Israel Railways Offers Free Rides for Election Day
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Israel Railways will offer free train travel to all passengers from Monday evening, October 26, 2026, until the end of public transport on election day, October 27, 2026. Special arrangements include increased service on the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv line and a requirement for travel vouchers for Jerusalem-bound passengers due to police restrictions. The initiative aims to help citizens reach polling stations easily.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel Railways will provide free train travel for the upcoming election on October 27, 2026.
- Free travel begins Monday evening, October 26, and lasts through election day.
- Passengers must use paper tickets obtained from station machines, not Rav-Kav.
- Service on the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv line will increase to three trains per hour.
- Police restrictions require travel vouchers for passengers traveling to and from Jerusalem.
Israel Railways has announced special preparations for the upcoming 26th Knesset elections, scheduled for Tuesday, October 27, 2026. In a move to facilitate voter turnout, the public will be able to travel on all train services for free, a decision made by the Central Elections Committee. This free travel period will commence on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 8:00 PM and will continue until the end of public transportation services on election day.
Passengers are instructed to use paper tickets only, which can be obtained from ticket machines at train stations. They are advised against using Rav-Kav cards or transportation apps during this period. Israel Railways is also increasing service frequency on the Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon-Tel Aviv line, operating three trains per hour in each direction between 12:00 PM and 8:00 PM on election day, up from the usual two. The additional third train each hour will start and end its journey at Tel Aviv HaHagana station.
Additionally, in accordance with police directives, there are restrictions on the number of passengers traveling to and from Jerusalem. Travelers must obtain a travel voucher for each passenger based on their desired train before commencing their journey. These measures by Israel Railways are part of broader public transportation arrangements aimed at ensuring all citizens can conveniently reach polling stations across the country.
