The First Station, Jerusalem, Israel

Visit duration: 1 hour Editorial visit time estimate

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

About The First Station

The First Station (HaTakhana HaRishona) is Jerusalem's original railway station, opened in 1892 during the Ottoman period as the eastern terminus of the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway. It closed in 1998 and lay neglected for years. After an extensive restoration costing 9.3 million US dollars, financed by the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Development Authority, it reopened in May 2013 as a culture and entertainment centre. A new, fully underground railway station is expected to open on the site by the mid-2030s.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

What's inside

The 4,000-square-metre former rail yard now has wooden decks, food stalls and umbrella-topped vendor carts, and several restaurants and pubs have opened around it. An exhibition of historic photographs is displayed inside the old station house. The site hosts musical, literary and artistic events, and since 2017 it has again hosted the annual Hebrew Book Week. It adjoins a bike path linking it to the Train Track Park, a walking and cycling route laid along the old railway line.

Checked 2026-11-10 · Source

Website

Common questions

When was the station built?

In 1892, during the Ottoman period.

What is the First Station today?

A culture and entertainment centre, open since May 2013.

Where it is

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Nearby

Within 9 min on foot

1 hr 30 min
6 min walk
Jerusalem Nature Museum
- High · Heritage site
- Museum
45 min
7 min walk
Montefiore Windmill
- Must see · Heritage site
- Historic site
1 hour
9 min walk
Mount Zion
- Must see
- Historic site