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FINALLY!!!! TLV-Jerusalem railway is up and running!!!

FINALLY!!!! TLV-Jerusalem railway is up and running!!!

Old Oct 3, 2018, 3:53 am
  #16  
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To be fair, I'm sure once the system is fully operational (anywhere from 3 months to 10 years), it will also be every 15 minutes and start much earlier than 6:30. From Modiin, 1st train arrives at the airport at 5:30 and there's earlier trains to the airport from Tel Aviv. It's a very limited system now
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 3:56 am
  #17  
 
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But this isn't the "Heathrow Express", it's just that for now the train only runs from Jerusalem to the airport, later on it will just be a Jerusalem-Tel Aviv (and beyond?) line...
From Tel Aviv you can use the normal trains from 06:00-22:30, and the night trains beyond that.

And let's not mention that the Heathrow express costs several times more?
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 5:47 am
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by Ditto
And let's not mention that the Heathrow express costs several times more?
Price has nothing to do with hours of operation. Carrying significantly more passengers will bring in significantly more revenue and thus help reduce prices. By limiting the hours of operation in a way which misses the busiest times of the day they are shooting themselves in the foot.
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 6:07 am
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Originally Posted by mikebg
Price has nothing to do with hours of operation. Carrying significantly more passengers will bring in significantly more revenue and thus help reduce prices. By limiting the hours of operation in a way which misses the busiest times of the day they are shooting themselves in the foot.
But there is also a cost to it, it's quite unlikely IMHO that trains from Jerusalem to TLV at the middle of the night will be very profitable...
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 6:43 am
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by mikebg
OK. So let's compare this with the "Heathrow Express" from Paddington Station to Heathrow Airport:

First train from Paddington: 0510
Last train from Heathrow: 2315 (approx, from Terminal 4)

The early morning is the busiest time of the day for TLV. By having the first train arrive as late as 0700 they really are shooting themselves in the foot.
Likewise, the evening (until about 2300) is pretty busy.

Oh, and I should add that the Heathrow Express runs every 15 minutes.

Isn't Israel a wonderful place ...
Thats not very fair. London has 8 Million citizens while Jerusalem has 800K.
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 6:52 am
  #21  
 
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Originally Posted by Ditto
But there is also a cost to it, it's quite unlikely IMHO that trains from Jerusalem to TLV at the middle of the night will be very profitable...
I was not talking about "the middle of the night". I was talking about the peak early morning and evening times. Loads of flights arrive late enough to miss a 19:30 departure.
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 6:53 am
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by damaxer91
Thats not very fair. London has 8 Million citizens while Jerusalem has 800K.
That is not relevant. I was talking about them having a schedule which misses the times likely to catch the most passengers.
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 7:18 am
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by mikebg
I was not talking about "the middle of the night". I was talking about the peak early morning and evening times. Loads of flights arrive late enough to miss a 19:30 departure.
Peak departure time starts at 5AM, with the general recommendation of arriving at the airport 3 hours before, this means trains needs to run from 1:30AM or so

Originally Posted by mikebg
That is not relevant. I was talking about them having a schedule which misses the times likely to catch the most passengers.
But you miss the point that this isn't a "TLV express" line, it's likely that most PAX who uses it today are simply connecting to trains continuing up north rather than having TLV as their destination.
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 11:21 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by mikebg
That is not relevant. I was talking about them having a schedule which misses the times likely to catch the most passengers.
This isn't being marketed as the "Natbag Express." It's the first stage of the Jerusalem - Tel Aviv rail line.

Your complaint assumes the following, all of which are incorrect:
  1. This is a TLV airport-specific line (it isn't)
  2. The train is fully operational (it isn't - doesn't run on Friday or Saturday night, and doesn't yet run late in the evening and also runs only twice an hour instead of 4x)
It is highly likely that when it becomes fully operational, it will run on a limited schedule in the middle of the night as well
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 8:37 am
  #25  
 
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If I land at 4;50PM on Friday, would I still be able to make a train to Jerusalem?

This is my first time to Israel.
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 9:00 am
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by discoseal
If I land at 4;50PM on Friday, would I still be able to make a train to Jerusalem?

This is my first time to Israel.
When is sunset that week?
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 11:15 am
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by damaxer91
When is sunset that week?
4:38 PM :/

Sherut then?
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 5:38 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by discoseal
4:38 PM :/

Sherut then?
I would'nt risk running around Jerualem so close on a friday in a sherut...
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Old Oct 4, 2018, 6:39 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by tedcruz
I would'nt risk running around Jerualem so close on a friday in a sherut...
No problem at all. I have visited Jerusalem by car, on Saturdays, dozens of times. The sherut will not pass through or near the neighborhoods that are of concern.
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Old Oct 5, 2018, 2:40 am
  #30  
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Originally Posted by discoseal
If I land at 4;50PM on Friday, would I still be able to make a train to Jerusalem?

This is my first time to Israel.
Train doesn't run on Friday. It's still in a trial phase.

You'll need Nesher if looking to save money from private taxi. No need to worry - assuming your accommodations aren't in an Ultra-Orthodox neighborhood.
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