Hi,
Everybody keeps complaining about Israel Public transportation, but I use the train to work on daily basis ever since we moved to Ramat Gan . I ride my one pair of bikes to the station, leave it there and catch the train south to Qiryat Gat. My other pair of bike is waiting to me there, chained of course, and I ride it to the factory.
We are three people on 2 work cars. trying and make carpool between us is possible. But because we all live in the center of Israel, only get from one to the other will take half an hour.
So I decided to let go, and use the train. When choosing the location of our leased apartment we live in, we kept in mind to have it close enough to a station. Either to catch one to Haifa (where my office is) or to Qiryat Gat (where the unending project is).
After that week I am happy we did so.
Because the railway to Jerusalem is kind of a national priority project, Israel Ayalon railway was closed that week. Except for on train each direction every hour. Compare it to the 14 train an hour (rush hour), add that to the fact it is the only passenger railway between north and south of Israel and you can imagine the mess it caused.
Lucky me, one of my coworker is in a 3 week vacation and I could use the car on this time. And that week made me realize how good it is I have the train.
On one hand:
– Yes I could go and come anytime I want, without being depended on railway schedule.
– And the ride only took an hour, or even 50 minutes (instead of an hour and twenty minutes)
But…
– I had to d rive, and in Israel it means an endless fight.
– I couldn’t make up for the missing sleeping time in train.
– Another hour spent on driving instead of working.
– I missed about 30 minutes of riding a day, as a daily exercise.
Take Care
Gad
train lines in Israel nowadays
Train lines in Israel this week – the shadowed lines were canceled this week
The load on Lod station on the morning of mid-week day
The everyday afternoon traffic on Ayalon highway
The development of Israeli railway tracks since 1948 to 2016