Israel Railways

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:For {{#invoke:Infobox|infobox}}Template:Template otherTemplate:Main other{{#invoke:Check for clobbered parameters|check|nested=1|template=Infobox company|cat=Template:Main other|name; company_name|logo; company_logo|logo_alt; alt|trade_name; trading_name|former_names; former_name|type; company_type|predecessors; predecessor|successors; successor|foundation; founded|founders; founder|defunct; dissolved|hq_location; location|hq_location_city; location_city|hq_location_country; location_country|num_locations; locations|areas_served; area_served|net_income; profit|net_income_year; profit_year|owners; owner |homepage; website }}{{#invoke:Check for unknown parameters|check|unknown=Template:Main other|preview=Page using Template:Infobox company with unknown parameter "_VALUE_" | ignoreblank=y | alt | area_served | areas_served | assets | assets_year | aum | brands | company_logo | company_name | company_type | defunct | dissolved | divisions | embed | equity | equity_year | fate | footnotes | former_name | former_names | foundation | founded | founder | founders | genre | homepage | hq_location | hq_location_city | hq_location_country | incorporated | image | image_alt | image_caption | image_size | image_upright | income_year | industry | ISIN | key_people | location | location_city | location_country | locations | logo | logo_alt | logo_caption | logo_class | logo_size | logo_upright | members | members_year | module | name | native_name | native_name_lang | net_income | net_income_year | num_employees | num_employees_year | num_locations | num_locations_year | operating_income | owner | owners | parent | predecessor | predecessors | production | production_year | products | profit | profit_year | rating | ratio | revenue | revenue_year | romanized_name | services | subsid | successor | successors | traded_as | trade_name | trading_name | type | website| qid | fetchwikidata | suppressfields | noicon | nocat | demo | categories }}Template:Infobox rail Israel Railways Ltd. (Template:Langx, Rakevet Yisra'el) is the state-owned principal railway company responsible for all inter-city, commuter, and freight rail transport in Israel. Israel Railways network consists of Template:Convert of track. All its lines are standard gauge but some were originally built to other gauges and later regauged. Electrification began in 2018 with the new line to Jerusalem and there are ambitious plans to electrify the entire network at 25 kV 50 Hz supplied via overhead line. The network is centered in Israel's densely populated coastal plain, from which lines radiate out in many directions. In 2018, Israel Railways carried 68 million passengers.

Unlike road vehicles and city trams, Israeli heavy rail trains run on the left hand tracks, matching neighboring Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries, whose formerly connected rail networks were constructed by British engineers. Those lines that formerly crossed Israel's borders were severed during the 1948 Palestine war and Template:Asof there are no international train lines or services to or from Israel.

Until 1980, the company's head office was located at Haifa Center HaShmona railway station. Tzvi Tzafriri, the general manager of Israel Railways, decided to move the head office to Tel Aviv–Savidor Center railway station. In 2017, the company's head office was moved to a new campus built on the grounds of the Lod railway station.

Stations

There are 66 stations on the Israel Railways network, with almost all of the stations being accessible to disabled persons, with public announcement and passenger information systems, vending machines and parking.

Bicycle policy

Bicycles are permitted on trains in designated coaches.

Israel Railways encourages people to use bicycles by building a double-deck parking for bicycles in every railway station and by allowing people to take bicycles with them on trains to minimise the need for private cars.

Smoking

In Israel, smoking is prohibited in public enclosed places and in commercial areas. Although smoking in railway stations is allowed in designated areas, the sale of tobacco from automated vending machines is prohibited.

