JERUSALEM, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- The first light rail line of Israel's coastal city of Tel Aviv, built in partnership with Chinese companies, will open to the public on Aug. 18, Israel's Ministry of Transport and Road Safety announced Friday.
The announcement came after the final approvals regarding the trains' safety and operation were received from two German testing companies, according to a ministry statement.
The new Tel Aviv light rail, named the Red Line, will utilize electric trains developed and manufactured by CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd., a Chinese company that won an Israeli government bid to supply the carriages. The trains are projected to carry a maximum of 500 passengers each.
The 24-km rail line, with 11 km running through tunnels, will traverse five cities in the densely populated Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area.
Along the route are 34 stations, 24 out of which are above ground. The line is expected to serve about 234,000 passengers on a daily basis, with a frequency of six minutes, according to the state-owned company Metropolitan Mass Transit System.
The construction of the stations, tunnels, and tracks on the red line, as well as the electrical and communication systems, were carried out by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation and its Chinese partnership CRTG-EEB, along with the Israeli companies Solel Boneh and Danya Cebus.
Two more lines are expected to be opened in the Tel Aviv light rail project, which will eventually cover 14 cities and have 139 stations with a total length of 90 km.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
