Jerusalem Launches Green Light Rail Line L3, Enhancing City Transit Network

Jerusalem is set to mark a significant milestone this Friday with the opening of the L3 light rail line, the first segment of the city's Green Line. Spanning 7 kilometers and featuring 13 stations (12 new and one shared), the line will connect the Tzurim station on Jaffa Street to the Malha neighborhood in southern Jerusalem, greatly improving accessibility for residents and visitors.

The expansion comes amid record public transport demand, with the existing Red Line (L1) recently surpassing 4.6 million monthly passengers. Initially, trains on L3 will run every 12 to 15 minutes, with plans to increase frequency to 8 to 10 minutes during peak hours as operations stabilize. The new line aims to alleviate congestion on the Red Line, reduce bottlenecks at central stations, and better manage tens of thousands of daily passengers.

L3 serves key urban hubs including Binyanei HaUma, the Government Complex, Hebrew University’s Givat Ram campus, the Botanical Gardens, Teddy Stadium, and Malha Mall. However, due to police and security directives, the station near Teddy Stadium and the Arena will be closed during major events, redirecting passengers to nearby stations such as Malha Mall.

Though the Green Line project was initially planned over a decade ago with an official launch slated for March 2026, delays caused by the October 7 war, heightened tensions with Iran, and supply chain disruptions pushed the opening from March to May, then June, and now August. The project has also faced vandalism and sabotage in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods, resulting in hundreds of millions of shekels in damages and security costs.

The L3 line’s launch transitions Jerusalem from a single-line system to Israel’s first intersecting light rail network, linking with the Red Line at two major transfer points and integrating with Israel Railways and intercity buses. Future expansions include the L4 line connecting Gilo and a northern extension toward Mount Scopus. Transport officials expect the full network to open within one to two years.

Transport team CEO Tamir Cohen described the network as a "historic step" that will boost connectivity, accessibility, and economic growth, encouraging government employees and others to shift from private cars to public transit. Transport Minister Miri Regev and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion toured the route ahead of the launch, calling it a "major step" and a "historic day" for the capital that will reduce traffic congestion.