List of stations

Station	Passengers				City	District
	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>			citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Template:Rws	3,076,039	1,241,173	1,915,761	2,529,474	Nahariya	Northern
Akko (Acre)	2,043,343	732,180	1,067,444	1,471,117	Acre
Template:Rws	776,477	268,214	495,069	722,153	Afula
Template:Rws	442,417	162,902	295,790	427,176	Beit She'an
Template:Rws	259,977	85,531	138,467	210,073	Kfar Baruch
Template:Rws	339,789	122,210	224,054	327,172	Kfar Yehoshua
Template:Rws	276,018	102,243	148,278	199,027	Ahihud
Template:Rws	1,923,674	675,621	1,119,308	1,468,695	Karmiel
Template:Rws	2,376,278	844,709	1,317,716	1,766,157	Kiryat Motzkin/Haifa	Haifa
Template:Rws	480,814	171,289	257,428	350,175	Haifa
Template:Rws	626,017	245,094	419,471	567,226
Template:Rws	2,984,821	1,113,062	1,642,487	2,774,923
Template:Rws	2,242,279	773,862	1,066,835	1,662,346
Template:Rws	2,282,213	874,919	1,480,565	1,906,404
Template:Rws	4,648,766	1,630,110	2,425,278	3,304,744
Template:Rws	363,614	143,931	254,038	346,930	Atlit
Template:Rws	3,336,093	1,206,294	1,954,827	2,659,029	Binyamina-Giv'at Ada
Template:Rws	1,339,506	477,264	749,923	998,446	Pardes Hanna-Karkur/Caesarea
Template:Rws	2,430,825	879,112	1,424,860	1,990,340	Hadera
Template:Rws	3,563,026	1,212,729	1,596,659	2,508,795	Netanya	Central
Template:Rws	1,155,205	407,584	630,966	958,546
Template:Rws	2,056,937	675,390	1,052,922	1,469,031	Beit Yehoshua
Template:Rws	3,004,648	1,008,077	1,795,033	3,287,493	Herzliya	Tel Aviv
Template:Rws	265,006	58,882	120,302	379,791	Ra'anana/Herzliya	Central
Template:Rws	233,114	50,494	68,938	149,799	Ra'anana/Kfar Saba
Template:Rws	926,654	185,951	247,703	513,615	Hod HaSharon/Kfar Saba
Template:Rws	1,373,963	286,105	398,644	817,390
Template:Rws	1,573,945	475,460	519,834	1,111,224	Rosh HaAyin
Template:Rws	905,440	237,701	221,772	477,782	Petah Tikva
Template:Rws	1,943,818	528,942	477,782	1,145,391
Template:Rws	1,271,141	320,820	282,841	604,381	Bnei Brak	Tel Aviv
Template:Rws	6,499,857	1,883,810	3,132,561	4,931,804	Tel Aviv
Template:Rws	13,426,398	4,980,537	6,476,362	9,384,612	Tel Aviv/Ramat Gan
Template:Rws	15,352,944	5,635,092	8,425,111	13,220,102	Tel Aviv
Template:Rws	6,596,080	2,516,573	3,659,147	5,309,215
Template:Rws	629,715	182,892	162,413	376,879	Holon/Tel Aviv
Template:Rws	823,403	281,062	256,297	615,392
Template:Rws	1,810,003	584,714	685,830	1,199,082	Holon/Bat Yam
Template:Rws	934,648	288,396	274,700	611,642
Template:Rws	4,383,073	788,867	881,276	2,948,403	Ben Gurion Airport (unincorporated area)	Central
Template:Rws	416,411	163,848	267,515	393,541	Kfar Chabad
Template:Rws	525,198	215,892	305,990	386,895	Lod
Template:Rws	2,489,889	965,369	1,283,229	1,735,282
Template:Rws	861,166	336,700	452,460	668,712	Ramla
Template:Rws	391,832	120,963	225,461	515,597	Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut
Template:Rws	1,711,198	594,652	957,050	1,762,050
Template:Rws	930,014	316,171	482,584	629,960	Beit Shemesh	Jerusalem
Template:Rws	2,674,840	1,651,659	3,598,443	6,536,393	Jerusalem
Template:Rws (closed from March 2020)	26,445	1,403	—	—
Template:Rws (closed from March 2020)	115,118	17,744	—	—
Template:Rws	2,217,849	596,198	670,612	1,296,274	Rishon LeZion	Central
Template:Rws	360,136	111,024	137,386	36,809
Template:Rws	777,819	294,761	444,211	569,267	Be'er Ya'akov
Template:Rws	3,855,766	1,395,040	1,654,749	2,199,938	Rehovot
Template:Rws	1,465,638	483,214	647,974	1,188,447	Yavne
Template:Rws	470,468	154,927	169,294	284,367
Template:Rws	243,989	177,890	315,499	457,064	Mazkeret Batya
Template:Rws	3,765,864	1,273,176	1,590,702	2,727,842	Ashdod	Southern
Template:Rws	3,005,131	1,026,198	1,220,611	2,290,614	Ashkelon
Template:Rws	1,025,670	359,793	398,278	635,242	Sderot
Template:Rws	970,450	382,667	480,892	710,581	Netivot
Template:Rws	864,528	331,842	415,333	575,277	Ofakim
Template:Rws	360,569	135,497	233,242	320,860	Kfar Menahem
Template:Rws	1,175,058	479,342	714,533	1,018,644	Kiryat Gat
Template:Rws	438,867	158,862	246,747	316,435	Lehavim/Rahat
Template:Rws	2,308,782	890,926	1,244,946	1,822,170	Beersheba
Template:Rws	3,562,792	1,331,920	2,030,811	2,650,516
Template:Rws	14,745	5,278	7,969	6,397	Dimona

