JERUSALEM, April 18 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli Ministry of Transport on Tuesday announced a five-year national plan to improve the country's transportation, focusing on public transport and road infrastructure.
The total cost of the plan stands at 50 billion shekels (13.7 billion U.S. dollars), the highest ever allocated by Israel for transportation, the ministry said.
The highlight of the plan is creating a rail connection between the northernmost city of Kiryat Shmona and the southernmost resort city of Eilat, which lies on the shores of the Red Sea.
On the future track, high-speed trains will run at speeds never before seen in Israel, similar to the "bullet trains" operating in other countries, the ministry noted.
The plan will also focus on promoting mass transportation, optimizing connectivity, reducing traffic jams, adding discounts on train and bus rides, and dealing with dangerous roads, it added. ■
