Israel Railways

Passenger rail is currently making a comeback in Israel, particularly for long-distance travel. After years of decline, rail is back in and some serious investment is being made. Of course that has to be seen in the wider context of substantial infrastructure investments (motorways) generally. Israel s population is still growing, mainly due to immigration and the people have to be moved.

Unfortunately I lost most of my train pictures in 2007 even though I risked arrest by security officials to snap them. Still I got a few pictures of the passenger trains in the Soreq valley, the most picturesque section of Israels railways.

The old railway line to Jerusalem winds its way through the twisting Soreq valley from Beth-Shemesh. Farmers have long abandoned the steep, terraced sides of the valley. Part of the valley is now a national park, while forests cover other areas. Near Jerusalem the valley is actually in West Bank territory. A train coasts down the valley from Jerusalem, very close to the West Bank.[Jul 2007]

Most of the rolling stock used by Israel Railways is of the latest European design. These Danish IC3 railcars were seen throughout the network. Mostly they ran in multiple, but on the line to Jerusalem a single three-car unit is sufficient. [Jul 2007]
The hourly trains through the Soreq valley cross at Bar Givora. Today the station only serves as a crossing point for trains. No passengers get on and off trains here anymore. The village of Bar Givora is above the valley and is served by a good road with the occasional Egged bus. [Jul 2007]
The train to Jerusalem is on its way while the train to Beth-Shemesh still waits for the signal to clear. [Jul 2007]
The train to Beth Shemesh exits the loop at Bar Givora. [Jul 2007]
The line to Jerusalem certainly does not allow high-speed running. The connection at Beth-Shemesh to Tel-Aviv is not the best, so rail is not the preferred way to travel between the two cities. But since the new airport has a railway station, the trains are often used as transport to the airport.
The line to Jerusalem is more known for its scenery. Even though pines have been planted in modern times, one can still find quite a few olive trees on the abandoned terraces.
The train from Jerusalem skirts the valley near Bar Givora. [Jul 2007]
A general view of the Soreq valley near Bar Givora. [Jul 2007]
In 2008 I had a bit more luck and got to take some pictures within hours after my arrival in Israel, namely in Haifa. I was still nervous and did not stand on the bridge so as not to attract attention. My rather covert trainspotting did not get any great results separated from the line by a fence. I soon retired to the beach where I enjoyed the Mediterranean.

Here's an aftershot of the double decker carriages imported from Germany. The train is about to stop at Haifa Hof HaCarmel Station on its way to Modiin. [May 2008]

A few weeks later I returned from Galilee via Haifa and took the train south. I took the opportunity to check out the new underground station of Modiin. Israel's newer station are huge concrete constructions. They seem to rely on buses and cars to get people there rather than blending into the environment.

Here a is one of the ubiquotous Adtranz Prima engines having just arrived at Modiin. For some reason the locomotive hauled a train of old carriages that day, which were only used as spares.
The carriages do have air conditioning and are actually quite comfortable. And yes, I did get into trouble when taking this shot. [Jun 2008]

And the top floor of the double deck carriages. Not many people got on the train in Modiin, so I was alone up here. [Jun 2008]
2008 was the 60th anniversary of the modern state of Israel. The first IC 3 unit celebrates that fact. The train departs from Lehavim - Rahat station. [Jun 2008]
I did get out into the field one day as part of an archaeological survey. Luckily it was right next to the railway line. So I did not only pay attention to artifacts.

This Prima-hauled train south of Qiryat-Gat passes a shepherd early in the morning. [Jul 2008]