Lines

File:Israel Railways Map (en).png

Schematic diagram of Israel Railways passenger services

File:Israeli-Palestinian Railways.svg

Regional map of past and present railway lines

Israel Railways currently operates 15 passenger service lines.<ref name="IR map">Stations and lines. Israel Railways official website. Accessed 5 June 2021.</ref> These can be broadly subdivided into inter-city lines, which connect two or more of Israel's major metropolitan centres (Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba), usually skipping some of the intermediate stations, and commuter lines, centered on one metropolitan area and serving all stations on the line. However, Israel Railways no longer officially uses this classification.

Some services were partially or fully suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and electrification works.

Inter-city lines

Corridor	Service	Terminus (start)	Intermediate stops	Terminus (end)	Infrastructure
Haifa– Tel Aviv– Beersheba	Nahariya–Beersheba (partially commuter) ‡	Nahariya	Template:Collapsible list	Be'er Sheva–Center	Coastal railway Ayalon railway Jaffa–Jerusalem railway South railway
	Karmiel–Beersheba ‡	Karmiel	Template:Collapsible list		Karmiel–Acre railway Coastal railway Ayalon railway Jaffa–Jerusalem railway South railway
Haifa– Tel Aviv	Nahariya–Modi'in (partially commuter) ‡	Template:Rws	Template:Collapsible list	Template:Rws	Coastal railway Ayalon railway Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway Anava–Modi'in railway
	Nahariya–Ben Gurion Airport (night train)	Nahariya	Template:Collapsible list	Template:Rws	Coastal railway Ayalon railway Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Tel Aviv– Jerusalem	Herzliya–Jerusalem †	Herzliya	Template:Collapsible list	Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon	Coastal railway Ayalon railway Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Tel Aviv– Jerusalem	Tel Aviv–Jerusalem (night train) †	Tel Aviv–Savidor Center	Template:Rws	Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon (closed Wednesdays for maintenance)	Ayalon railway Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway
Tel Aviv– Beersheba	Tel Aviv–Beersheba (night train, suspended) ‡	Tel Aviv–Savidor Center	Template:Collapsible list	Be'er Sheva–Center	Ayalon railway Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway Jaffa–Jerusalem railway South railway

Commuter lines

Metropolitan core	Service	Terminus (start)	Intermediate stops	Terminus (end)	Infrastructure
Haifa	Nahariya–Binyamina (inter-city connection)	Nahariya	Template:Collapsible list	Binyamina inter-city to Modi'in →	Coastal railway
	Karmiel–Haifa	Karmiel	Template:Collapsible list	Haifa–Hof HaCarmel	Karmiel–Acre railway Coastal railway
	Beit She'an–Atlit	Beit She'an	Template:Collapsible list	Atlit	Jezreel Valley railway Coastal railway
Tel Aviv	Binyamina–Ashkelon (commuter connection) †	Binyamina	Template:Collapsible list	Ashkelon commuter to Beersheba →	Coastal railway Ayalon railway Jaffa–Jerusalem railway Lod–Ashkelon railway
	Herzliya–Ashkelon †	Herzliya	Template:Collapsible list	Ashkelon	Sharon railway Eastern railway Yarkon railway Ayalon railway Tel Aviv–Bnei Darom railway Lod–Ashkelon railway
	Netanya–Beit Shemesh ‡	Netanya	Template:Collapsible list	Beit Shemesh	Coastal railway Ayalon railway Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
	Netanya–Rehovot †	Netanya	Template:Collapsible list	Rehovot	Coastal railway Ayalon railway Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
	Tel Aviv–Modi'in (inter-city connection)	Tel Aviv–University ← inter-city to Nahariya	Template:Collapsible list	Modi'in–Center	Ayalon railway Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway Anava–Modi'in railway
Lod–Rishon LeZion	Lod–Rishon LeZion	Lod	–	Rishon LeZion–HaRishonim	Lod–Ashkelon railway
Jerusalem	Beit Shemesh–Jerusalem (suspended)	Beit Shemesh	Biblical Zoo	Jerusalem–Malha	Jaffa–Jerusalem railway
	Modi'in–Jerusalem †	Modi'in–Center	Paatei Modi'in	Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon	Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway Anava–Modi'in railway
Beersheba	Lod–Beersheba (inter-city connection) ‡	Lod ← inter-city to Nahariya	Template:Collapsible list	Be'er Sheva–Center	Jaffa–Jerusalem railway South railway
	Ashkelon–Beersheba (commuter connection) ‡	Ashkelon ← commuter to Binyamina	Template:Collapsible list		Ashkelon–Beersheba railway
	Ashkelon–Beersheba ‡	Ashkelon	Template:Collapsible list		Ashkelon–Beersheba railway
	Beersheba–Dimona	Be'er Sheva–North	–	Dimona	Beersheba–Dimona railway

