Trip Report J-Lem to Airport and Back
Train Trip Pics:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SCMOG62-Lf0sRRdOxNG6k5FNSI0J74Hq I took the train to try it out and some questions I had before I went was, Is it easy to get into the train station, how deep is platform and do you really have to go so far down, Is it doable with a luggage and/or kids, How long does the ride really take from leaving Yerushalyim to arriving in the airport, Is the ride scenic, Is the ride smooth, Ultimately I wanted to know is it a good alternative to taking a tender ( shared taxi) from the airport and is using this train a good alternative to taking buses if I want to go to Tel Aviv or points farther?
To start off, there is an underground tunnel from right outside the Central Bus Station in which you can walk through. The tunnel goes under the street and under the light rail tracks and leads you straight in to the main level of Navon Train Station. The Navon Station starts off a level below ground ( -1). This the level where any non-ticketed or non-security screened passengers can go. It also the level in which you buy train tickets, (you can also buy at ticketing area). For the first three months any train tickets you “buy” at the train station are free but specifically if you buy it at the Navon train station. Meaning that if you want to go Haifa just purchase a round trip ticket and you can go from Yerushalyim to Haifa for free – with a stop train change in the airport.
There was small line for security checks, after the security checks you go down the escalator to the ticketing level, if you already “bought” your ticket then you go through the electric turnstiles in which you put your Rav Kav on the machine and the electric gates open up. Then down three escalators, yes, three! By the last escalator there are big huge metal doors, probably its door to the bomb shelter, that’s where the bomb shelter starts! After the three escalators you walk down a small hallway and then there is a separation if you want to go platforms 1 & 2 or 3 & 4. Currently only platforms 1 & 2 are open. In order to get the platform you need to make a left and go down another smaller escalator and then finally you arrive at the platform level!
The train was already there when I got down there. I was probably around 8 minutes early. The train itself was a regular Israel Railways train. There was a really small gap in between platform and train, plus one or 2 steps to get on to train. They had a few seats right when you got on and then you were able to go up or down. The top was pretty full, I assume the bottom had more room but there the train overall had lots of people on it. There a small amount of space put suitcases in each rail car. Don’t how to describe so see picture. There are bathrooms are the train which are nice for anyone who has come from long plane ride and made sure to keep hydrated.
The ride is mainly in tunnels and some bridges and not that scenic. It does give a nice view of some random landscape however the most notable is bridge is the one that anyone that has been to Yerushalyim in the past 5 years have seen them building, the bridge that is along the new Highway One bridge. The bridge does offer so nice views and you ride on the bridge around 3 minutes after the Navon Train Station and the last nice view is approaching the airport you get pass by Terminal One, a view of parked airplanes and the Hertz Rental Car parking lot.
The ride itself took the 23 minutes, from the time we left Yershalyim till we arrived I got off the train in the airport. You arrive where all the trains arrive in the airport, a level below the arrivals. I however turned right back around and went right back on the train. The ride back also took exactly 23 minutes. The ride back was also emptier and there less people on the train.
Arriving back in Yerushalyim at the Navon Train Station I wanted to answer my questions about it is easy to use the train with strollers and/or suitcases so I made sure to find the elevators. The first elevator takes you from the platform to the platform split level ( you can either go to platform 1&2 or 3&4 on this level), then you need still to walk the small hallway and then instead of the 3 escalators you need can take an elevator all the way up the ticketing level, then from the elevator you need to switch elevator leave the “ticketing area” and go up another level to -1 level and from there you can take an elevator to street level. Meaning navigating four elevators.
Overall the experience was nice and it was fun to be able to go back and forth from Yershulayim to the Airport in less than an hour. I would definitely take the train to the airport if I was by myself and also with someone else ( aka. a wife or a friend) however If I had suitcases and a stroller I would think twice about doing it but its not crazy especially if you leave yourself enough time and you know exactly where all the elevators are and plan accordingly.