Petah Tikva

Petah Tikvah – “the mother of settlements” – is the fifth largest town in Israel with over a quarter of a million people. It founded in 1878 as an agricultural settlement established by Jews of the old community in Jerusalem. Its name was inspired by a line from the book of Hosea, “... and make the valley of Achor a door of hope.”

In spite of many difficulties in its early years, the settlement grew and became a local council in 1921, and a town in 1937. Its location at the intersection of the Jaffa-Nablus Road and the Lod-Haifa Road (in those days, the coastal road and coastal rail did not exist yet) attracted economic activity and commerce, and industrial areas were established there (Sgula and Kiryat Arye). In 1936, the Beilenson Hospital (today the Rabin Medical Center) was established in Petah Tikvah.

The town was connected to the rail network in 1922, and today, two stations of the Israel Rail operate there (Sgula and Kiryat Arye), along dozens of internal, regional and intercity bus lines.

The Red Line of the Light Rail starts at the depot established in Petah Tikvah and stops in 8 stations within the town, mostly along Jabotinski Road, on its way to Tel Aviv and Bat Yam.

In the future, the Metro’s M1 and M2 lines will also serve the town with 11 more stations.