# Red Line (Jerusalem Light Rail)

The Red Line is the first section in operation of the light rail system in Jerusalem, known as the Jerusalem Light Rail. It became fully operational on December 1, 2011. The original line is 13.9 kilometers (8.6 mi) long with 23 stops. Extensions to the Red Line to the north of Neve Yaakov and to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital to the southwest were completed in February 2025 extending the line's length to 22.5 km (14.0 mi).
With a total estimated cost for the initial section of the line of 3.8 billion NIS (approx. US $1.1 billion), the project was criticized for budget overruns, for its route serving east Jerusalem and for contributing to air and noise pollution during construction.

## Stations

List of Jerusalem Light Rail Red Line stations :
| Station | Street | Location | Neighborhood |
| Hadassah Ein Kerem הדסה עין כרם | Kalman Yaakov Man Street | | Ein Kerem Medical Center |
| Medical School בית הספר לרפואה | Kalman Yaakov Man Street | Near the entrance of the Hebrew University Ein Kerem Campus. | Ein Kerem Medical Center |
| Ora Junction צומת אורה | Henrietta Szold Street | At the end of Henrietta Szold Street and near the entrance of the moshav Ora. | Kiryat Menahem |
| Kiryat Menahem קרית מנחם | Henrietta Szold Street | | Kiryat Menahem |
| Henrietta Szold–East הנרייטה סולד – מזרח | Henrietta Szold Street | | Kiryat Menahem |
| HaMifletzet Playground גן המפלצת | Arthur Hantke Street | Border between Arthur Hantke Street and Henrietta Szold street. | Kiryat HaYovel |
| Kiryat HaYovel–West קרית היובל – מערב | Arthur Hantke Street | | Kiryat HaYovel |
| Shmaryahu Levin שמריהו לוין | Arthur Hantke Street | | Kiryat HaYovel |
| Mount Herzl הר הרצל | Herzl Boulevard | Corner of HaPisga Street | Bayit VeGan |
| Yefeh Nof יפה נוף | Herzl Boulevard | Corner of Shmuel Bait Street | Beit HaKerem |
| Denia Square כיכר דניה | Herzl Boulevard | Corner of HaArazim Street at Denia Square | Beit HaKerem |
| He-Haluts החלוץ | Herzl Boulevard | Corner of HeHaluts Street | Beit HaKerem |
| Kiryat Moshe קריית משה | Herzl Boulevard | Corner of HaRav Zvi Yehuda Street | Kiryat Moshe |
| Central Station התחנה המרכזית | Jaffa Road | Located between the Central Bus Station and Navon railway station | Romema |
| Ha-Turim הטורים | Jaffa Road | Near Nordau Street | Mahane Yehuda |
| Mahane Yehuda מחנה יהודה | Jaffa Road | Near Mahane Yehuda Market | Mahane Yehuda |
| Ha-Davidka ה"דוידקה" | Jaffa Road | Corner of Street of the Prophets at Davidka Square | City Center |
| Jaffa–Center יפו – מרכז | Jaffa Road | Corner of King George and Straus Streets | City Center |
| City Hall העיריה | Jaffa Road | Near Safra Square | City Center |
| Damascus Gate שער שכם | Heil HaHandassa Street | Corner of Sultan Suleiman Street | City Center |
| Shivtei Israel שבטי ישראל | Heil HaHandassa Street | Corner of Shivtei Israel Street | Beit Yisrael |
| Shim'on Ha-Tsadik שמעון הצדיק | Haim Bar Lev Boulevard | Corner of Shimon HaTsadik Street | Sheikh Jarrah |
| Ammunition Hill גבעת התחמושת | Haim Bar Lev Boulevard | Corner of Levi Eshkol Boulevard | French Hill |
| Giv'at Ha-Mivtar גבעת המיבתר | Shuafat Road | Corner of Sheshet HaYamim Street | Givat HaMivtar, French Hill |
| Es-Sahl א-סהל | Shuafat Road | Corner of Umm Al-Amed Street | Shuafat |
| Shu'afat שועפאט | Shuafat Road | Corner of Ben Rabah Street | Shuafat |
| Beit 'Hanina בית חנינא | Yekutiel Adam Street | Corner of Beit Hanina Street | Beit Hanina |
| Yekuti'el Adam יקותיאל אדם | Yekutiel Adam Street | Corner of Moshe Dayan Boulevard | Pisgat Ze'ev |
| Pisgat Ze'ev Center פסגת זאב מרכז | Moshe Dayan Boulevard | Near Hapisga Mall | Pisgat Ze'ev |
| Sayeret Dukhifat סיירת דוכיפת | Moshe Dayan Boulevard | Corner of Sayeret Dukhifat Street | Pisgat Ze'ev |
| 'Heil Ha-Avir חיל האויר | Moshe Dayan Boulevard | Corner of Heil HaAvir Street | Pisgat Ze'ev |
| Moshe Dayan משה דיין | Moshe Dayan Boulevard | | Pisgat Ze'ev |
| Mazal Kashat מזל קשת | Moshe Dayan Boulevard | Corner of Moshe Dayan Boulevard and Neve Yaakov Boulevard | Pisgat Ze'ev |
| Itzhak Tavenkin יצחק טבנקין | Neve Yaakov Boulevard | | Pisgat Ze'ev |
| Neve Yaakov נווה יעקב | Neve Yaakov Boulevard | | Neve Yaakov |

## Future

Initial extensions to the Red Line were planned to the neighborhoods of Neve Yaakov in Northeast Jerusalem and Ein Karem (near Hadassah Hospital) in the Southwest. Former mayor Uri Lupolianski stated that they would be completed at the same time as the rest of the line. In 2008, French company Egis Rail won an 11.9 million Euro contract to carry out some of the design work. However, in March 2009, CityPass turned down implementing the project. In May 2010, the Jerusalem Municipality announced that the extensions would be built by the state authorities rather than a private company. The extension to Hadassah Hospital from Mount Herzl was particularly challenging and involved a complex path with complicated bridging works. The line's terminal station next to Hadassah's inpatient building was built during the construction of the inpatient building in order not to disrupt hospital operations later after the new building was be completed. At one point, branches to the Red Line were planned that would create a "campus line" connecting the Mount Scopus and Givat Ram campuses of the Hebrew University, but it was decided that this function will be accomplished by the future Green Line.
The Red Line extension of the Jerusalem Light Rail, intended to reach Hadassah Hospital and Neve Yaakov, has faced several delays. Initially set for completion in July 2023, the project’s timeline has been extended, with the new expected start of operations being no earlier than November 2024. The delay has been attributed to budgetary issues, infrastructure challenges, and a shortage of manpower. Infrastructure works are completed in certain segments, with others still under construction.
Eventually, the extensions of the Red Line to Neve Yaakov and Hadassah Ein Kerem opened on February 25th 2025.