Israel launches tender for the construction of the Tel Aviv metro

The state-owned NTA welcomed representatives from dozens of international companies to the coastal metropolis for the launch of the tender for this metro system, which is expected to carry approximately two million passengers per day.

It is due to enter service in 2037, an NTA representative told AFP.

The candidates received the necessary information "to qualify to participate (...) in the $50 billion (€42 million) government-funded project," the NTA said in a statement.

The future network is expected to include three lines covering approximately 150 kilometers through Tel Aviv and its surrounding areas, a region with more than four million inhabitants, according to the NTA.

It is designed to integrate with the existing tram network in and around the city, which also comprises three lines extending over 90 kilometers.

The statement, quoting NTA Director General Itamar Ben Meir, describes the project as a "national enterprise that will change the face of the country," as Israel grapples with chronic traffic congestion and a rise in traffic accidents.

In 2025, at least 459 people were killed in road accidents in this country of 10 million inhabitants, an increase of 20% compared to the average of the period 2022-2024, according to the National Road Safety Authority.