Team 3 Group was chosen on Monday to construct and operate the Nofit Light Rail which will connect the cities of Haifa, Nof HaGalil and Nazareth in northern Israel.
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The conglomerate—comprising Alstom, Electra Group and Minarv Group—secured the international tender for the new rail line issued by the Transportation Ministry and the Trans-Israel Company at the tail end of a rigorous professional screening process.
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Computer-generated simulation of Nofit Light Rail
(Illustration: Trans-Israel Company)
The Nofit Light Rail, one of Israel's most ambitious public transportation infrastructure projects, is expected to serve as an economic and social growth engine for Israel's entire northern region and connect the northern periphery with the country's center.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev welcomed the selection as "great news for residents of the north, signaling renewal and growth, of connecting the periphery to the center, of freedom of movement and choice in employment."
She added that the involvement of leading Israeli and international firms in the tender "demonstrates an impressive expression of confidence in the resilience, stability and future of the Israeli economy."
"On behalf of the residents of the north and all residents of Israel, I congratulate the winning group and promise to assist in every way so that this important project will be completed as soon as possible and bring significant change to the entire northern region. I wish us all a successful journey," she concluded.
The Nofit Light Rail project has already gone underway with initial infrastructure preparations. The next phase, which started earlier this week, will follow the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, aligning with previous successful projects like the Jerusalem Light Rail, Highway 6, the Carmel Tunnels in Haifa and others.
Team 3 Group companies will oversee the design, construction, supply and installation of all the project’s rail systems, including signaling, communication, electrification, ticketing and passenger information; the construction of tracks, stations, maintenance and parking complex (depot) and control center; the purchase of carriages and equipment; and the line’s operation and maintenance for a period of about 25 years. Work is expected to start next year and is expected to last about 4 years.
The project aims to meet the growing population and job demands in the northern metropolitan area. By 2040, Nazareth's urban population is expected to increase by 40%, while Shfaram and Kiryat Ata could see a 70% rise. Employment is also projected to grow by 60% during this period.
The Nofit Light Rail project is set to transform transportation for residents in the north. This project will introduce a fast, readily available and accessible mode of transport by linking localities in the northern metropolitan area, including the Haifa–Krayot and Nof HaGalil–Nazareth hubs.
Nofit represents a cutting-edge and eco-friendly transportation option and will be electrically powered using innovative and sustainable technology. Marking a first in Israel, it will allow for seamless travel across urban and intercity areas without the need to switch transportation modes.
The Nofit Light Rail route will span roughly 25.5 miles (approximately 41 kilometers) and will feature around 20 stations, some with adjacent "park and ride" facilities, depot complex and control center.
About 30 trains will operate along the line with a maximum frequency of every 4 minutes, and about 100,000 are expected to travel on it per day at a travel speed of up to 62 mph (100 km/h) in the intercity sections.
Transportation Ministry Director-General Moshe Ben Zaken hailed the initiative as "a historic day for residents of the north and for all residents of Israel."
"The early screening and tender procedures were conducted with the utmost professionalism and I am confident that we have chosen a group that will know how to meet the goals and schedules that have been set," he said.
"The Transportation Ministry will act with full commitment to ensure the success of the project and will remove any obstacle that may stand in its way, while cooperating closely with the local authorities along the route and with the various government ministries."
Trans-Israel CEO Dan Shenbach said that the company was proud to lead the project, the implementation of which has already begun.
"The project is of tremendous importance to the economic resilience of the State of Israel and it will serve as a significant growth engine for the economy in general, and the north in particular," he said.
"The groups that participated in the tender, consisting of leading international and Israeli companies, is the result of fruitful cooperation and reflects an expression of confidence in the Israeli economy, which is being reinforced these days."