Trains

• From Jerusalem to Beit Shemesh, the train winds down Nahal Soreq through gorgeous, and mostly undeveloped, hills. Don’t bring reading material or games. Just keep looking out the window.
• The train station, near the giant Malha mall, is large, immaculate, and empty.
• Trains run once an hour. It’s 40 minutes to Beit Shemesh where the train station is tiny and immaculate. Go out the other side, up the steps, and across the street to the shopping center if you don’t want to wait in the station for the next train up to Jerusalem.
• On the way back, feast your eyes again. Two trains a day stop at the Biblical Zoo before continuing on.
• The round trip ticket costs about two dollars and a quarter. Choose the English option on the ticket dispensing machine. Pay with cash or credit card. You need the ticket to get onto the platform and again at the other end. Occasionally a conductor on the train asks to see the ticket.
• The 4, 6, 18 (http://jerusalemblog.blogspot.com/2006/06/katamonim.html ), and 24 buses go directly to the train station. There are always taxis waiting.

Copyright 2006 Jane S. Fox