December 18, 2019 2:45 pm

After an eleven-year delay, train will be officially opened for passengers in four days

The direct train line between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv was officially launched on Wednesday by the Minister of Transportation Bezalel Smotrich, Hebrew-language outlet Ynet reported.

“It’s a day of celebration… We are inaugurating today the direct line between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. These two cities are now physically and symbolically connected,” Smotrich said.

“We will do our best to make this line the best. The work has been done in accordance with all standards.”

Another attendee at the event was Smotrich’s predecessor, current Foreign Minister Israel Katz, who inaugurated the line between Jerusalem and Ben Gurion Airport in September last year.

“This project would not have seen the light of day without your determination and your ability in 2009” to plan ahead, Smotrich said, thanking Katz.

“Don’t worry about the difficulties, the criticisms you have received. It was clear to me that you were going to open this line,” concluded Smotrich.

The train, which was to enter service eleven years ago, will officially open its doors to passengers in at the start of next week. 

The 28-minute line will connect Yitzhak Navon Station in Jerusalem to Hahagana Station in Tel Aviv.