Tel Aviv Metro Procurement Begins for $49 Billion Underground Network

NTA Metropolitan Mass Transit System has officially launched the procurement process for the Tel Aviv Metro, Israel's largest-ever infrastructure project with an estimated cost approaching $49 billion. The first major infrastructure tenders, known as Infra #1, are scheduled for publication later in 2026, with Infra #2 to follow in 2027. The Metro Network Programme comprises three heavy-rail lines — M1, M2, and M3 — totaling roughly 150 km of largely underground alignment and 109 stations across the Gush Dan metropolitan region. Stage 1 is expected to deliver 78 km and 59 stations, while Stage 2 will add 74 km and 50 more stations. Initial operations are targeted for 2037, with the system expected to fundamentally transform how millions of residents in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area commute. The metro project builds upon the existing light rail infrastructure already transforming the region. The Red Line, which opened in August 2023 and quickly surpassed 100,000 daily riders, demonstrated strong demand for rail transit in central Israel. The Green Line, being built by a consortium led by Alstom under a 2.6 billion euro contract, will add 39 km and 62 stations when complete. Transportation Ministry officials emphasize that the fully integrated transit network — combining metro, light rail, and buses — will allow passengers to move seamlessly across the Dan metropolitan area. The project will require thousands of foreign workers and construction techniques far more complex than any previous Israeli infrastructure endeavor.