Haifa-Nazareth Light Rail Line Planned

The Israel National Planning Council has approved a plan for the development of a light rail line between Haifa and Nazareth. The 43-kilometer-long line will pass through 17 towns and cities along the way, and has been declared an “emergency national infrastructure” plan.

There is no official estimate of what the project will cost. The Council’s approval paves the way for the formation of an official plan that can be presented to the government for approval.

Nine of the 17 stops will be in the small towns and suburbs between the terminus cities, including a number of Arab villages. Six of the stops will be in Upper Nazareth, an area that has been poorly served by public transportation until now. Each station will include an adjacent parking lot, as well as additional services.

The line itself, when built, will be among the most advanced light rail lines in the world. Based on a technology called Trin Tram, the trains will be able to travel as fast as 100 kilometers per hour, compared to the usual 60 kph maximum for light rail trains of this type. Each 52-meter-long car will be able to move up to 300 people, with 130 sitting and the rest standing. Under the plan, each train will consist of 32 cars – allowing for the movement of some 1,000 people on each trip.