† Fully electrified line
‡ Line electrification in progress

Future

Electrification

Since the opening of the fully-electrified Tel Aviv–Ben Gurion Airport–Jerusalem railway line in 2018, work has been underway to electrify the passenger rail network with overhead 25 kV 50 Hz AC electrification. In 2024, Israel Railways estimated that work was 70% complete, with full electrification officially scheduled for 2027.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Network expansion

Due to increasing demand, Israel Railways is pursuing expansion to its infrastructure network.

The Template:Convert long Eastern Railway, which will connect Hadera to Kfar Saba in parallel to the Coastal Railway, began construction in 2019 and is scheduled to open in 2027.<ref name="globes24">Template:Cite news</ref> This line follows the disused route of the Ottoman-period Tulkarm–Lydda railroad, which was abandoned in 1968, and will allow freight and passenger trains to bypass the congested Hadera–Herzliya corridor.<ref name="globes24" />

The Template:Convert Rishon LeZion–Modi'in Railway also began construction in 2019, with opening planned in 2026.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> This line will create an east-west link south of Tel Aviv, crossing the Tel Aviv–Ashkelon, Tel Aviv–Beersheba and Tel Aviv–Jerusalem rail corridors.

Since 2019, work is underway to quadruple the Template:Convert section of the Ayalon Railway from Tel Aviv Center to Tel Aviv HaHagana, which forms a critical bottleneck for the entire rail network. Upon completion, this project will nearly double the capacity of the corridor, allowing a significant increase in train frequency across the network.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Completion is scheduled for 2028.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Plans and proposals

A Template:Convert line from the city of Acre, on the Mediterranean coast, to Karmiel was completed in March 2017. However, this tract bypasses Acre and does not make a stop there; it is planned to be extended north to the north-eastern town of Qiryat Shemona, with future stations also planned for Jadeidi-Makr and Majd al-Krum, though there is no timetable for construction. This line will be fully electrified.<ref name="august 2015">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

There were plans to build a high-speed railway to Eilat but in 2019 the project was frozen indefinitely.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2011 the reconstruction and expansion of the Template:Convert long, formerly abandoned Jezreel Valley railway line connecting Haifa and Beit Shean (near the Jordanian border) started. This was completed in 2016. There has been talk of further extending the line to Irbid, in Jordan (to allow a direct freight connection from Jordan to the Mediterranean Sea); however, no decision has yet been made on this matter. Another proposed extension under discussion would connect the reconstructed Jezreel Valley railway at Afula to Tiberias.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In May 2017, an extension of the railway from Arad via Kuseife was approved. The line would connect to the existing Beersheba–Dimona rail line at the proposed new station at Nevatim.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Rolling stock

Israel Railways currently owns a total of 193 locomotives, 717 passenger cars, and 110 MU trainsets.

Current

Locomotives

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Remarks	Built	Entered service<ref name="ir-report-2022-locos">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
			mph	km/h
EMD G12	File:Haifa, Israel Railway Museum IMG 6204.JPG	Diesel-Electric locomotive			10	Bo-Bo.<ref>Cotterell, 1984, page 136</ref> Israel imported 23 from EMD 1954–62 and captured four more from Egyptian National Railways in the 1967 Six-Day War. Some have been withdrawn and one (No. 107) is now in the Israel Railway Museum in Haifa.<ref name="Gallery">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> No. 106 was withdrawn after sabotage. Nos. 119 & 123 withdrawn after incidents. No. 130 never in service due to Six-Day War.	1954–62	1961
EMD G26	File:G26-Lod-11-08-06.jpg				14	<ref name=Cotterell137>Cotterell, 1984, page 137</ref>	1971–82	1971
EMD GT26CW-2	File:GT26CW2-IR701.jpg				13	Number 701 is an original EMD unit delivered in 1989. In the mid-2010s Israel Railways purchased thirteen units from NRE which were completely rebuilt by TŽV Gredelj from 11 Croatian Railways HŽ series 2063 GT26 units plus 2 new frames and designated as NGT26CW-3 variants. They were delivered to Israel Railways between August 2015 and December 2017 and numbered 710–722.	1989, 2015–17	2015
Alstom Prima JT 42CW	File:708-709-115.jpg		68	110	7	Series 702–709. EMD prime mover.	1996	1997
Alstom Prima JT 42BW	File:Diesel Locomotive Alstom Heifa.jpg		87	140	48	Series 731–778. EMD prime mover.	1996–2006	1997
Vossloh Euro 3200	File:קטר של רכבת ישראל המצוייד במערכת האינדונזי 2014-05-11 18-57.jpeg		100	160	24	Series 1301–1324. With modifications capable of 200 km/h. EMD prime mover.	2011–13	2015
Vossloh Euro 4000	File:Euro 4000 Israel Railways.JPG		80	130	14	Series 1401–1414. EMD prime mover.	2011	2014
Bombardier TRAXX P160 AC3	File:TRAXX P160 AC3 Jerusalem.jpg	Electric locomotive	100	160	63 (32 options)<ref name="august 2015" />	Ordered in 2015.<ref name="august 2015" /> 25 kV 50 Hz AC operation. 6 MW electric output. Initial delivery began in 2017.	2017	2018

