Jerusalem’s Green Line L3 Begins Service, Expanding the City’s Light-Rail Network

The first operational segment of Jerusalem’s Green Line, designated L3, started running on Friday. The 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) stretch runs from HaTurim station near Jaffa Road to Malha in the city’s south, adding 12 new stations to the existing Turim stop, which links the new line with the Red Line (L1). According to the Jerusalem Transport Authority, trains will run every eight minutes during peak hours, though service is suspended on Shabbat. The line connects major hubs such as the Central Bus Station, Yitzhak Navon railway station, the government complex, the Hebrew University’s Givat Ram campus, the Botanical Gardens, Teddy Stadium, Pais Arena and Malha Mall.

The Media LineThe Jerusalem PostGlobes

Jerusalem’s light-rail system began with the Red Line in 2011, linking Neve Yaakov in the north to Hadassah Ein Kerem in the southwest. The Green Line project, delayed by the war and other setbacks, was originally slated for earlier completion; the L3 segment opens ten years behind schedule. The public-private partnership that built the line involves the Finance and Transport ministries and the concessionaire Cfir (a joint venture of Shapir and Spain’s Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles). Future phases include the L4 line to Gilo (expected December), a northern extension to Mount Scopus in June 2027, and a branch to Givat Shaul and Har Nof by the end of 2027. Long-term plans envision an eight-line system serving roughly 600,000 passengers daily.

The Media Line

• Length: 7 km (4.3 mi)

The Media Line

• New stations: 12 (plus the existing Turim stop)

Globes

• Peak-hour frequency: every 8 minutes

The Jerusalem Post

• Expected daily ridership for the full network: ~600,000 passengers

The Jerusalem Post

Both officials emphasized that the Green Line creates Israel’s first interconnected urban rail system.

The Media Line

• “This is a historic day for the capital and great news for Jerusalem residents and visitors to the city. This is a giant step in the transition from a city that has a light rail to a city with a light rail network. Jerusalem is once again a pioneer, and what began here 15 years ago with the Red Line (L1) is today becoming a network that does not exist in any other city.” — Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion

The Jerusalem Post

• “Alongside the expanding park and ride facilities,” — Moshe Lion, jerusalem mayor

The Jerusalem Post

• “Today, we are writing a new chapter in the history of transportation in Israel,” — Miri Regev, transportation minister

The Media Line

• “L3 is not the end of the line,” — Moshe Lion, jerusalem mayor

The Media Line