Getting Around Israel by Train

Since I mentioned in my last post that I’m travelling to Tel Aviv four times a week, perhaps a post on the excellent public transport system in Israel would be in order.

There's no joy for drivers in Tel Aviv.  Some other Israeli cities
are just as bad.

Most Israelis own and drive private automobiles, and even the two-car family has become quite commonplace here.  This is sign of increasing prosperity; 25 years ago, the family with one car was doing better-than-average.  Now, with a population that is growing about 2% per year and a mushrooming car ownership rate, the country’s roads are considerably congested.  It is said that Israel has the most cars per kilometer of road of any country in the world, except Singapore.  The problem of traffic density is exacerbated by the smallness of the country, which makes families reluctant to move house when a breadwinner takes a job in another city.  Since most Israeli cities are within commuting distance of one another, most will just plan to commute and stay put.  Because Israelis treasure personal mobility as much as any other people, this means there are a lot of cars on the road on any given weekday.

In another, future post I’ll deal with the realities of driving in Israel.  For now, suffice it to say that it can be a frustrating, as well as expensive, proposition.

Israel Railways' Ashqelon Station at dawn.

Thank goodness there is an excellent public transport network consisting of countrywide ‘heavy’ rail as well as light rail within Jerusalem (and soon, Tel Aviv), plus a number of intercity bus companies as well as local bus lines in every city and many towns.  Except on the Sabbath and religious festivals, it is possible to travel just about anywhere in the country via public transport.  For door-to-door service, there are legions of taxis.  No Uber though:  the ride-sharing company was just getting started in Tel Aviv, but the government has made their service illegal.  There is an app-based ride hailing service called ‘GETT,’ but its vehicles are regular licensed taxis.

Most of Israel's rail lines run down the center of highways.

Newcomers to Israel frequently find themselves frustrated by the casual, ‘it’ll start when it starts’ attitude toward timeliness.  I certain do, especially given my military background!  But one thing that seems to operate with almost German-like precision, is the train network.  I can’t say as much about the buses, simply because they have to cope with the same traffic congestion that every driver must endure, so bus travel is usually fraught with delays.

The entrance-exit turn-styles in the busy Tel Aviv Center
Station

So, I’ve been taking the train every morning – four days a week – to Tel Aviv.  It’s about an hour’s ride, and the trains mostly do run on schedule.  The train cars on the main north-south coastal routes, are double-decker with lounge-type seating that is reasonably comfortable for trips that are seldom over two hours.  A standard consist seems to five cars, pulled or pushed by a single diesel locomotive.  Several of the lines that run inland, use single-level cars that are self-propelled (diesel).  A contract was recently signed to purchase electric trains from the German company Siemens, to replace the diesels as the various lines are electrified.  The Israeli trains are not high-speed a la the Bullet Train, but I have clocked trains running at over 100 KM/H where the tracks parallel a highway as they do over most of the network.  There is a ‘high speed’ track under construction on the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem corridor that will cut the time of the trip down to something like half an hour when it opens.  

Whimsical touches abound.  Every train station has a piano
for whoever wants to sit down and play.  I've heard some
really good music when passing through the stations.

The trains are very inexpensive to ride; my daily round trip fare from Ashqelon to Tel Aviv would be NIS 22 (US $6.27 at today’s exchange rate), or NIS 27 (US $7.70) including the bus trip within the Tel Aviv area.  But I buy a monthly pass which includes the buses at either end, with unlimited use during the month for NIS 423 (US $120.00).  In addition to the unlimited aspect of this pass, an additional benefit is that I can breeze right into the station and through the turn-style, without needing to buy a ticket from one of the vending machines of the live cashier each day.  And on the buses, I just hold my chip card against the fare machine for a second until it registers.  It’s a very easy way to get around.

The new Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high speed rail line is an
engineering marvel and will make travel between Israeli's
two largest cities much faster.

In addition to having small tables for getting work done or holding drinks, the trains usually have 220V A/C plugs at the seats, for powering/recharging electronic devices.  The cars also have free WiFi for underway surfing.  There are restrooms in every car.  Finally, there are limited spaces for bicycles, and bicycles (including electric bikes) are carried free.  During rush hours, you’re only supposed to bring folding bikes aboard, but this is a rule generally ignored.  There are no other services on board, though; one must buy food or drink to be consumed on the way, before boarding.

A familiar sight on Israel Railways, is that of soldiers travelling
with full kit.  Even when in combat readiness, they usually go
home on leave every second weekend.

Rush hour trains can be standing room only, but I go to Tel Aviv before the morning rush and come home before the afternoon rush, so the trains are never so crowded.  When I arrive in Tel Aviv, I never have to wait more than a few minutes for the bus that takes me to a block-and-a-half from Ulpan Gordon, and the ride takes perhaps 20 minutes.

If I chose to travel by car to Tel Aviv, there would always be danger of traffic bottlenecks, not to mention the problem of finding parking in Tel Aviv.

Buses as Ashqelon's Central Station

I have also traveled between cities by bus, generally when I go to Jerusalem as there is a direct bus from Ashqelon but going by rail would require two train changes and considerably more time.  Except for being subject to traffic congestion, bus travel is also pleasant enough; the buses are comfortable and run often, the fares are cheap like the train fares, and the buses have USB power at each seat and free WiFi.  From Ashqelon to Jerusalem, the bus takes about 90 minutes.

I have to say that I find getting around in Israel by public transport, easier and cheaper than anywhere else I’ve lived (including Germany).  While there are aspects of life in Israel that can make you want to tear the hair out of your head in frustration, getting around is generally not one of them!