An electric train has successfully completed a first trial run on the Tel Aviv - Jerusalem line, Israel Railways and the Ministry of Transport have announced. An electric train traveled this morning from Tel Aviv's Haganah Station to Jerusalem's Yitzhak Navon Station, to check out the infrastructure and find any problems ahead of full operation of the electric line before the end of the year.
Israel Railways CEO Michael Maixner said, "This trial is an important achievement in the national electrification project of the rail network and follows major efforts and intensive work. I hope that this will be a positive sign for continued progress of the project and leading the railway and transport network in Israel to a new more advance era."
The train driver Yossi Efriat said, "This is a great privilege to be part of the development of Israel Railways that has been working around the clock for the country's citizens and to connect up every part of the country with railways and quality train services."
The full opening of the Tel Aviv - Jerusalem line has been plagued by delays. It had been scheduled to open in April 2018 but eventually only partially opened 11 months ago, due to delays in electrification of the new line, with passengers required to take an electric train from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport, and then change to a diesel train. When the line becomes fully operational in the next few months it will be possible to travel from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv Haganah in 28 minutes.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on September 6, 2019
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