City bus lines will resume operation on Fridays and Saturdays - trains at the end of the month

The ministry of Transportation announced today that the city bus lines will resume operation on Fridays and Saturdays. In areas where buses also operated on Saturdays, activity will resume throughout the weekend. They also announced that the train would return to operate on a limited basis from the following week between Sunday and Thursday. The last time the bus lines operated at the weekend was on the weekend of March 14-13.
The National Public Transport Authority of the Ministry of Transport has determined that the municipal public transport lines that operate during the week will continue their activities on the weekends as well. But no activity will be resumed for lines that have been stopped.
In light of the heavy load created at bus stations yesterday following the 20-passenger limit, the authority said they are working to satisfy public transport use requirements within the limit of the number of passengers. The gradual return to public transport and limiting the number of passengers cut the supply of buses by two-thirds, leading to an extreme burden on the public transport system and buses in particular, while the train is not yet operational.
The National Public Transport Authority calls on the public to heed the instructions, make sure to wear a mask during the ride, not travel if suffering from Corona symptoms, and mention that cash cannot be paid or charged by the driver.
The 15-minute chief executive of the organization, Shimrit Notman, said after the announcement: "Looking at public transport on weekends was about 'non-essential needs' transport. And so she did not return, in line with the Ministry of Health. In a conversation we had with Minister Smutrich last weekend, we emphasized that weekend transport is also used by travelers who need to travel to work, shopping and study.
Rail traffic will be resumed on a gradual basis starting this Sunday, provided that the Ministry of Health is required by the Health Orders Regulations.
The train said today that, in accordance with the Ministry of Health's instructions, train passengers will be required to take social responsibility similar to all public places, which include maintaining social distance, wearing a mask and avoiding travel in the event of illness symptoms. "The Israel Railways will provide information to passengers to emphasize the Ministry of Health's instructions, and will operate an increased inspection system at the entrances to the stations. The security guards will check the heat, ask the passengers, and will require a mask and hand sanitizer," it said.
Rail traffic will be resumed in two major stages, with the Ministry of Transport directing major routes, with changes in itineraries, on Sundays through Thursdays only.
Stations that will remain closed: Netanya Sapir; Beit Yehoshua; Herzliya; Raanana West; Raanana South; Hod Hasharon Sokolov; KP Nordau; Bnei Brak; Pati Modiin; Ben Gurion Airport; The zoo; Yom salt; Holon Wolfson; Holon Junction; Bat Yam Yoseftal; Mermaid Commemorative; Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan; Yavne West; Yavne East; Ashdod to Halom; Dimona.
Train said that upon completion of the first phase of operation at the end of the month, and subject to approval by the Ministry of Health, the service will be expanded and returned to activity lines and other stations.
Upon the full return of the rail traffic to the routine, the train will continue to accelerate the rail clearing project as well as other projects such as the eastern track, which will require continued changes in rail traffic in the southern and Sharon area in the coming months.
 It is not certain that the outline for the operation of the train will be able to meet the demand for many passengers north of the center of the country every day. First, the trip below you at Netanya station where the passengers will board the trips to Tel Aviv. Second, the supply that the train will provide for passengers north of Netanya will also be cut. There are two lines in the routine that try to meet the demand of travelers from the north of the country to its center - the Nahariya Modiin line and the Nahariya Beer Sheva line.
According to the train announcement, the Nahariya Modiin line will operate from Nahariya to Netanya and the Nahariya Beer Sheva line will operate from Nahariya to Haifa. This change has two implications for north passengers: One - a more complicated trip - going from Nahariya to Tel Aviv will replace a train in Haifa and board a shuttle in Netanya. The second and more significant one - the reduction in supply in relation to demand - if two lines were operating on the segment between Haifa and the center of the country, now one line would operate. As a result, instead of three trains from Haifa to the center during peak hours, only two trains will travel. Each train carries 1000-800 passengers. Each shuttle can carry 20 passengers.