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Accessibility Arrangements for Israel Railways Passengers

Our Commitment

Israel Railways is committed to providing accessible service at train stations and continues to act to improve accessibility for passengers with disabilities.
  • In order for us to prepare for your arrival ahead of time and provide you with the best service, we recommend that you arrange your trip in advance.
  • Our staff members undergo training on matters of accessibility and are skilled in accompanying passengers with disabilities and operating the ancillary means of accessibility at the train stations.





Ways of inquiring for coordinating a trip, for passengers with disabilities

  • At the Israel Railways website, using a trip coordination form for passengers with mobility disabilities.
  • By phone: National Hotline Center: *5770 (Extension 2). 
    Information can be obtained at the hotline center regarding: 
    - Schedules / trip times (Extension 1). 
    - Trip Coordination (Extension 2). 
    - Lost and Found (Ext. 3). 
    - Customer Service Inquiries (Extension 4).
  • By fax: (03) 610-4337. A fax number must be provided for an answer.
    The coordination center operates from Sunday to Thursday, from: 06:00 - 24:00 and on Fridays from: 06: 00-15: 00.
    Saturday evenings and public holiday: Half an hour after the end of Shabbat / public holiday until 24:00.
  • On Facebook: Israel Railways page - Online, Sunday to Thursday, from: 06:00 - 20:00 and Fridays from: 06:00 - 14:00.
  • After completing the coordination in full, you will be notified of the trip details to your mobile device.



Before the trip: Arrival at the train station


  • If you want to arrange a trip between 20:00 and 06:00, this must be done at least two hours in advance
  • A group of three or more passengers is requested to arrange a trip 24 hours in advance (at *5770 - extension 2), so that we can prepare accordingly.
  • Please note, you can contact the hotline service center during business hours, on any subject, even while traveling.
  • Please be sure to update us in advance, by contacting the information and customer service center (*5770 - extension 2), about any changes in your travel plans, so that we can prepare for this in time and assist you and the other passengers in the best possible manner.
  • In the event of an unforeseen slip-up, which prevents the coordinated trip from taking place, or does not allow us to assist you in boarding or alighting from the train, we will contact you as soon as possible, and offer you an alternative solution.
  • Passengers with disabilities, who travel by train at fixed times, can inform the information and customer service center (*5770 - extension 2) about fixed or pre-planned trip times. This is so that they will also receive assistance on subsequent trips, without the need for additional coordination.
  • To ensure timely boarding of the requested train, you must arrive at the station at least 15 minutes prior to the departure time of the train, so that we can assist you to get there on time.
  • At the Yitzhak Navon train station in Jerusalem, you must arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the departure time of the train.






Travel without Prior Arrangement

  • We highly recommend coordinating your trip in advance at the information and customer service center. In cases where you did not coordinate the trip in advance, an effort will be made to help you board the next train, but we cannot guarantee that you will indeed have time to board the train on which you planned to travel. In order for us to assist you, contact one of our staff as soon as you arrive at the train station.
  • Please note: At unmanned train stations, it is necessary to call the service center for help and guidance. In addition, keep in mind that if you arrive without prior arrangement, the waiting time for boarding the train may be longer than usual.


Accessibility at Train Stations

  • Access routes from the bus stations and the various means of transport, to the train stations in the Israel Railways premises area - are accessible.
  • Accessible parking spaces are available at stations where there is a designated parking lot for train passengers.
  • There is an accessible toilet cubicle at each station
  • At the ticket office, there are hearing boosting systems (inductor), a page and a pen at your request.
  • At stations where there is a manned Information Desk, a guiding loudspeaker is installed, which can be operated by a "Step hear" watch / app, for people with visual impairments. The station is marked in a color that is contrasted to the surroundings.
  • The stairs are marked with warning devices for the visually impaired and are equipped with stable bannisters.
  • There are tactile press buttons in the elevators accompanied by braille, mirrors and an 80 cm. wide entrance aperture.
  • There is a handicapped wheelchair lifting device on the platform to assist boarding the train, for passengers with disabilities. The lifting device is suitable for wheelchairs up to dimensions of 80 / 120 cm. and weighing up to 320 kg (wheelchair plus passenger).
  • Transparent walls, doors and partitions are marked with warning devices for the visually impaired.
  • Automatic machines for obtaining information or issuing tickets are accessible for wheelchairs and which include instructions for use in tactile lettering and in Braille.
  • Accessible information on current schedules is also available on the website, in apps and at the hotline service center
  • Schedules are available in booklets with an enlarged font, at the manned ticket offices.
  • Electronic information boards are installed at the stations, showing destinations and travel times. The information is displayed in yellow on a dark background and in static characters.
  • At all train stations there is a wheelchair for the use of passengers if necessary. For more details, please contact the station staff during business hours.
  • If you encounter an accessibility problem at the station, please inform the staff on site or the customer service center (*5770 - extension 2).
  • For addditional information about the various train stations, access routes, parking and options in the vicinity of the station





Accessibility in the Train Coaches

  • The southern coach on each train is accessible and intended for comfortable travel for passengers with disabilities (on the Herzliya – Jerusalem - Yitzhak Navon line, the northern coach is accessible for passengers with disabilities).
  • The access door is wide. There are aisles and accessible seats for people in wheelchairs, as well as a seat for an attendant.
  • There are designated and marked seats for people with disabilities, without wheelchairs (passengers assisted by walkers / visually impaired passengers / passengers accompanied by a guide dog or a service dog)
  • The coach has an accessible toilet cubicle except for old (SIEMENS) coaches 
  • The coach has a public address system for providing information and messages to passengers.
  • The coach has an information screen about the stations on the trip line.





