 Egyptian and local Arab laborers, about half of them women. The railway was used by the British army, and for a few months it supplied Allenby's troops. It was dismantled shortly after the front moved northward in late 1918. Some of the city's streets may have been paved along its route.
In the 1970s, when traffic congestion mounted in the city center, proposals were discussed for widening the main roads. In 1996, the government approved new plans for an integrated network relying on rapid transit, including a light rail system and bus rapid transit.
Construction
In the 1990s, a light rail system was proposed as a means of providing faster and less polluting public transit through the heart of the city, and reversing the decline of certain central areas. CityPass, a specially formed consortium, won a 30-year concession to build and operate Line 1. CityPass consists of financiers Harel, Polar Investments and the Israel Infrastructure Fund, constructors Ashtrom and engineers Alstom, plus service operators – Connex.However, the principal agreement with the Dan Bus Company did not materialize. Veolia entered another principal agreement with Egged. Veolia sold its stake in CityPass and its shares in the contract for the maintenance of the light rail to Egged. The contract stipulates that Veolia would provide consultancy services to Egged until the company acquired the necessary expertise. Dan Bus Company has taken Veolia to court for exiting the principal agreement.
Construction of Line 1 began in 2002 by DTC. Dubbed the "Red Line", it initially has 23 stations on a new twin-track alignment. It runs from the settlement of Pisgat Ze'ev in north-east Jerusalem, south along Road 1 to Jaffa Road. From there, it runs along Jaffa Road westward to the Jerusalem Central Bus Station, and continues to the southwest, crossing the Chords Bridge along Herzl Boulevard to the Beit HaKerem neighborhood, finishing just beyond Mount Herzl at the northern edge of Bayit VeGan. The first test run for this route was on February 24, 2010. The laying of light rail tracks was completed on June 15, 2010.
Delays
Inauguration of the light rail service was postponed four times. The initial date was January 2009, deferred to August 2010 due to funding problems and lack of staff. When it was announced that signals for the trains were not compatible with Israeli stop light systems, CityPass was given until April 2011, but after the problem persisted and other safety issues were not resolved, an August 2011 date was settled on, and service was to begin without giving priority to trains at traffic lights. As a result, travel time for the full route began at 80 minutes instead of the planned 42, until final synchronization of the lights is completed. When the light rail started operating on Friday, August 19, 2011, there were also air conditioning issues and electrical and communications problems, one of them making trains suddenly "disappear" and then "reappear" on the screens of the control center near the settlement of French Hill. In addition to these mishaps, the computerized ticketing system collapsed a few days before the inauguration. After arbitration between CityPass and government officials, it was decided that the trains would begin limited operation as scheduled. During the trial period, only 14 of the 21 trains were put into operation, departing every 21 minutes, and travel was free of charge. Full revenue service began on December 1, 2011.Development along the route
As part of the light rail project, CityPass plans to install blind-friendly traffic lights along the route, and has developed a number of sites along the route, such as Davidka Square. In late 2009, trees were planted along the line. The species selected were deemed suitable to the Jerusalem climate, hardy enough to withstand the city's cold winters while providing shade in summer. Over 3,500 trees were planted along the route in 2009–11. The genera include platanus, ash and types of oak. In March 2011, however, the Ministry of Transportation objected to having trees adjacent to the route, due to visibility problems.Chords Bridge
The Chords Bridge is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge designed by the Spanish architect and engineer Santiago Calatrava, built for the light rail, close to the most frequently used entrance to Jerusalem, in the neighborhood of Kiryat Moshe. The bridge carries the trams in a grade separated manner over a busy road intersection. Incorporated in the bridge is a glass-sided pedestrian crossing, enabling pedestrians to cross unimpeded from the Kiryat Moshe area to the Central Bus Station grounds. The bridge, which cost about $70 million, was inaugurated on June 25, 2008.Integrated transportation plans
Bus and train connection
The Jerusalem Central Bus Station is slated to become a major passenger transportation hub. The Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon railway station has begun operation for the new high-speed railway to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion Airport. Passengers will also be able to board the existing intercity bus services at the station.A park and ride facility was built near Mount Herzl, consisting of a multi-storey car park with the first line terminal on its roof, which is actually at the street level of Herzl Boulevard. An additional parking lot was erected adjacent to the Ammunition Hill stop.
Extension plans
The Jerusalem Municipality has plans to build eight bus rapid transit and light rail lines across the city.Extensions of the red line were recently completed in both directions: to the settlement of Neve Yaakov in the North and to Hadassah Medical Center in the South. This extension includes an underground section without stops west of Ora junction.