Tel Aviv light rail

European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice President Gelsomina Vigliotti (right) with Alan Tavir, CEO of IDE Technologies Group and European Union Ambassador to Israel Dimiter Tzantchev announce EIB support for Western Galilee desalination project, June 25, 2023. (Courtesy)

EU financial arm to invest €900m in Israel, including Western Galilee desalination

European Investment Bank allocates €150 million for water facility plus €500m in Bank Leumi credit to encourage green business projects, and assesses €250m for Tel Aviv light rail

EU financial arm to invest €900m in Israel, including Western Galilee desalination

By Sharon Wrobel

June 25, 2023, 9:28 pm

EU financial arm to invest €900m in Israel, including Western Galilee desalination

European Investment Bank allocates €150 million for water facility plus €500m in Bank Leumi credit to encourage green business projects, and assesses €250m for Tel Aviv light rail

By Sharon Wrobel

Construction of the new Tel Aviv Light Rail, the Red Line, Allenby station, in Tel Aviv, September 13, 2021. (Moshe Shai/Flash90)

May 2, 2023, 6:37 pm

Regev aims to replace state company building Tel Aviv metro due to light rail delays

Transportation minister says she will take major project away from firm currently constructing both systems, saying it has run over budget and missed deadlines on overground lines

By ToI Staff

Security forces hold a drill simulating a chemical terror attack at the Allenby light rail station in Tel Aviv, on November 22, 2022. (Defense Ministry)

November 23, 2022, 1:57 am

Forces drill for massive chemical terror attack on new Tel Aviv light rail

Over 1,000 members of security and emergency services, hundreds of mock victims participate in exercise at three locations along soon-to-open transport system

By Emanuel Fabian

The site where a road collapsed into a large sinkhole in the city center in Tel Aviv, on November 20, 2022 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

November 20, 2022, 7:15 pm

Another sinkhole appears on busy Tel Aviv road, clogging traffic

Opening on corner of Ibn Gabirol and Zeitlin streets said shallow, with repair work expected to take hours; light rail construction thought to be cause

By ToI Staff

The new Allenby underground station of the light rail Red Line in Tel Aviv, June 23, 2022. Some of the mass transit system runs underground. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

November 20, 2022, 12:44 pm

Chemical terror attack to be simulated on Tel Aviv light rail

Defense Ministry holding joint drill with army, police, fire services, health ministry and municipality at various points along soon-to-open transport system

By Emanuel Fabian

Labor party leader Merav Michaeli speaks after a faction meeting in Tel Aviv on September 8, 2022. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

October 2, 2022, 5:30 am

Michaeli promises to run Tel Aviv light rail on Shabbat starting next year

Transportation minister announces norm-busting plan for seven-day public transportation system in Gush Dan area in 2023

By ToI Staff

Illustrative: Light rail construction taking place at the intersection of Allenby and Yehuda Halevi streets in Tel Aviv, August 4, 2015. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

August 29, 2022, 4:48 pm

Tel Aviv to suffer heavier traffic as light rail works intensify on Allenby Street

Current plans see the busy thoroughfare being used exclusively by trams, though no final decision yet

By Michael Horovitz

Merav Michaeli at the new Allenby underground station of the light rail red line in Tel Aviv, June 23, 2022. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

August 24, 2022, 8:24 pm

Minister asks if Tel Aviv light rail can run on Shabbat, sparking Orthodox ire

Merav Michaeli decries system which places citizens without cars under ‘siege’; religious politicians accuse Labor leader of campaigning on back of holy day

By Michael Horovitz

Construction on the Tel Aviv Red Line light rail at Allenby station, as part of a planned mass transit system for the Tel Aviv metropolitan area some of which runs underground. September 13, 2021. (Moshe Shai/FLASH90)

June 2, 2022, 12:12 pm

Metro plans in the spotlight as Israel seeks transportation solutions

Tel Aviv lines approved but expert says ‘fantasy project’ may not materialize nor deliver on easing congestion

By Danielle Nagler

Construction of the Red Line of the Tel Aviv Light Rail on September 13, 2021. (Moshe Shai/FLASH90)

March 31, 2022, 6:33 am

Tel Aviv light rail no longer on track for 2022 opening — report

Officials tell Transportation Ministry that inaugural Red Line won’t be ready until middle of next year due to issues with signal system; completion of other lines also pushed back

By Danielle Nagler

Traffic jams the Ayalon highway in Tel Aviv, as a train passes above, December 2, 2021 (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)

December 9, 2021, 2:14 pm

Daily Briefing Dec. 9 – Traffic jams are driving Israelis crazy

Reporter Carrie Keller-Lynn discusses traffic problems and passports, followed by culture editor Jessica Steinberg on exhibits at Jerusalem’s Tmol Shilshom and new Train Theater

By ToI Staff

A man dressed as an employee of Israel Railways prevents an ultra-Orthodox couple from boarding the train, in an elaborate PR stunt by the Bnei Brak municipality, sparking a backlash. (Twitter)

September 10, 2020, 8:56 pm

Bnei Brak pays man to keep ultra-Orthodox off trains, in PR stunt

Video showing man dressed as railway employee preventing couple from boarding a train meant to highlight ultra-Orthodox city being left out of Tel Aviv metro plans

By ToI Staff

Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich inaugurates the new high-speed train between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv's Savidor, at Yitzhak Navon train station in Jerusalem on May 11, 2020 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

May 11, 2020, 12:21 pm

After virus fast-tracking, Jerusalem express train reaches Tel Aviv’s Savidor

With the rail system still shut, minister says efforts underway to check passengers’ temperatures without causing overcrowding at station entrances

By ToI Staff

Illustrative: Construction of the new Tel Aviv Light Rail, on Jerusalem Boulevard in Jaffa-Tel Aviv on February 25, 2020. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

March 31, 2020, 1:35 am

Near empty roads allow government to accelerate infrastructure projects

Construction being fast-tracked includes extension of Jerusalem-Tel Aviv high-speed train, light rails in both cities and expansion of fast lanes along Ayalon highway

By ToI Staff

Severe traffic on the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv on October 28, 2015. (Simcha Simon, courtesy)

November 29, 2018, 8:32 am

Israel said to seek private sector help to limit transportation woes

While government-funded rail systems initially thought cheaper, Jerusalem now looking for outside assistance in bankrolling projects

By ToI Staff