Israel Railways
Israel Railways Ltd. (Hebrew: רַכֶּבֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, 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 1,138 kilometers (707 mi) of track. All its lines are standard gauge. 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.
Aerial view of Tel Aviv Savidor Central railway station | |
| Company type | State owned |
|---|---|
| Industry | Railways |
| Headquarters | Lod railway station, Lod , |
Area served | Israel |
Key people | Michael Maixner (CEO) |
| Services | Rail transport, Cargo transport |
| Revenue | ₪940+ million (2015) |
| ₪1 billion (2016) | |
Net income | ₪1.5 billion (2014) |
| Owner | Government of Israel |
Number of employees | 4,366 (2022) |
| Website | www |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Stations called at | 66 |
| Locale | Israel |
| Dates of operation | 1948–present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Electrification | In the process of conversion to electric; 25 kV, 50 Hz overhead wire (60% complete) |
| Length | 1,138 km |
| Other | |
| Website | www |
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.
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 Central Railway Station. In 2017, the company's head office was moved to a new campus built on the grounds of the Lod railway station.