Jerusalem–Malha railway station ( he, תחנת הרכבת ירושלים – מלחה, ''Tahanat HaRakevet Yerushalayim–Malha''; ar, محطة أورشليم – المالحة) was one of two

Israel Railways Israel Railways Ltd. , dba Israel Railways ( he, רַכֶּבֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, ''Rakevet Yisra'el''), is the state-owned principal railway company responsible for all inter-city, commuter, and freight rail transport in Israel. Isr ...

termini in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

, the other being

Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon railway station Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon Railway Station ( he, תחנת הרכבת ירושלים – יצחק נבון, ''Tahanat HaRakevet Yerushalaim–Yitzhak Navon''; ar, محطة أورشليم – يتسحاق ناڤون), originally named Jerusalem–H ...

. The station is located in the southern neighborhood of

Malha Malha is a neighborhood in southwest Jerusalem, between Pat, Ramat Denya and Kiryat Hayovel in the Valley of Rephaim. Before 1948, Malha was an Arab village known as al-Maliha ( ar, المالحة). History Antiquity Excavations in Malha revea ...

, across from the

Jerusalem Shopping Mall Malha Mall ( he, קניון מלחה, ''Kanyon Malha''), sometimes spelled Malcha Mall, also known as Jerusalem Mall ( he, קניון ירושלים, ''Kanyon Yerushalayim''), is an indoor shopping mall in the southwestern neighbourhood of Malha, ...

Pais Arena The Jerusalem Arena ( he, הארנה ירושלים, ''HaArena Yerushalayim''), renamed for the National Lottery Mifal HaPais grant as Pais Arena Jerusalem ( he, פיס ארנה ירושלים, ''HaPais Arena Yerushalayim''), is a multi-purpose s ...

and

Teddy Stadium Teddy Stadium ( he, אצטדיון טדי) is a sports stadium in the Malha neighborhood of Jerusalem. Three football teams currently use the stadium: Beitar Jerusalem, Hapoel Jerusalem, and the Israel national football team for select home mat ...

. As it is much less centrally located than Navon station, and the historic

Jaffa–Jerusalem railway The Jaffa–Jerusalem railway (also J & J) is a railway that connected Jaffa and Jerusalem. The line was built in the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem (Ottoman Syria) by the French company ''Société du Chemin de Fer Ottoman de Jaffa à Jérusalem et P ...

provides a much slower journey to the Tel Aviv area than the modern

Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway The Tel Aviv–Jerusalem railway (also higher-speed railway to Jerusalem, Plan A1, and Railway 29) is a railway line connecting the city of Tel Aviv in Israel with Jerusalem. The line serves as the main rail link between Tel Aviv and Jerus ...

, ridership is very low. 115,118 passengers boarded or disembarked at the station in 2019, ahead of only the adjacent Biblical Zoo railway station and

Dimona railway station Dimona railway station ( he, תחנת הרכבת דימונה, ''Takhanat HaRakevet Dimona'') is a train station in Dimona, Israel, opened in 2005. It is on a line between Dimona and Beersheba, a separate operating line within Israel Railways. ...

. Service to the station has been suspended entirely since March 2020 due to poor usage combined with the economic impacts of the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

, and it is unclear if or when it will resume.

History

Jerusalem–Malha is the current

terminus Terminus may refer to: * Bus terminus, a bus station serving as an end destination * Terminal train station or terminus, a railway station serving as an end destination Geography *Terminus, the unofficial original name of Atlanta, Georgia, United ...

of the

. The other Jerusalem station on this line is the Biblical Zoo station which is served by limited stops. Jerusalem Malha was opened on April 9, 2005, when the historic Jaffa–Jerusalem railway was restored after being out of service for six years. The line underwent a major renovation, including the laying of new tracks. Jerusalem Malha replaced the historic Jerusalem railway station near the Old City as the terminus of the line, which was not restored due to the objections of area residents over

train noise Train noise is vehicle noise created by trains. Noises may be heard inside the train and outside. Subway systems, light rail transit and freight trains can send loud train noise into neighborhoods. Organizations such as the World Health Organi ...

. The at grade tracks from Malha to Khan have been turned into a mixed use path, called the Park HaMesila, or

Train Track Park Train Track Park ( he, פארק המסילה, ''Park HaMesila'') is a rail trail urban park in West Jerusalem. Featuring of walking and biking trails, the park follows the route of the original Jaffa–Jerusalem railway from the Jerusalem Rail ...

. Since February 5, 2006, intercity bus routes to

Gush Etzion Gush Etzion ( he, גּוּשׁ עֶצְיוֹן, ' Etzion Bloc) is a cluster of Israeli settlements located in the Judaean Mountains, directly south of Jerusalem and Bethlehem in the West Bank. The core group includes four Jewish agricultural v ...

and the

Hebron Hebron ( ar, الخليل or ; he, חֶבְרוֹן ) is a Palestinian. city in the southern West Bank, south of Jerusalem. Nestled in the Judaean Mountains, it lies above sea level. The second-largest city in the West Bank (after East J ...

area stop at Malha station on their way from the Jerusalem Central Bus Station to their destination via Begin Boulevard.

Future

There are conceptual plans to extend the new

from Jerusalem–Yitzhak Navon to Jerusalem–Malha along an underground route beneath Jerusalem; for that reason, Malha station was built as a thorough station at a surface elevation equal to that of Jerusalem–Navon's underground tracks and platforms. Detailed plans unveiled in November 2021https://mavat.iplan.gov.il/SV4/1/99005048004/310 establish the precise course of the extension, which will also pass via a new underground station in central Jerusalem and another underneath the historic Jerusalem-Khan train station. file:Malha railway station (inside).JPG, Passengers hall (2013) file:Malha railway station (outside).JPG, View from outside File:תחנת הרכבת מלחה בשלג.JPG, Malha railway station in snow

References

External links

Niv-Schwartz architectural plan

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jerusalem-Malha railway station Railway stations in Jerusalem Railway stations opened in 2005