Escorting and Assistance at Train Stations, for Passengers with Disabilities


Passengers requiring an escort are entitled to an escort and assistance in entering the coach.

What does the Service Include?

  • Assistance in boarding and alighting from the train only.
  • Escorting in the station area and assistance in getting around the departure train station, until arriving at the train. At the destination station: From the point of alighting from the train until exiting the train station. The escort (in addition to assisting in boarding and alighting from the train) is not obligated further under the provisions of the law, but we will make every effort to provide you with the best service.
  • Assistance in getting to the seat intended for people with disabilities.
  • Assistance in finding a seat.
  • Finding alternative solutions, while work is being carried out at the station that affects the accessibility of the station.


The service does not include:

  • Carrying suitcases or luggage.
  • For your safety, the station staff is not permitted to assist in performing personal activities such as: Feeding, bathing, dressing, operating an electric wheelchair and the like. A passenger who needs assistance in performing these operations, should arrive with a personal travel companion.
  • An escort is provided at stations only. We will not be able to accompany you during the entire train journey. The train inspector will make every effort to approach you during the journey and in any case will approach you before the train stops at the destination station, to ensure your alighting from the train safely.





Assistance with the Help of a Handicapped Wheelchair Elevator

  • Staff members assist passengers with disabilities who use a wheelchair, to board and alight from the accessible coach. This is done with the help of a hydraulic handicapped wheelchair lift, which bridges between the platform and the level of the coach.
  • For your safety, the handicapped wheelchair lift can only be operated while you are sitting in the wheelchair.
  • To keep you safe, it is strictly forbidden to use the handicapped wheelchair lift independently, assisted by a personal attendant, or with the help of another passenger. Assistance should only be obtained from the station staff!
  • Passengers who requested assistance in boarding and alighting from the train will meet a staff member at the entrance to the departure station and he will assist them with the help of the handicapped wheelchair lift. An additional staff member will be waiting for the passengers at the destination station upon arrival at the platform.



Wheelchair and scooter, suitable for use on the handicapped wheelchair lift

  • The handicapped wheelchair lift that bridges between the platform and the coach, is suitable for wheelchairs measuring 80 / 120 cm.
  • To ensure your safety, it will not be possible to use the handicapped wheelchair lift with a wheelchair that exceed these dimensions in size.
  • The maximum total permitted weight on the handicapped wheelchair lift (wheelchair + passenger) is up to 320 kg.
  • It is permissible to move around in train stations in manually and electrically powered wheelchairs.
  • All train stations are equipped with a wheelchair. For use if necessary, contact the station staff.


For Your Safety:

  • Do not charge batteries / batteries of an electric wheelchair / electric scooter in the train coaches.
  • Entering the station on a Segway scooter is prohibited
  • Mobility using a three-wheeled scooter intended for a passenger with a disability is only approved with the accompaniment of a station staff member and by prior arrangement.




Accompanying Blind and Visually Impaired Passengers

  • Comportment at train stations in general and in the vicinity of platforms in particular, requires great care.
  • For your safety, even if you usually move about completely independently, please enlist the help of our staff who will be happy to provide the necessary assistance, while maintaining your dignity and independence.
  • If you need assistance with mobility in the area of the station, or boarding and alighting from the train, please let us know in advance and arrange your trip through the Travel Coordination Center (*5770 - Extension 2)
  • You can obtain an escort from the entrance to the station until boarding the train, as well as from the time of alighting from the train up to exiting the train station.




Travel with a Personal Caregiver / Attendant

  • A personal caregiver / attendant, who accompanies the disabled person on the trip, is entitled to a 50% discount on the price of the ticket for the trip.
  • No access or entry to the platform will be permitted for a personal attendant, without a train ticket.
  • A personal attendant for a passenger with a disability may sit near the place designated for a passenger with a disability.




A Trip with a Guide Dog or a Service Dog

  • A personal caregiver / attendant, who accompanies the disabled person on the trip, is entitled to a 50% discount on the price of the ticket for the trip. 
  • No access or entry to the platform will be permitted for a personal attendant, without a train ticket. 
  • A personal attendant for a passenger with a disability may sit near the place designated for a passenger with a disability.



Purchasing Tickets

  • At some of the stations, there are manned ticket offices. For information on the service at the stations
  • You can buy tickets at the automatic vending machines at all stations.
  • Assistance can be obtained from the service stewards during business hours.



Discounts on Fares, for Passengers with Disabilities

  • You may be entitled to a discount on the fare. 
  • In accordance with the provisions of the law and the directives of the Ministry of Transport, the discount is conditional upon the use of a Rav Kav card loaded with a personal profile, in accordance with your personal eligibility. For additional information



Discounts on Fares, for Passengers with Disabilities

During the time maintenance and infrastructure work is being carried out at a train station, railway tracks and train stations may be closed and accessibility at these stations may be affected. If alternative shuttle services for passengers are activated, using a system of buses / shuttles, then accessible shuttles will be operated using accessible taxis, designed for disabled passengers who require it.

To arrange an accessible trip, please contact the stewards at the stations or at the Information and Customer Service Center (*5770 - extension 2).
Please note: The accessible shuttle service is not a private taxi service, but a shuttle service, which travels along the same route as the general shuttle service.
Accessible shuttle services will only be activated when shuttle services for all passengers on the train are activated.


Do you have a question?

A database of frequently asked questions about accessibility on the Israel Railways is at your disposal.