Israel Railways faced major disruptions Sunday morning, one of the busiest times of the week, as soldiers return to their bases after the weekend, after metal parts fell from a freight train car and blocked a railway line in the Haifa area.
Train service was halted, preventing northbound travel until the metal parts could be cleared and the damage on the section repaired.
As a result, all stations north of HaMifratz Central remained inactive, leaving passengers in the Haifa bay area (Krayot), Nahariya, Afula, Karmiel and intermediate stations to find alternative transportation. Stations that remained open were left dealing with heavy crowding and large numbers of stranded passengers.
Adding to the disruption, a localized operational malfunction was identified at the Hof HaCarmel station, leading to the closure of its western entrance. That created unusual congestion at the main entrance. “People were crushed, it was terrible,” one passenger said. “We need answers. What the hell is going on here, and why can’t citizens in this country have one quiet day?”
Another passenger described the situation as chaotic and unsafe. “I got on the train after an hour of what felt like a military endurance march and abnormal crowding, just to reach a train from HaMifratz Central to Hof HaCarmel toward the center of the country, because they canceled the track between them and did not provide an organized alternative like proper shuttles,” she said.
“Instead, they let everyone crowd onto the Metronit buses and fend for themselves in a way that left no air to breathe. Everyone was pushing each other to get on first. It makes no sense, and it certainly isn’t safe.”
Passenger Michael Solomon, who left Karmiel on Sunday morning for Tel Aviv, also described a difficult journey. “What is happening at Israel Railways is simply endless incompetence and negligence,” he told ynet. “After my wife and I carefully checked the railway app last night and confirmed that the train was leaving Karmiel station at 6:59 a.m., we arrived in the morning and discovered that once again, the trip would not be easy.”
Solomon said the Karmiel station manager told passengers that all direct trains to Tel Aviv had been canceled and that the train would reach only Haifa Lev HaMifratz station. “He said free shuttles would be waiting for passengers there, but when we arrived there, we discovered they had lied to us,” Solomon said. “No shuttles and no nothing. Railway employees at HaMifratz Central sent us to the Metronit or to buses and said, ‘That’s already your responsibility.’ The disgrace simply could not be worse.” Solomon said he intends to sue Israel Railways over his travel expenses.
Israel Railways initially said that “teams are working to restore service to normal. The incident is being examined and investigated. We apologize for the inconvenience.” The company later said the incident was expected to end “in the coming hours.”