Buses, trains, shuttles: This is how the transportation system will operate on Lag BaOmer

April 21, 2021   

We are preparing for a large-scale event at the Rashbi's celebration in Meron: The Ministry of Transportation is preparing to transport hundreds of thousands of celebrants to the Rashbi celebration in Meron on the eve of Lag BaOmer. An enhanced array of public transportation lines for the huge event, which will take place next Thursday, will be operated in accordance with the instructions of the Ministry of Health and the Israel Police. The Ministry of Transportation is working in coordination with the Center for Holy Places in the Ministry of Religious Services, which is responsible for the event, and with the Northern District and the Traffic Division of the Israel Police. Last year, entry to Meron was restricted on Lag BaOmer, due to the risks of the coronavirus. This year, the ministry will operate an extensive transportation system to Meron from all over the country, to allow all those interested to take part in the celebration, subject to the restrictions of the Ministry of Health. Over the past few months, many discussions have been held with the National Center for Holy Places, which is responsible for Lag BaOmer events on Mount Meron, including the establishment of infrastructure and determining traffic arrangements in the bus and private vehicle parking lots. The discussions were attended by the Northern District of the Israel Police, responsible for maintaining public order, and the Traffic Division of the Police, responsible for traffic arrangements on the mountain and on the access roads to it. During the joint discussions, the Ministry of Transportation team, which provides public transportation services to and from the mountain, presented the highlights and the operational plan for joint work with all the parties responsible for this large and complex event. The steps required to create permanent infrastructure in the Mount Meron area were also presented. Last night, pre-sale of tickets for travel to Meron on public transportation began. The operators are providing passengers with sales points in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods and cities across the country, where high demand is expected. The Lag BaOmer transportation to Meron is conditional on booking tickets in advance, even when payment is made through 'Monthly Free' or 'Daily Free' subscriptions. Booking tickets will guarantee passengers the desired travel date and will allow public transportation operators to properly prepare for the number of buses required at any given hour. Direct bus lines to Meron will be operated from 16 central hubs across the country: Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Haifa, Ashdod, Beit Shemesh, Tiberias, Netanya, Modi'in Elite, Netivot, Afula, Kiryat Gat, Ofakim, Elad, Rechsim and Safed, as well as from the settlements adjacent to Meron in the Merom HaGalil Regional Council. Passengers from the city of Safed will not be required to book seats in advance. Seven public transportation operators will participate in the huge holiday campaign: Nativ Express, Egged, Superbus, Afikim, Dan Badrom, Metropolin and Kavim. In addition, 24 buses will be operated in preparation for the event. Special trains, from the center of the country directly to Karmiel, throughout the day. The special trains will operate in addition to the regular train schedule and the regular trips between Haifa and Karmiel. From the train station in Karmiel, celebrants will be transported by a special shuttle free of charge, directly to the Rashbi's tomb. The Ministry of Transportation emphasizes that the number of seats on the train is limited due to the instructions of the Ministry of Health, and that passengers must order a travel voucher in advance. The Ministry of Transportation has allocated 420 buses (shuttles) for those arriving at the tomb complex in Meron by private transportation and by private vehicle. Those arriving by private transportation will be directed to the Ein Hozim and Prud parking lots, and from there will be transported free of charge by special shuttles to the event centers. Those arriving by private vehicle will be directed to the parking lots in Kahal and Tzevon, and from there they will reach the celebration centers on paid service lines; this is due to police guidance, which prohibits arriving at Meron by private vehicle. The National Public Transportation Authority in the Ministry of Transportation will operate a special situation room on Mount Meron, headed by the Authority's Director, Yaakov Netanyahu, in order to provide an immediate response to the management of the event in real time. The situation room will include representatives of the National Public Transportation Authority's management and representatives of the companies operating public transportation. All departure points of the various bus lines and terminals will be staffed by representatives of the Ministry of Transportation. Attention to the celebrating public and the general public, due to the revelry, heavy traffic congestion is expected on the routes leading to the north at the end of next week, and preparations should be made in advance.