IR achieved a first-quarter net profit of Shekels 9.5m this year compared with a net loss of Shekels 11m for the same period in 2018.

IR improved its performance despite strikes and achieving only a small increase in income to Shekels 613.5m compared with Shekels 611m in the first quarter of 2018. IR attributes the switch to first-quarter profitability to a reorganisation and an efficiency drive as well retiring staff who were nearing their retirement age.

Average daily passenger traffic increased by 1.6% to 253,000 journeys compared with the first quarter of 2018, while average daily passenger traffic on the busy days of Sundays and Thursdays was up by 3.8% to 270,000 journeys.

A total of 17.3 million passengers were carried during the first quarter of 2019, representing a 2.9% increase. However, passenger revenue was down by almost 4% to Shekels 180m.

IR carried 2 million tonnes of freight during the first quarter of 2019, a drop of 9% compared with 2018 due to the strikes which paralysed operations for two weeks and caused disruption throughout the period. Freight revenue also fell by 9% to Shekels 42m. This resulted in IR’s freight business increasing its first-quarter loss by almost 30% to Shekels 23m.

New station

IR opened its 69th station on May 30 at Mazkeret Batyah on the line to Beer-Sheva south of Na'an junction. The station cost Shekels 60m to construct.