After years of delays, the Tel Aviv Light Rail began running on Friday, affording commuters a traffic-free ride in and around the congested metropolitan area.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
The 24-km. (15-mile) Red Line, which will run through Tel Aviv connecting Bat Yam just south of the city to Petach Tikvah to its east, was green-lighted for operations earlier this month after all safety approvals were granted.
The line has 34 stations, including 10 underground stops, and runs from Bat Yam through Jaffa, Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak and Ramat Gan to Petach Tikvah. Half of the route goes through an underground tunnel.
"This is a day of celebration for the State of Israel," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday as he inaugurated the rail line in Petach Tikva. "Today, we are realizing the transportation vision of Israel: We promised to link between and within cities and between countries, and we are doing all three."
The system will not operate on Saturdays or Jewish holidays, drawing criticism and protests in the predominantly-secular city and reigniting the debate over public transportation on the Sabbath in Tel Aviv.
The Transportation Ministry estimates that 250,000 passengers will use the line every day, and 70 million a year.
