Green Line to open this weekend in Jerusalem: The stations, the frequency, and the news that will disappoint fans
The new light rail route will be seven kilometers long, include 12 new stations, and intersect with the veteran Red Line. Although fans have been waiting for years, the station next to Teddy Stadium and the Arena will not operate during major events.
Jerusalem will mark a significant milestone this coming weekend with the opening of the L3 line, the first segment of the Green Line of the light rail. The new line, which stretches for 7 kilometers and includes 13 stations (12 new and one shared), will connect the HaTurim station on Jaffa Street to the Malha neighborhood in the south of the city, dramatically improving accessibility for the capital's residents and visitors.
The expansion of the network comes at a time when the demand for public transport in Jerusalem is breaking records: just recently, the L1 line (the veteran Red Line) crossed the threshold of 4.6 million passengers per month. The overarching goal of expanding the network is to provide a response to increasing loads, connect different parts of the city, and provide a fast, continuous, and efficient alternative to the private car.
The trains on the L3 line will operate in the first weeks in a phased trial format at a frequency of about 12 to 15 minutes. Later, the frequency will be increased to about 8 to 10 minutes during peak hours. Transport authorities estimate that moving to a network of lines will distribute the heavy loads known from the Red Line, prevent bottlenecks at central stations, and allow for more efficient regulation of tens of thousands of passengers a day.
Along the route, the line serves central urban hubs and passes through the stations of Binyanei HaUma, the Government Quarter (Kiryat HaMemshala), the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University, the Hebrew University Hi-Tech Park, the Botanical Garden, Givat Mordechai, Pat, Gonenim, Machon Lev, the Tennis Center, Teddy Stadium, the Arena Hall, and the Malha Mall.
Less happy news comes for sports and performance fans: exceptionally, by order of the police and for security and crowd management reasons, the light rail station near Teddy Stadium and the Arena Hall will be closed during major events. Passengers will be routed on foot to nearby stations, such as the one at the Malha Mall.
Delays due to the war
Although the initial vision for the development of the Green Line was presented about a decade ago, the planning processes and ground-breaking took a long time. The official operation date was set for March 2026, but the schedule proved fluid. In government companies, these delays are attributed first and foremost to the direct consequences of the war. The events of October 7, the prolonged tension with Iran, and the escalation of the security situation created severe uncertainty. Evacuation warnings from foreign embassies led to the abandonment of hundreds of workers from abroad and severe disruptions in the supply chain of critical infrastructure components, which paralyzed the pace on the ground.
The opening of the segment marks Jerusalem's transition from a single-line system to an intersecting light rail network, the first of its kind in Israel. The new line joins the veteran L1 line and offers two central transfer stations: at the HaTurim station and in the area of the Central Bus Station and Binyanei HaUma. The connection at these points is intended to allow for a fast and convenient transfer between the different lines, as well as synchronization with the Yitzhak Navon heavy rail station.
"We are in the midst of a historic move in Israel. Establishing a light rail network that creates a new reality in public transport," said Tamir Cohen, CEO of the Jerusalem Transportation Master Plan. "This network is an engine of connectivity, accessibility, and economic growth. I am sure that the government employees who arrive at the offices in Jerusalem will set a personal example, give up the car, and travel by train."
Future plans
The opening of the L3 line is only the first stage of the network's expansion. In the coming months, the opening of the L4 line is planned, which will connect the Gilo area to the network, and later the northern segment towards Mount Scopus is expected to open. However, the work on the northern segment turned out to be much more complex. In areas like the Bar-Ilan axis, the works are accompanied daily by severe vandalism, harassment, and destruction of infrastructure by extremist elements. The cumulative damage to the state treasury already amounts to hundreds of millions of shekels.
The final operation approval from the international control and safety company (ISA) has not yet been given, but the service is expected to start operating this coming Friday. Yesterday, Minister of Transport Miri Regev and Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Lion conducted a preliminary tour along the route, welcoming the capital's transition to an intersecting light rail network.
