The Karmiel - Akko railway line has been completed, the Ministry of Transportation has announced. From Sunday, there will be trial runs on the line with services to the public scheduled to commence in the summer.
The project, which was built by the Netivei Israel National Transport Infrastructure Co. Ltd., cost NIS 2.8 billion and involves a double track along 23 kilometers with stations at Karmiel and Ahihud. For the most part running parallel to Road 85, the new line includes the 4.6 kilometer Gillon Tunnels.
The line links up with the Haifa - Nahariya line, south of Akko station and north of Kiryat Motzkin station. Israel Railways plans services direct from Karmiel to Tel Aviv.
Two more stations are planned along the new line at the Arab towns of Jadeidi-Makr and Majd al-Krum. In the future the Karmiel line will be extended northeast to Kiryat Shmona.
The Karmiel line is part of the massive expansion of Israel Railways. In recent years, new lines have been built to the Negev development towns of Sderot, Netivot and Ofakim as well as between Haifa, Afula and Beit Shean in the north. Next year, the Tel Aviv - Jerusalem fast rail link is scheduled to open.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on March 16, 2017
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2017