Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) and his wife Sara (3rd L) attend the inauguration ceremony of the Light Rail Red Line at a station in Petah Tikva, north of Tel Aviv, Israel, on Aug.17, 2023. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)
JERUSALEM, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The first light rail in Tel Aviv, Israel's financial capital, was inaugurated in an official ceremony on Thursday, ahead of its first commercial drive on Friday.
In the ceremony at the Kiryat Aryeh operational center in Petah Tikvah city, north of Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu snipped a red ribbon at a rail station entrance.
"This is a festive event for Israel. Today, we are realizing Israel's transport vision," he said, adding that the rail will "link cities and enhance connectivity between them."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C) attends the inauguration ceremony of the Light Rail Red Line at a station in Petah Tikva, north of Tel Aviv, Israel, on Aug.17, 2023. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)
The rail, currently operational on a single line known as the Red Line, will commence its first commercial service on Friday morning.
The Red Line connects Tel Aviv with four smaller cities in the metropolitan coastal area -- Bat Yam, Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, and Petah Tikvah.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a model of a light rail tram during the inauguration ceremony of the Light Rail Red Line at a station in Petah Tikva, north of Tel Aviv, Israel, on Aug.17, 2023. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)
According to a press release issued by the Transportation Ministry, the 24-km line has 34 stops, ten of them located underground. It is expected to accommodate around 234,000 commuters daily.
Two additional lines, the Purple Line and the Green Line, are currently under construction. ■
