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

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

Old Sep 26, 2018, 3:18 pm
  #1  
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FINALLY!!!! TLV-Jerusalem railway is up and running!!!

After a long wait, it is open!! The twice an hour train going from the Central Bus Station next to Centre 1 Shopping Centre to the Airport takes 21 minutes. The best part is, that for the first 90 days of it's opening, it will be completely free to travel on. All you need to do is register on the Israeli rail website. After the 90 days, a one-way fare will cost only 17NIS, about 3.60 or $4.75.
I wonder if this will kill off sheruts a little.
Please note, the line is not open to Tel Aviv Haganah yet. This will be open in due course.
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Old Sep 26, 2018, 3:55 pm
  #2  
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Why would the train kill of sheruts? There's an existing bus line from the central bus station. If you're traveling with luggage, little kids, etc., it's still not a real option compared to door-to-door transportation.
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Old Sep 27, 2018, 3:39 am
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Originally Posted by joshwex90
Why would the train kill of sheruts? There's an existing bus line from the central bus station. If you're traveling with luggage, little kids, etc., it's still not a real option compared to door-to-door transportation.
The bus is once per hour, and is also susceptible to traffic (more so than Nesher, who can go via 443). There is also very limited luggage space. I think many would take the train and a taxi from CBS rather than the Nesher tour of Jerusalem.
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Old Sep 27, 2018, 5:08 am
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Originally Posted by tedcruz
Please note, the line is not open to Tel Aviv Haganah yet. This will be open in due course.
Yeh, give them another 17 years like it took to open the first part...

Travel at your own risk by the way. They failed every possible safety check done a few days prior to opening.
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Old Sep 27, 2018, 5:40 am
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check out this new film by Amos Gitai

I saw a related film @ the 75th Venice Film Festival. Amos Gitai directed "A Tramway in Jerusalem" - 24 h of passengers travel on the tram. My first thought was how boring. Then it dawned on me Gitai has captured many of the most contentious issues in contemporary Jerusalem i.e. conflicts with Palestinians, arguments about who is a citizen. In fact, the film (recommended) has insights into everything dynamic in Jerusalem!
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Old Sep 27, 2018, 1:19 pm
  #6  
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its about bloody time, but its kinda like natbag 2000...

Once they have the full line into tel aviv running, this is soooo much better than taking the bus (and way better than going into that disgusting 3rd world country bus terminal in south tel aviv...)
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Old Sep 28, 2018, 1:21 am
  #7  
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New high-speed Jerusalem train gets stuck in tunnel (Times of Israel)
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Old Sep 28, 2018, 3:29 am
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I'm flying to TLV next week and plan on taking the train; wish me luck I plan on posting a short TP
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Old Sep 28, 2018, 3:33 am
  #9  
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Originally Posted by Innocent Abroad
I'm flying to TLV next week and plan on taking the train; wish me luck I plan on posting a short TP
Good luck getting a voucher.
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Old Sep 28, 2018, 3:42 am
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Originally Posted by joshwex90
Good luck getting a voucher.
Yes, I'm already struggling with their dysfunctional website
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Old Oct 2, 2018, 8:13 am
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Can I take this if I have a 9AM flight out of TLV? Or is that too early for this train?
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Old Oct 2, 2018, 9:03 am
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Originally Posted by samwise6222
Can I take this if I have a 9AM flight out of TLV? Or is that too early for this train?
This is the morning schedule (of course, on working days only):

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Old Oct 2, 2018, 9:04 am
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Originally Posted by FlyerTLV
This is the morning schedule (of course, on working days only):


Thanks for that... 7AM arrival for 9AM flight sounds a bit too risky for my taste... only if there was one that was 30 mins before that
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 1:28 am
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Originally Posted by samwise6222
Thanks for that... 7AM arrival for 9AM flight sounds a bit too risky for my taste... only if there was one that was 30 mins before that
Definitely, especially as at this point delays / cancellations are very likely.

That said, I was able to obtain my voucher for tomorrow. Hopefully my flight to TLV will be on time (not the usual case lately with ST). My flight is supposed to land at 18:15 and the last train leaves on 19:30. I will update.
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Old Oct 3, 2018, 3:06 am
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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 ...
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