My first ride on the new light rail in Tel Aviv made me very happy and left me more optimistic than ever: the stations are beautiful, the access is very convenient, the trains arrive every 6-5 minutes, and the locations of the stations are perfectly suited to the route between my place of residence and school.
Traveling by bus in Israel is not a simple task at all: the arrival times of the lines, which are supposed to be fixed (more or less) and updated on the Moovit app, are constantly changing and even canceled without any warning. You can find yourself waiting at the station for the line that is supposed to arrive (according to the app) in 5 minutes, wait for it for more than an hour - and in the end the driver does not arrive.
Now, for the first time in Israel, the Gush Dan light rail, the Dankel, will also serve as a means of transportation back and forth for students from schools and high schools, near the stations on the train route.
The Light Rail's Red Line has begun operating | Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon
Frequent flyer on buses
Israeli students have been using public transportation for years to reach their educational institutions. Bus lines throughout the country will, of course, continue to be the main means of transportation for getting to school and returning home at the end of the school day, but with the launch of the light rail between Bat Yam and Petah Tikva, there are those who will enjoy making the exciting journey this week even underground (part of the red line).
Dreaming of the moment. Kerner, Photo: Gideon Markowitz
Exactly a year ago I was in New York for the first time, and as a frequent commuter on public transportation (to school, ninja training and friends) I was insanely excited about the speed, ease and reliability of driving on the New York Subway. Since then, I have been dreaming of the moment when it will finally happen in Tel Aviv and make my life so much easier.
Anyone who knows me knows how much I despise going to school, but now I am undoubtedly eagerly waiting for light rail rides on the days I arrive from my father's house.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us