After a decade of work and a 33-minute drive, the expressway line finally reached Lim

Saturday night will officially open the highway between Tel Aviv and the capital, but politicians could not hide the excitement after the successful test drive to the defense station. Katz said it was "at a historical point", and Smutrich also recalled his grandmother in the 1940s. The passengers were left waiting

After a decade of work and a 33-minute drive, the expressway line finally reached Lim

Approximately 17 years after the government's decision was approved, a decade after the start of the works and one year and three months since the highway line between Jerusalem and the defense station began operating, a test drive on the expressway of the train from Jerusalem to the Tel Aviv defense station was scheduled this morning. "We lived and existed and arrived at this time," the Foreign Minister and former Minister of Transport Israel Katz greeted this morning. "This is a holiday for Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, a holiday for the State of Israel," said Minister of Transport Bezalel Smutrich. Driving to the Sevidor station.

The event to which journalists were invited opens with refreshments, a DJ and opening remarks by the two ministers and the CEO of Israel Railways between one escalator. "This is a historic point, a historic day of a full connection of the electric train line from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. I called them King David's rails. Because it connects the City of David to the rest of the country. This is of great significance in strengthening the state of the state and the State of Israel, "Minister Katz said, noting that if they did not start with the partial line last year, the line may not have been perfect." I know a lot of plans in Israel that were 100% paper and did not go out, "he said. Smutrich said cynicism should be left aside and allowed to stir, and also mentioned his grandmother.

Exclusive Benefit - Free Month for Subscribers

In collaboration

Ministers Smutrich and Katz test drive today (Photo: Roni Kanfo)

Jerusalem's premiere ride from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv with Bezalel Smutrich and Israel Katz, December 18, 2019 (Photo: Roni Kanfo)

69 years and a half ago, then Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion received the first train to arrive in Jerusalem and less than 70 years later opened the highway connecting Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. "In the days when talking about the gap between Israel and the second is no such thing, now cities are connected." He said, "Trying to imagine what my grandmother would think somewhere in the concentration camp if she were told that less than 70 years after her grandson ministered and inaugurated the highway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the great, renewable and vibrant capital of the State of Israel." Israel Railways CEO Michael Meeksner also boasted: "An important achievement for the company, which is a lever both in terms of service and a future look at the rail development program that includes the replacement of the diesel-powered mobile fleet with modern green-powered trains."

We set off at 10:03 and reached our destination, the defense station, in 33 minutes. Today, the train still stops at the Ben Gurion Airport, but blessing Israel said that as the frequency continues, there will also be direct trains to Tel Aviv, so the journey time is expected to be shortened to only 28 minutes.

The premiere ride, today (Photo: Roni Kanfo)

Jerusalem's premiere ride from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv with Bezalel Smutrich and Israel Katz, December 18, 2019 (Photo: Roni Kanfo)

Ministers ahead of the premiere trip today (Photo: Roni Kanfo)

Jerusalem's premiere ride from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv with Bezalel Smutrich and Israel Katz, December 18, 2019 (Photo: Roni Kanfo)