Multiple Units

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Remarks	Built
			mph	km/h
Siemens Desiro HC	File:Siemens Desiro HC Israel Jerusalem 3.jpg	EMU	100	160	~60 sets (330 cars)	Siemens won tender in September 2017.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Tender called for two basic double-deck sets: 15 short (composed of 4 cars) and 45 long (6 cars). First delivery, consisting of three sets, took place in November 2020.	2019

Carriages

Israel Railways owns a total of 717 passenger cars.

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Remarks	Built
			mph	km/h
Bombardier Double-deck Coach	File:Lod-Station26-08-07.jpg	double deck push-pull (DDPP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	100	160	24	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2001–04
			68			Coaches (TC-101) series 425–490. Four trailers out of operation<ref name="IR Tender 2013" />	2001–04
			7			Driving- and generator trailer (PC-103) series 501–507.<ref name="IR Tender 2013" />	2005–06
			18			Coaches (TC-101) series 521–538.<ref name="IR Tender 2013" />	2005–06
			82			Coaches (TC-101) series 2201–2394.<ref name="IR Tender 2013" />	2005–06
Siemens Viaggio Light	File:Siemens Viaggio Light train to Nahariya at Tel Aviv University train station (1).jpg	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation			CitationClass=web }}</ref>	87	Three types: standard coach (901-953<ref name="HaRakevet 84">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (juni 2009), Siemens Coach number. Series 22:1 issue 84</ref>), standard coach with wheelchair accessible toilets (825-849<ref name="HaRakevet 84" />) and DVT with diesel generator (801-814<ref name="HaRakevet 84" />).<ref name="HaRakevet 86a">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (September 2009), XXI Siemens Coaches in operation. Inititial impressions. Series 22:3 issue 86</ref> First stock in service on 8 March 2009<ref name="HaRakevet 85">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (juni 2009), Siemens stock into service. Series 22:2 issue 85</ref>	2008
		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>			31	2011
Bombardier Double-deck Coach	File:DD entering Haifa Bat-Galim.jpg	double deck push-pull<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>			78	Further coaches were ordered from Bombardier in 2010.	2011
			72			Ordered in 2012 and delivered from the end of March 2014. Similar in overall appearance to previous DDPP sets but capable of higher speeds and advanced safety measures (although previous Bombardier DDPP sets were later upgraded to these standards). First rolling stock capable of operating on Israel Railways' 25 kV 50 Hz electrified lines.	2014
			93			Twindexx. Similar in overall appearance to previous DDPP sets. Sixty Ordered in 2016 and a further 33 in mid-2017.	2018
			48			Twindexx. Similar in overall appearance to previous DDPP sets. Electric operation only (no diesel generator installed in control car). Ordered in late 2017.	2019
			74			Twindexx. Similar in overall appearance to previous DDPP sets. Ordered in May 2019.	2020

