The new cable car in Haifa is intended to connect the main train station with two important academic institutions. The test phase has now begun.
For the first time, a public transport cable car in Israel carried passengers on Thursday. The ride was part of the test phase of the line in Haifa, which is scheduled to open on October 10. It begins at the Lev HaMifratz station, the main train station of the northern Israeli coastal city. Other stops include the Technion and the university, both located on Mount Carmel.
The route from the train station to the university is 4.4 kilometers long and covers an elevation difference of 460 meters. The gondolas will take 19 minutes for the journey. A ride costs approximately €1.58.
There are a total of 148 gondolas, each with eight seats and two standing places, reports the newspaper "Ma'ariv". A gondola is scheduled to depart every 15 seconds. Although public transport is permitted in Haifa on Shabbat, passengers can only use the cable car six days a week, as it is under the supervision of the Ministry of Transport.
"One of the safest and most modern means of transportation"
The transport company Netivei Israel and the Ministry have invested nearly 90 million euros in the project. They see the cable car as a good alternative to buses and private vehicles, which could reduce traffic jams and parking problems. However, the newspaper "Yediot Aharonot" points out that there are currently not many parking spaces available at the main train station. The transport company anticipates, however, that many passengers arriving from the north will use public transportation even before they reach the station. From their perspective, the cable car is one of the safest and most modern means of transportation in the world.
The project was initiated by former mayor Jona Jahav (Kadima), whose term ended in November 2018. Regarding the maiden voyage, he said, "When I hear that the cable car is already transporting its first passengers as part of its test run, it deeply moves me." The planned opening coincides with the start of the new academic year at Israeli universities.
