Record Number of Israelis Take the Train

Israel Railways reported a 6% increase in passenger traffic in the first half of 2015, according to Globes.

A record number of 25.9 million passengers rode the trains from January through June, compared with 23.7 million in the same period last year.

For the first time ever, more than 200,000 Israelis take the train every day, except for Shabbat, an 11% jump from last year's 180,000.

Cargo traffic increased by 3% to 3.7 million tons.

Traffic will grower even more starting next month, when Israel Railways launches the Be'er Sheva-Sderot-Netivot-Ashkelon line.

The new high-speed Tel Aviv-Jerusalem line is scheduled to begin operation by the beginning of 2018. The project costs nearly $2 billion, and the trains are to whisk passengers from city to city in 28 minutes, less than half the time by car or bus.