Israel Railways is moving into the advanced stages of Route 431, a major infrastructure project designed to strengthen rail connections between southern Gush Dan, the Shphelah region, Modi’in and Jerusalem.

As part of the ongoing work, the new railway is being connected to the national rail network in the Modi’in area. This will lead to significant service changes at Modi’in’s train stations this week.

Modi’in Rail Service Changes This Weekend

Israel Railways announced that train service between the Modi’in stations and Ben Gurion Airport will be suspended beginning Thursday, September 3, 2026, at approximately 10:00 p.m., through Saturday night, September 5, including overnight trains between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

In addition, on Saturday night, train service between Jerusalem Yitzchak Navon and Modi’in Center will also be suspended.

Free shuttle buses will operate between the affected stations during the service interruption. Israel Railways said the work is part of the process of connecting the new Route 431 railway to the national rail network in the Modi’in area.

What Is Route 431?

Route 431 is a new railway line stretching approximately 30 kilometers from the Moshe Dayan area and Rishon LetZion, through the Ramla area, to Anava and Modi’in.

According to Israel Railways, the project is intended to create a direct rail connection between southern Gush Dan and Modi’in and Jerusalem, while also increasing the flexibility and capacity of the railway network in central Israel.

The project has an estimated cost of approximately 3.474 billion NIS.

It includes:

• Approximately 30 kilometers of new railway.
• Two new passenger stations 0 Ramla South and Ma'ayan Shurak.
• 14 bridges with a combined length of approximately 6 kilometers.
• Three tunnels totaling approximately 1.1 kilometers.
• A railway bridge approximately 3.5 kilometers long.
• Upgrades and platform extensions at Rishon LeZion stations.
• Connections to Modi’in and the Jerusalem railway line.

One of the project's most prominent features is a railway bridge approximately 3.5 kilometers long, which will form a major part of the new route.

Connecting Jerusalem and Modi’in

One of the main benefits of Route 431 will be an additional rail route between southern Gush Dan and the Modi’in and Jerusalem areas.

Rather than relying entirely on existing rail routes through the Tel Aviv area, the new line is designed to provide an additional connection and increase the flexibility of Israel’s rail network.

The Ministry of Transport describes the project as a rail connection from Moshe Dayan Station in Rishon LetZion toward Anava, providing connections to Modi’in and Jerusalem.

So What Does This Have to Do With Beit Shemesh?

This is the part that could be particularly relevant to Beit Shemesh residents.

Route 431 is not a Beit Shemesh railway line, and it will not, by itself, create a direct train from Beit Shemesh to Rishon LeZion.

However, official Israel Railways documents specifically state that the Route 431 project includes infrastructure to accommodate the Beit Shemesh-Jerusalem railway.

In other words, the new railway has been designed with a future connection to the Beit Shemesh–Jerusalem line in mind. This infrastructure could eventually become part of a broader rail network connecting Beit Shemesh more effectively with the Shephelah and Rishon LeZion.

It is important to clarify that this does not mean a direct Beit ShemeshtRishon LetZion train will begin operating when Route 431 opens. The Beit Shemesh connection is part of a broader future plan and depends on additional projects and infrastructure.

Part of a Larger National Rail Network

Route 431 is not being built in isolation. It is part of a wider series of projects intended to increase the capacity and flexibility of Israel’s railway system.

The project will connect with existing and planned rail infrastructure in central Israel, providing additional routing options and reducing reliance on the Ayalon rail corridor, one of the major bottlenecks in the national rail system.

Other major railway projects are also being advanced, including the Eastern Railway and additional infrastructure improvements in the Ayalon corridor.

When Will the Project Be Completed?

Recent Israel Railways documents list the fourth quarter of 2027 as the target for completion of Route 431. Therefore, while some reports have referred to completion in 2028, the latest official company documents list 2027 as the target. This should be viewed as a target rather than a guaranteed opening date.

Bottom Line for Beit Shemesh Residents

For Beit Shemesh residents, Route 431 is primarily a project with potential long-term significance.

It will not immediately provide a new direct train from Beit Shemesh, but it is expanding the regional rail network and includes infrastructure designed to accommodate a future connection to the Beit Shemesh–Jerusalem railway.

If and when the planned connections are completed, they could provide Beit Shemesh with better rail access toward the Shphelah, Rishon LetZion and other parts of central Israel.

For now, the immediate impact is on passengers traveling through Modi’in, Jerusalem and Ben Gurion Airport, who will experience service changes this weekend as the new railway is connected to the national network.