Israel’s Ministry of Transport and Road Safety has launched a major project aimed at developing the transport infrastructure in the Haifa agglomeration.
According to information released by the Ministry, the National Infrastructure Committee (NIC) has approved the reconstruction project for the Hamifratz integrated transport complex, one of the country’s largest logistics and transport centers, and sent it for the next review stage.
Currently considered Haifa’s northern transport gateway, the Hamifratz complex serves approximately 30,000 passengers daily. More than 4,500 trips are carried out daily from the hub across 75 bus routes.
The complex integrates suburban and intercity railway lines, the ongoing
light rail line, the cable car connecting Hamifratz with Technion and Haifa University, as well as metro lines linking Haif
The project, designated «NIC-185,» предусматриates a significant increase in the capacity of the bus terminal and the expansion of its operational areas. The modernization is intended to accommodate the expected growth in passenger traffic resulting from urban development projects and the construction of new residential neighborhoods in the Haifa Bay area and surrounding regions.
The ministry stated that the existing infrastructure has already reached the limits of its capacity. This prevents the introduction of new routes and the increase of public transport service frequency.
One of the project’s main objectives is to create the conditions for a full transition to electric public transportation. Expanding the complex will enable more efficient use of electric buses, optimize logistics, and ensure seamless passenger transfers between trains, the metro, buses, and other modes of transport.
The initiative is part of a national strategic program covering approximately 650 infrastructure facilities across Israel. The program aims to reduce citizens’ dependence on private vehicles by developing an accessible and reliable public transportation system.
Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev said that the development of the Hamifratz transportation hub is of strategic importance not only for Haifa but for the entire northern region of the country. According to her, the project will strengthen transport links between Haifa, its surrounding communities, and northern Israel.
Director General of the Ministry of Transport Moshe Ben-Zaken stated that implementing the «NIC-185» plan is a necessary step to adapt the public transportation system to growing passenger demand. He stressed that the project will enable the launch of new routes and significantly reduce travel times for tens of thousands of residents in northern Israel.