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Red Line (Jerusalem Light Rail)
Light rail line in East Jerusalem From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Red Line is the first section in operation of the light rail system in Jerusalem, Israel, known as the Jerusalem Light Rail. It became fully operational on December 1, 2011. The original line is 13.9 kilometers (8.6 mi) long with 23 stops. Extensions to the Red Line to the north of Neve Yaakov and to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital to the southwest were completed in February 2025 extending the line's length to 22.5 km (14.0 mi).[2]
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With a total estimated cost for the initial section of the line of 3.8 billion NIS (approx. US $1.1 billion),[3][4] the project was criticized for budget overruns, for its route serving east Jerusalem and for contributing to air and noise pollution during construction.[5]
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Initial extensions to the Red Line were planned to the neighborhoods of Neve Yaakov in Northeast Jerusalem and Ein Karem (near Hadassah Hospital) in the Southwest. Former mayor Uri Lupolianski stated that they would be completed at the same time as the rest of the line. In 2008, French company Egis Rail won an 11.9 million Euro contract to carry out some of the design work. However, in March 2009, CityPass turned down implementing the project.[12] In May 2010, the Jerusalem Municipality announced that the extensions would be built by the state authorities rather than a private company. The extension to Hadassah Hospital from Mount Herzl was particularly challenging and involved a complex path with complicated bridging works. The line's terminal station next to Hadassah's inpatient building was built during the construction of the inpatient building in order not to disrupt hospital operations later after the new building was be completed.[2] At one point, branches to the Red Line were planned that would create a "campus line" connecting the Mount Scopus and Givat Ram campuses of the Hebrew University,[13] but it was decided that this function will be accomplished by the future Green Line.
The Red Line extension of the Jerusalem Light Rail, intended to reach Hadassah Hospital and Neve Yaakov, has faced several delays. Initially set for completion in July 2023, the project’s timeline has been extended, with the new expected start of operations being no earlier than November 2024. The delay has been attributed to budgetary issues, infrastructure challenges, and a shortage of manpower. Infrastructure works are completed in certain segments, with others still under construction.
Eventually, the extensions of the Red Line to Neve Yaakov and Hadassah Ein Kerem opened on February 25, 2025.
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