Transportation in Israel - statistics & facts
Despite efforts to improve public transportation, Israeli passenger have largely remained reliant on their private vehicles, alongside moderate use of public transit system. Over the past decade, the number of private cars in the country has consistently grown each year to reach 3.5 million in 2023. Moreover, the motorization rate in the country has also grown to over 360 passenger cars to every 1,000 people. Nonetheless, since the late 2010s, the government and private sector have invested heavily to improve mass transit and offer the public an alternative to vehicle ownership. The most anticipated project was the construction of a light rail in Tel Aviv, linking the commercial capital to its the greater metropolitan area. The first line was opened in August 2023 and is forecast to carry 240,000 passengers a day. Two further lines are expected to enter service by the end of the decade. A single-line light rail system of this type has operated in Jerusalem since August 2011. The total annual ridership of Israeli railways reached over 62 million in 2023.