Retired

Locomotives

Steam Locomotives

Class	Image	Top speed		Number	Remarks	Built
		mph	km/h
Baldwin H class	File:Haifa1931.jpg			6	Series 7-12 (H2), 13-17 (H3), 33 of series 871–920. Taken over from Palestine Railways. Last went out of service in 1959 and scrapped in '60.	1918
NBL/Borsig Egyptian 545 class				4	5 captured during 1956 Israeli invasion of Sinai on the former Palestine Railways main line between El Kantara East and Gaza: numbers 546, 550 and 557 (NBL) and numbers 607 and 613 (Borsig). 4 taken into stock and used them around Lod in central Israel for 1–2 years. Withdrawn and scrapped in 1959.	1928, 1931
NBL P class 4-6-0	File:Israel Railways P-Class loco.jpg			6	Series 60–65. Taken over from Palestine Railways. Last went out of service in 1959 and scrapped in '60. Tender of 62 preserved at Israel Railway Museum.	1935
LMS Stanier Class 8F	File:IL steam engine.jpg			23	Series around 70513. Taken over from Palestine Railways. Last went out of service in 1958. One (the 24th) stranded 8F, 70372 (NBL works no. 24680), on a small section of the main line near Tulkarm on the West Bank side of the 1949 Armistice line.It remained there, increasingly derelict, until after the 1967 Israeli 6 day war. The Israelis finally removed and scrapped it in about 1973. A similar 8F (a Turkish TCDD 45151 Class locomotive) preserved at Be'er Sheva Turkish railway station and numbered 70414.	1935–46
USATC S100 Class	File:S100Design.png			2	Number 21 &22 (class 957?). Transported from Europe to Suez in September 1942. To Palestine Railways, later Army. Later to Israel Railways.<ref name="HaRakevet 18">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (September 1992), WD/USA 0-6-0Ts in Palestina, 1942–46. Issue 18</ref> 1	1942

Diesel Locomotives

Class	Image	Top speed		Number	Remarks	Built
		mph	km/h
SAFB (GM-EMD)	File:Haifa-Railway-Museum-1016b-Societe-Anglo-Franco-Belge-diesel-1951.jpg	68	110	3	BoBo locomotives series 101-103, fitted with EMD 3RSW engines. In service until 1998.<ref name="Angelfire">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> First diesel locomotive in IR's service. 102 locomotive is preserved.	1952
Esslingen	File:Israel Railways Esslingen locomotive 228-1959.jpg			18	Series 211–228. Similar to DB Class V 60. In the mid-1960s, the Esslingen factory was closed. As a result, some almost-new locomotives were cannibalised for parts.<ref name="HaRakevet 17">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (June 1992), The Esslingen shunters. Issue 17</ref> One example preserved at the Railway Museum and another at the Jezreel Valley railway heritage site in Elro'i.	1955–56
Deutz	File:Deutz 0-4-0DM No. 201.jpg			3	Series 201-203 shunting locomotives. 203 is preserved under the 201 number	1958
EMD G16	File:IsraelRailwaysLoco163.jpg			3	Co-Co. During the Six-Day War Israel captured Egyptian Railways 3304, 3329 and 3361 which were appropriated into Israel Railways stock as numbers 301–303, later 161–163.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> All have now been withdrawn from service but 163 (formerly ER 3361) is preserved at the Israel Railway Museum.	1960–61
GA DE900	File:GA-DE900AC.jpg	50	80	3	Series 261–263. Primarily used for shunting. Withdrawn from service in the early 2020s. One placed on static display near the historic Petah Tikva railway station.	1997

Multiple Units

Class	Image	Type	Top speed		Number	Remarks	Built
			mph	km/h
Esslingen	File:Israel Railways Esslingen LHB 1956.jpg	DMU			12	Similar to German VT08. 3-car sets (powered coaches 1-12, intermediate coaches 1-12, driving coaches 1-12), some later extended to 4-unit sets (with intermediate coaches 13-22).<ref name="HaRakevet 9">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (July 1990). Issue 9</ref> In the early sixties converted to non-powered coaches in push-pull service because of high maintenance costs. Withdrawn in 1979. Some carriages continued in regular services from 1992 until nineties as 111–117.<ref name="Angelfire" /> One trailer should be preserved by the Country Museum in Tel Aviv	1956
FIAT 7225		Railcar	80	128	0	10 ordered. After 8 were finished, the order was cancelled for unclear reasons. Italian literature wrote because of the Yom Kippur War. All ten units were sold to Ferrocarril del Pacifico and Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico in Mexico,<ref>HaRakevet: Rothschild, Rabbi Walter (12-2007), A Quarterly Journal of the Railways of the Middle East</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> where they entered service in 1975.<ref name="HaRakevet 79" />	1970/1973<ref name="HaRakevet 79">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (December 2007), The mysterious Fiat railcars. Series 20:4 issue 79</ref>
ABB Scandia IC3	File:IC3 -7044 Herzelia 27-4-2012.jpg	DMU	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	180<ref name="Railfaneurope stock" />	9 sets (42-50)	The introduction of IC3-trains in the early 1990s marked the beginning of a political recommitment to major improvements in the services of Israel Railways. Each IC3 set is composed of 3 cars and multiple sets may be joined together. Sets 42-50 purchased from SJ in 2005. 31 was scrapped after an incident near Revadim on 10 August 2006.<ref name="HaRakevet 75">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (juni 2009), Rolling stock news: IC3 set condemned. Series 19:4 issue 75</ref> 19, 21, 25 possibly out of service. 01 is now in the Israel Railway Museum.	1990
	File:IC3 7039 ISRAEL RAIL EFI ELIAN.jpg		100<ref name="Railfaneurope stock" />	160<ref name="Railfaneurope stock" />	10 sets (01-10)	1992
					31 sets (11-41)	1994–96

