Jerusalem Transport Budget, Including Western Wall Cablecar Project, Approved For 2026

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Jerusalem is in the midst of a large-scale and unprecedented transportation transformation, following the approval of the Ministry of Transport’s 2026 budget, which allocates extensive resources to the development of transportation infrastructure in the city and to its direct connection with the central region and the rest of the country. The budget, approved by the government, includes a series of mega-projects aimed at creating a complete and efficient alternative to private car use

The initiative includes the construction of light rail lines and Israel Railways lines, extensions of existing routes, interchanges, bicycle paths, transit terminals, and comprehensive upgrades to accessibility and service. According to the Ministry of Transport, these steps are expected to significantly shorten travel times, reduce congestion, and enable easy, fast, and environmentally friendly mobility for residents of the capital and its visitors.

According to the ministry’s vision, by 2030 Jerusalem will become the first city in Israel where it will be easy to get around without the need for a private car. The city’s light rail network is based on the “15-minute city” concept, connecting neighborhoods, employment centers, educational institutions, and leisure areas through a continuous and accessible public transportation system.

The Red Line of the light rail, Israel’s first, currently operates at full capacity along 22 kilometers, following the completion of its northern and southern extensions. The line serves approximately 260,000 passengers per day, with trains running every six minutes during peak hours, and constitutes the backbone of public transportation in the city.

During 2026, the Green Line is expected to open, connecting Gilo in the south to Mount Scopus in the north, via Malha, the Government Quarter, and Ramat Eshkol. The line will be 21 kilometers long, include approximately 40 new stations, and connect with the Red Line at two central hubs. Its budget is estimated at about NIS 14 billion.

The Blue Line, currently at advanced construction stages, will cross the city from Ramot to Gilo via Golda Meir Boulevard, Har Hotzvim, King George Street, Keren Hayesod, and the First Station complex. Its planned length is 31 kilometers, with 53 stations, and it is expected to serve about 200,000 trips per day. The line is scheduled to open in 2029, with an estimated budget of NIS 15.6 billion.

As part of the budget, an extension of the eastern branch of the Blue Line from the Talpiot area to Armon HaNatziv was also approved. This extension will add approximately three kilometers and five new stations, completing connectivity between all light rail lines and enabling urban renewal and the construction of about 40,000 housing units in the Talpiot–Armon HaNatziv area.

Additional lines are also being advanced, including the Yellow Line, which will connect the Knesset to the Dung Gate in the Old City and is expected to open in 2029, and the Brown Line, planned to serve East Jerusalem residents from the Atarot route to Tzur Baher, currently in early planning stages.

In the metropolitan context, a budget was allocated to complete planning for connecting Beit Shemesh to Jerusalem’s mass transit system, using high-capacity, high-speed solutions, including BRT (Bus Rapid Transit).

Another major project is the underground extension of the high-speed railway to Jerusalem, from Yitzhak Navon Station into the city center and onward to the Khan Station. The extension, 5.3 kilometers long, will include two new stations at a depth of approximately 80 meters: Jerusalem Center on Jaffa Road, and Jerusalem–Khan near Liberty Bell Park. Upon completion, train frequency between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem will double to 13 trains per hour in each direction.

In addition, the cable car project to the Western Wall was approved, connecting the Khan Station complex to the Dung Gate and improving access to the Old City. Once all projects are completed, the Khan Station area is expected to become a unique transportation hub, integrating intercity rail, the light rail network, and the cable car.

The primary objective of the cable car project is to improve access to the Old City and significantly ease existing traffic congestion in the area. The planned route is 1.4 kilometers long and includes 73 cable cars, with a capacity of 3,000 passengers per hour in each direction. The cable car route consists of three segments:

Segment A–B: From the departure station at the Old Railway Station complex in western Jerusalem to an operational Station B, which is not intended for passengers. This station serves to change the route angle and includes an underground depot for approximately 70 cabins, allowing regulation of cabin numbers according to demand. The route passes above the southern edge of Bible Hill, where two support pylons are installed.

Segment B–C: From the depot at Station B to a second passenger station at Mount Zion (Station C), crossing the Ben Hinnom Valley perpendicularly.

Segment C–D: From the Mount Zion passenger station to the arrival station (Station D) above the approved Kedem Center building near the Western Wall. This segment passes near the Diaspora Yeshiva, over parts of the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu grounds, over part of the Focolare Institute property, above residential homes in the Ein Hilweh neighborhood, along Malkizedek Street, and ends at Station D.

Minister of Transport and Road Safety Miri Regev stated:
“Jerusalem is today at the peak of a historic transportation revolution. The 2026 budget allows us to realize the vision of connecting Israel in the capital as well, and to provide its residents with an advanced, accessible, and well-connected transportation system worthy of the eternal capital of the Jewish people.”

She added: “By the end of the decade, Jerusalem will be the first city in Israel where all neighborhoods are connected by an advanced mass transit system, and the first city where there will be no need for a private car in everyday life.”

Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion said:
“Jerusalem is in the midst of one of the largest transportation development booms ever carried out in Israel. The rail network will connect the city from end to end and provide residents with a real, efficient, and convenient alternative to private vehicles, while improving quality of life and the urban economy.”

Director General of the Ministry of Transport, Moshe Ben Zaken, added:
“The massive investments approved for Jerusalem are the result of professional planning and coordinated work with the municipality. This is one of the most advanced transportation systems in the world, strengthening connectivity and ensuring a reliable, efficient, and accessible system for the residents of the capital.”