Haifa metro: scheme, photo description
The public underground funicular transport in the Israeli city of Haifa is called Carmelite. The length of its lines is only two kilometers, and the number of stations serving passengers is six. The Haifa metro transports a little more than 2,500 passengers per day, which is about 730 thousand per year..
The Haifa metro is essentially a funicular connecting three districts: the coast in the Lower City, the Adar plateau, which houses the cultural center, the city hall and educational institutions, and the residential area at the top of Mount Carmel. Due to the narrowness of the streets and traffic jams, the bus service between these areas causes many problems, and its organization is criticized by the townspeople..
In 1956, construction work on the Haifa metro, which is more suitable for the name «funicular», successfully started. In October 1959, the metro began its work, and the first passengers gladly descended into the paved tunnel..
Today, Haifa's Carmelite is the only form of public transport that allows passengers to get from the Lower City to the Carmel area in 10 minutes and does not depend on traffic jams on the streets during rush hours..
Haifa Carmelite stations are labeled in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Escalators at stations work only in the ascent mode, and information boards show both the waiting time of the next train, and current news reports, including the weather forecast.
Haifa metro opening hours
The Haifa Metro opens at 6 a.m. on all days except Saturday or holiday. These days the stations are ready to receive the first passengers at 19.00. The metro closes on Fridays and on the eve of holidays at 15.00, and on all other days it runs until midnight.
The waiting interval for the train is usually about 10 minutes, the distance between the terminal stations of the carmelite trains overcome in eight minutes.
Haifa metro tickets
You can pay for the Haifa metro by purchasing a ticket from the machines at the entrance to the station platforms. There are single-trip tickets, multi-trip tickets, day passes, and monthly passes. The purchased single ticket is valid for one day after the sale and at any of the stations.
In Haifa, you can buy a single ticket that gives you the right to use not only the services of the Carmelite, but also the city bus.
Discounts on ticket purchases are available to children under 18 and retirees, and such concessionary travel documents can cost up to 50% less than regular ones..