Carriages

Class	Image	Number	Remarks	Built
O&K		8	3rd class coaches similar to German Eilzugwagen series 51-58. Seating however different with 2+3 seat arrangement and 96 seats.<ref name="HaRakevet 87">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (December 2009), 3rd. Class Passenger Coaches for the Israeli State Railways. Series 22:4 issue 87</ref>	1955
Template:Interlanguage link CarF	File:JT42BW1.jpg	14	Picture: first carriage. Series 71-84	1961
Boris Kidrič/Metalka "Yugo"	File:Haifa-Railway-Museum-1125c.jpg	43	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> 621 in 2009 used as office in red colors in Bnei Brak.<ref name="HaRakevet 86">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (September 2009), News. Series 22:3 issue 86</ref>	1964–72
DEV-Inox Carel et Fouché	File:Haifa-Railway-Museum-1082b-Boris-Kidric-coach-1964.jpg	8	Bought from SNCF in 1994 (Series 91-98) to create superfuous coaches for refurbishment by HaArgaz.<ref name="Cotterelll 2011">Template:Cite book</ref> Original 1st class A9TJ-mainline carriage U64. Declassified to B10 1/2TJ in eighties. Scrapped in 2006.<ref name="HaRakevet 75-1">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (juni 2009), Rolling stock news: End of French coaches. Series 19:4 issue 75</ref> 1 preserved in Railway Museum.	1965
British Railways Mark 2c TSO	File:Mk. 2C coach No. 688 Israel Railways Museum.jpg File:Haifa-Railway-Museum-1274e.jpg	8 (13)	Bought from British Rail in 1977 (Series 681-688 (ex BR 5567, 5570, 5575, 5580, 5588, 5593, 5606, 5612) and retro-fitted with air conditioning equipment at Wolverton Works.<ref>Mk11s in Israel The Railway Magazine issue 917 September 1977 page 435</ref> 1 preserved at Railway Museum.<ref name="Angelfire" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1989, restaurant chain Apropo bought 5 Mk1 (BR 3947, 7675, 18768, 84338) and 1 Mk2 (5250) and shipped these to Israel, never to be used.	1970
Alstom MoDo	File:GEC ALSTHOM DMU at Haifa.jpg	35	Assembled in Israel by Haargaz and were the first push-pull carriages operated by Israel railways. In August 2022 Israel Railways announced they were pulling the Alstom Modo from service starting September 2022.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Driving Coach 302 is preserved on display at Railway Museum.	1996-1997

Organizational structure

The company is headed by a chief executive officer. It has two subsidiaries: a real estate development company, and a freight rail company. The main organization has five operational departments: freight, infrastructure, rolling stock, passengers and development.<ref name="ir-structure">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 2017, Israel Railways founded a Tunnels Unit that is responsible for the daily operation of railway tunnels, including lighting, air circulation, etc. and managing emergencies.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Performance

The passenger number history (in millions) is as follows:

1950	1960	1970	1980	1990	1991<ref name="HaRakevet 16">HaRakevet: Rothschild PhD, Rabbi Walter (April 1992), A Record Year. Issue 16</ref>	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	4.4	4.1	3.3	2.5	2.9	4.8	5.1	5.6	6.4	8.8	12.7	15.1	17.5	19.8	22.9	26.8	28.4	31.8	35.1	35.9	35.9	35.9	40.4	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	53<ref>Kevin Smith: “Cultural changes” spark turnaround at Israel Railways in: International Railway Journal, 2016-03-14, retrieved 4 April 2016.</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>

