After more than half a year: escalators at the country's busiest train station to be replaced
Disruptions and traffic restrictions are expected at the Tel Aviv HaShalom train station in the coming week, following works to replace faulty escalators after eight months of downtime. Access from the Azrieli Mall to Platform 1 and northbound trains will be blocked starting Tuesday, and will only be possible from across the road. Further works are expected later.
Eight months after they were completely shut down, new escalators will be installed at the Tel Aviv HaShalom train station, and passengers will once again have to deal with changes and traffic restrictions. The installation work will begin this coming Tuesday at 20:00 and will continue until the end of Saturday.
As a result, the station's northern passenger hall, adjacent to the Azrieli Mall, will be closed, and the descent to Platform 1 will be blocked. Israel Railways clarified that this does not involve the cancellation of northbound trains, but those wishing to board or exit at Tel Aviv HaShalom will be required to head to the southern passenger hall across the road.
The railway further noted that upon completion of the work at the end of the week, the escalators will not yet return to operation, as they must undergo inspection and receive licensing from authorized bodies before being opened to the public.
The escalators were first shut down at the beginning of the year due to recurring malfunctions. In February 2026, they became completely inoperable, leading to a severe impact on service at the busiest station, which handles between 50,000 and 60,000 passengers daily (approximately 17.2 million per year).
Israel Railways explained that the prolonged delay was due to the production and import process. The escalators are manufactured abroad according to special dimensions and orders, in accordance with the specific engineering conditions of the station, requiring significant time from design to arrival in Israel.
For the last six months, the entire traffic load fell on the few escalators still working in the southern hall. The heavy pressure created a bottleneck and long queues during peak hours. This also affected station accessibility, as passengers with disabilities, parents with strollers, and the elderly had to wait a long time for the few elevators, which were constantly occupied.
Now, with the equipment's arrival, the escalators will be replaced as part of a station upgrade project. For the time being, the descent to platforms 2 and 3 will continue as usual, but the railway notes that additional works are expected to be announced later.
