17 Minutes From Modiin to Yerushalayim? No Fable, Says Ministry

Plans have been finalized for the connection of Modiin to the super-fast Yerushalayim-Tel Aviv bullet train that is currently under construction. The Keshet Modiin company has been awarded the tender for the construction of the spur that will connect to the main line, after several years of delays, appeals, and budget freezes, the Transport Ministry announced.

After the NIS 77 million project is completed in 2019, commuters between Yerushalayim and Modiin will be able to travel in 19 minutes flat.

The 2.5 kilometer spur will connect to what has become one of the biggest and most important transportation projects in Israel’s history, connecting the country’s two major cities. The Yerushalayim-Tel Aviv line will enable commuters to make the journey between the two cities in less than a half hour. With that connection, residents of even Beer Sheva or Haifa who travel by train will be able to get to Yerushalayim within an hour and a quarter.

Until now, Modiin residents who sought to get to Yerushalayim had to travel to Tel Aviv and pick up the train there – which, with the current technology and route, takes over an hour and a half to complete. The new electric train will allow for unimpeded speeds of nearly 100 kilometers per hour, with new tunnels and bridges allowing a “straight shot” between Yerushalayim and Tel Aviv.