citation

CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="cbs-2016">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="cbs-2021">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="stats Q4 2024" />
	1990	1995	2000	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Total Revenue (million NIS){{#if:a|a|[1]}}	102	200	402	776	840	842	902	997	1,095	1,158	1,102	1,159	1,155	1,146	518	599	604	598
Passenger-kilometers (million)	170	267	781	2,011	1,986	1,927	2,133	2,376	2,485	2,608	2,645	2,765	3,032	3,580	1,253	1,956	3,019	3,401
Train-kilometers (passenger, million)			3.812	9.375	8.905	8.767	8.348	10.035	11.17	12.101	12.92	13.767	14.137	14.796	10.158
Train-kilometers (cargo, thousand)			1,498	1,571	1,609	1,508	1,556	1,584	1,782	1,817	2,063	2,141	1,934	1,934	1,791
Ton-kilometers (cargo, million)	1,048	1,176	1,173	799	1,062	1,099	1,011	1,058	1,165	1,155	1,404	1,381	1,235	1,241	1,250	1,085	992	895
Network length (km)	940	858	926	1,001	1,035	1,079	1,138	1,153	1,194	1,277	1,337	1,384	1,462	1,462	1,486

^a{{#if:| }} In contemporary shekels – not adjusted for inflation

Notable accidents

• On 26 December 1963 two passenger trains on the then single-track main line linking Tel Aviv and Haifa collided head-on at Bet Yehoshua just south of Netanya.<ref>Cotterell, 1984, page 101</ref> The northbound train had passed a red signal and its locomotive rode over and crushed the locomotive of the southbound train.<ref>Cotterell, 1984, pages 101–102</ref> None of the coaches was derailed but a coupler broke in the northbound train detaching the rear three coaches.<ref name=Cotterell102>Cotterell, 1984, page 102</ref> The continuous train brake should have then automatically stopped the detached coaches but it had not been connected properly so they started to roll back southwards.<ref name=Cotterell102 /> 55 people were injured but only three seriously enough to be detained in hospital.<ref name=Cotterell102 /> The two head-end crews survived but their locomotives, EMD G12s 105 and 118, were destroyed.<ref name=Cotterell102 />
• HaBonim disaster: On 11 June 1985 a train collided with a bus carrying school children, killing 19 children and 3 adults, near moshav HaBonim.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• On 21 June 2005 an IC3 train crashed into a freight truck near kibbutz Revadim, killing 8 and injuring 198.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• 8 July 2005, a train collided with a truck between Kiryat Gat and Ahuzam, resulting in the death of the train driver and 38 injuries.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref> In February 2012 a plea bargain had been set<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref> for the Revadim crash.

• On 12 June 2006 a train crashed into a truck near Beit Yehoshua, killing 5 and injuring from 77 to over 80.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• On 27 December 2009 a train crashed into a car near Kiryat Gat. The driver proceeded without regard to the train checkpoint on the road. The train struck his car and he was killed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• On 5 August 2010 a train crashed into a minibus near Kiryat Gat, killing 7 and injuring 6. The minibus was hit at 19:05 GMT+3 on Route 353, apparently as it tried to pass over a level crossing.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• On 28 December 2010 a fire started in a train near kibbutz Yakum, probably because of a short circuit, injuring 116.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• On 7 April 2011 two trains collided frontally near Netanya, injuring 59.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• On 4 October 2013, two men walking along railroad tracks in the Emek Hefer valley industrial zone were killed by a train.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• On 18 December 2013, a Beersheba-bound train collided with a group of camels walking along railroad tracks at the Segev Shalom Junction in the Negev, killing 14 camels. The incident caused massive delays in train traffic.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• On 29 December 2013, an Israel Railways worker was run down and killed by a train near Lod.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• On 15 March 2016, an Israel Railways locomotive crashed into freight wagons, injuring 6.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

See also

• Rail transport in Israel
• Hejaz Railway (1908-1920), Ottoman line which connected Damascus with Medina; the Jezreel Valley railway was a branch in its network

Ottoman Palestine railways

• Eastern Railway, Ottoman WWI line, Tulkarm to Hadera and Tulkarm to Lydda; connected to Jezreel Valley, Jaffa–Jerusalem, and Beersheba lines
• Jaffa–Jerusalem railway (inaugurated 1892)
• Jezreel Valley railway (1905-1948), segment of the Haifa–Dera'a Line which connected the Hejaz Railway to the port of Haifa
• Railway to Beersheba or the 'Egyptian Branch', Ottoman WWI line headed towards the Suez Canal; two lines: (Lidda–) Wadi Surar (Nahal Soreq)–Beit Hanoun, and Wadi Surar–Beersheba

Mandate Palestine & Israel railways

• Palestine Railways, government-owned company and rail monopolist in Mandate Palestine (1920-1948)
• Coastal railway line, main line in Mandate Palestine and Israel

Bibliography

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Template:Official website
• Template:Official website Template:In lang
• Template:Official website Template:In lang