Up to 160 km/h: the plan that will connect Kiryat Shmona to the center of the country

The North District Planning and Construction Committee approved the plan for the construction of the railway between Karmiel and Kiryat Shmona. The main goal of the project is to connect the northern settlements by train to the national metropolises, from Kiryat Shmona, through Karmiel, to the Haifa metropolis and through it a direct and continuous connection to all parts of the country.

The plan includes a double track with a length of about 54 km, from the Karmiel station to Kiryat Shmona, of which more than 20 km are in tunnels. The train is planned to travel at a speed of about 160 km/h, and the cost of building the project is estimated at about NIS 12 billion.

This is a complex and unique project, which includes challenging engineering systems, tunnels, complicated bridging, and other engineering components – such as the diversion of Highway 85 and interchanges, grade separations and the lowering of Highway 90 south of Sde Eliezer and Agmon Hula, and more. All of these constitute a design and performance challenge, which will ultimately enable this important transportation infrastructure. At the same time, the project is planned to integrate into the landscape and preserve the rural and natural character of the area.

The plan stipulates an upgrade of the Karmiel West train station, andPossibility of establishing five more passenger stations between the existing station in Karmiel West and Kiryat Shmona:

* Kiryat Shemona Station, a terminus that will serve the residents of Kiryat Shemona and surrounding communities, and the industrial and employment areas in the area, Tel Hai College and the University of the Galilee, the research and development institutes as well as the tourist sites in Hermon, the Golan Heights and the Finger of the Galilee.

* The Hazor HaGalilit station (Zachar) is intended to be a central passenger station adjacent to a regional transportation center, which will serve the residents of Safed, Hazor HaGalilit, Rosh Pina, the center of the Golan Heights and Katsrin, the industrial areas, government institutions and the medical center in Safed, as well as the tourist sites In addition, the plan allows for the establishment of an exit station for the cable car to Safed.

* The Karmiel – Nahaf Mizrah station (the Karmiel regional industrial area), which will serve the residents of Karmiel, Nahaf, the east of Beit HaKerem valley, and the surrounding communities, and of course will support the business and economic activity of the central industrial and commercial area of ​​the region.

* Possibility of a future station – the Agmon Hula station/junction 28, is marked in the plan as a symbol (a search area and not a detailed plan), which will allow in the future, after the construction of the approved stations in the plan, to build a passenger station mainly for tourism and recreation purposes and connection to the high mountain settlements.

* Possibility of a future station – the Marom HaGalil station, marked in the plan as a symbol (a search area and not a detailed plan), to serve passengers to the Rashbi’s Tomb and surrounding communities.

In addition to the passenger stations, the rail plan will allow for the future development of cargo terminals, which will be promoted as part of complementary plans, so that the rail network can be used to transport cargo from the Kiryat Shmona area, the Zachar industrial area, Dalton, the Golan Heights, the Sakhenin Valley and the Beit HaKerem Valley , to the sea and air ports.

Chairman of the District Planning and Construction Committee for the North, Boaz Yosef: “The approval of the plan is another step towards realizing the vision of the District Committee to strengthen the North, both economically and socially. The train to Kiryat Shmona will enable the connection of the far north to the center and the south of the country. The railway line will directly help Karmiel, Nahaf, Rosh Pina, Hazor HaGalilit and Kiryat Shmona. We expect to see more plans to connect all the northern settlements to the rail network, including Tiberias, the Lower Galilee, the Jordan Valley and the Golan Heights.”

The Northern District Planner at the Planning Administration, Dekla Adi-Peretz: “This is an important and very complex plan that, as part of its development, the district committee examined many aspects in order to balance various considerations, including the engineering, physical, urban, environmental, scenic aspects, as well as maintaining property rights on the one hand The needs of the general public. Along with the significant engineering development, the committee saw great importance in preserving the existing character of these regions, including the Hula Valley, and integrating the track and the train stations into the existing and planned urban development.”