Israel Railways Revives Beit Shemesh Cargo Terminal

Israel Railways has recently inaugurated the renovated cargo terminal in Beit Shemesh, marking the first entry of a cargo train carrying dozens of steel coils weighing over a thousand tons into the city in 30 years. Throughout April, about 15 cargo trains carrying construction materials for local construction companies, quarry materials from nearby quarries, steel coils, aggregates, fabrics, wood, and more are expected to pass through the terminal.

The Ministry of Transport stated that "increasing the volume of cargo movement by train has many national benefits; reducing congestion on the roads and improving the safety of all road users, contributing to environmental quality by reducing the number of polluting trucks on the roads, and reducing consumer prices, as cargo movement by train is much more efficient and cost-effective, with each cargo train replacing about 70 heavy trucks."

Transport Minister Miri Regev said: "The Ministry of Transport is expanding and developing the national rail network, with an emphasis on the cargo transport network and its connection to Israel's seaports. Cargo transport by train is more efficient, safer, and more economical than by trucks. Therefore, I have instructed to promote the development of the cargo rail network, which includes the establishment of advanced terminals across the country. The reopening of the cargo terminal in Beit Shemesh marks another step towards realizing this vision."

Shiko Zana, CEO of Israel Railways, said: "The train terminal in Beit Shemesh, together with the Mediterranean seaport terminals, will make cargo transport by train accessible to industrial and logistics centers, thereby increasing the economic benefit to the national economy. At the same time, we continue to promote development projects across the country, which will contribute in the near future to national efforts to rehabilitate these areas, economic and transport strengthening, and improving the quality of life of the residents."