An InterCity train passes a modern Bedouin tent. [Jul 2008]
Somewhat later in the morning this four-unit train hurries across the land near Noem, south of Qiryat-Gat. [Jul 2008].
Another double-deck train passes the agricultural village (Moshav) of Shalvah. [Jul 2008].
Regular freight trains move mineral ores from the mines in the Araba Valley to the ports and factories on the coast. For this traffic Israel Rail generally uses older diesel locomotives. Here's what I believe to be one of the early Prima engines on its way north. [Jul 2008].
Some of the freight locos are clearly American. Here two GM engines haul a train of empty ore wagons south. [Jul 2008].
After long delays in the construction, a light rail service opened operation in Jerusalem in 2011. The trams are operated by CityPass. Here a light rail train is at the Jerusalem Central Bus Station stop. [Jun 2014].
A light rail train comes off the striking Chords Bridge in Jerusalem and travels towards the stop at the Jerusalem Central Bus Station. [Jun 2022].
At Tel Aviv HaHagganah in the southern part of Tel Aviv several of the southern lines meet. Here a train from Sderot, Ashkelon and Bat Yam crosses the motorways to arrive at Tel Aviv HaHagganah. [Jul 2014].
These double deck carriages are the new version of the proven Bombardier design ubiquitous on Israel Railways [May 2015].
Siemens delivered these push-pull carriage sets from 2009 onwards. Here one is underway in Tel Aviv, where the railway runs in the middle of a motorway. [Jun 2011].
A Prima locomotive hauls a train from Hod HaSharon-Sokolov over a bridge at Yarkon Springs. The tower had been required in past years to guard the bridge from attacks. This was the old main line along the coast before the line through Tel Aviv was completed. [Jun 2011].
An IC3-train departs Haifa towards the north. [Jun 2014].
An Alstom Prima locomotive waits for duties at Haifa East. [Jun 2014].
From 2011 several Vossloh Euro locomotives were introduced by Israel Railways. Here a Euro 3200 locomotive at Haifa East. [Jun 2014].
In 2016 the railway line from Haifa to Beth-Shean opened again, after it closed in 1948. Previously a narrow gauge line, it is now modern standard gauge. Here a train, consisting of carriages built in Spain in 1996, arrives in Haifa from Beth-Shean. [Jun 2017].
From 1954 IR introduced several General Motors G12 locomotives. This is the same basic engine as the New Zealand Rail DA class. A G12 locomotive is seen at the Railway Museum in Haifa. [Jun 2014].
This is the oldest surviving locomotive in Israel and the only steam locomotive. It is Hedjaz Railway No. 10 at the Israel Railway Museum in Haifa. The Hedjaz Railway was a narrow gauge (1.05m) railway from Haifa to Beth Shean and Damascus built by the Ottoman Empire. [Jun 2014].
Over the years Israel Railways has become really busy, as exmplified by the many trains that run north of Tel Aviv. Here Prima locomotive in new livery has left Hadera with its train to Tel Aviv. [Jun 2022].
Many of the Prima diesel locomotives still run in original livery. [Jun 2022].
Many passenger trains on the line north of Tel Aviv are also hauled by Vossloh Euro 3000 locomotives. [Jun 2022].
Another train is hauled southwards by a Vossloh Euro 3000 locomotive afer leaving Hadera. Near the station is a nature reserve, but most of the surroundings are marked by the typical residential and industrial environment of Israel's coastal plain. [Jun 2022].
With the driving trailer leading, a train approaches Hadera from the South. These carriages were built by Bombardier for Israel Railways. [Jun 2022].
The blue and white carriages built in Switzerland by Siemens are not as numerous as the red double deckers. Here a train with the single-deck carriages arrives in Hadera, with the locomotive on the northern end. [Jun 2022].
I even saw a freight train at Hadera. Two GM Electro Motive Division (EMD) locomotives haul a container train through the coastal plain near Hadera. [Jun 2022].
At Hadera Station this GM EMD G26 freight locomotive was shunting before it rested in the sun. [Jun 2022].
From 2017 Israel Railways is slowly electrifying most of the network. The lines between Herzliya and Ashkelon, both the direct line and via Hod HaSharon, are fully electrified in 2022 (as well as the new line to Jerusalem). That's why here these Bombardier TRAXX locomotives are used. One of the TRAXX locomotives arrives with a train to Ashkelon in Tel Aviv HaHaggana. [Jun 2022].
Two TRAXX locomotives cross at Tel Aviv HaHaggana Station. From here through Tel Aviv there are only three tracks for all the many trains passing along this busy stretch of line. The eastern-most track is run like a single line on this stretch. [Jun 2022].
The double deck coaches used with the electric locomotives do not have diesel generators in the driving trailers. Here two such driving trailers meet in Tel Aviv HaHaggana Station. [Jun 2022].
These days most trains to Jerusalem are run by the new Siemens Desiro electric multiple units. Most of these railcars have single-level end railcars and four double-deck central carriages. One such EMU stands in the new underground Yitzhak Navon railway station in Jerusalem. [Jun 2022].