Modi'in railway to open five months ahead of schedule

Train commute from Pa'atei Modi'in to Tel Aviv will be only 17 minutes.

By SYBIL EHRLICH
israel train 88 248 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
israel train 88 248
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
The railway to Modi'in is to open at the end of July 2007, several months ahead of schedule. Work is progressing so rapidly, according to Opher Linchevski, CEO of Israel Railways, that IR has decided to open the Pa'atei Modi'in station in July, rather than at the end of 2007 as originally planned. Pa'atei Modi'in station is on the outskirts of the city and close to the Yishpro shopping and entertainment mall. The station in the center of Modi'in will open at the end of 2007, as originally planned. The project consists of 19 kilometers of double track between Ben-Gurion Airport and the center of Modi'in, with two stations - Pa'atei Modi'in and Modi'in Central, at a total cost of about NIS 1.5 billion. Travel time from Pa'atei Modi'in to Tel Aviv will be 17 minutes. It is expected that the opening of the line will considerably reduce traffic jams between Modi'in and Tel Aviv. In the morning rush hour, the journey by car can take up to an hour and a half. Because the line is completely new, it was planned in accordance with the most modern standards, and has no level crossings. The Pa'atei Modi'in station already has 312 parking spaces, and there are plans to extend the parking lot to accommodate an additional 300 vehicles. The line to Modi'in is the first part of the high-speed line to Jerusalem, which is expected to open in its entirety in 2011 with a journey time from Tel Aviv to the capital of 28 minutes, and 17 minutes from Jerusalem to Modi'in.