Travelling on the inaugural train was the current transport and road safety minister, Mr Bezalel Smotrich, the minister of foreign affairs and former transport minister, Mr Israel Katz, the general manager of Israel Railways, Mr Michael (Micha) Maiksner, and other dignitaries and passengers.
The Ben Gurion Airport - Jerusalem Navon section of the A1 link opened in September 2018. Since then the line has carried more than three million passengers with a daily average of about 10,000.
Up to now, trains have been restricted to 400 passengers/train. However, electric traction will enable longer trains to operate. Israel Railways also believes that traffic will grow as electrification progresses beyond Tel-Aviv Hahagana, to Tel-Aviv Hashalom, and Tel-Aviv Savidor/Central.
