Israel Approves Extension of Tel Aviv Metro Line M1 to Eastern Railway Corridor

The National Infrastructure Committee (NIFC) has approved the extension of Tel Aviv's Metro Line M1 by approximately 2.5 kilometers to the Eastern Railway Corridor. This extension will include two new metro stations: one in the Yosafat neighborhood and another at the new integrated transport hub "Kfar Saba North," adjacent to a planned railway station on the Eastern Railway. The hub will combine metro, heavy rail, and a park-and-ride facility, significantly improving accessibility and public transportation in Kfar Saba, the Samaria region, and northeastern Tel Aviv metropolitan areas.

During the committee discussions, a proposal to connect the already approved metro branches of Ra'anana and Kfar Saba was considered but ultimately rejected due to concerns it would reduce train frequency. Instead, the committee favored extending the Kfar Saba branch independently. The route will be mostly underground, with some elevated sections near the Eastern Railway station. Despite the executing company, NTA, opposing a metro station in Yosafat due to low demand forecasts, the committee, following the Planning Administration's recommendation, included the station to support the area's expected urban renewal under the TAMA/2040 plan. This plan anticipates increasing housing units in Yosafat from about 930 to 4,200, promoting transit-oriented development and maximizing building rights per TAMA 70 principles.

The Dan metropolitan metro system currently under development will feature about 150 kilometers of underground tracks and 109 stations. The M1 extension to the Eastern Railway follows years of planning debates, with local authorities and planners advocating for the extension to create a direct link between the metro and the national rail network. This connection aims to expand metro ridership and reduce reliance on private vehicles. The National Planning and Building Council mandated feasibility studies on the extension, which confirmed its benefits. The NIFC's approval now advances the plan to the next stages of planning.

Ola Axelrad, head of the Metro and Mass Transit Division at the Planning Administration, described the extension as a strategic step in advancing Israel's mass transit system. She emphasized that the new metro station in Yosafat will be a catalyst for urban renewal, enabling modern, accessible, and mixed-use urban development in the neighborhood.