Modi'in
Modi'in (Hebrew: מודיעין) is a relatively new Israeli city located in the Shfela, halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There are some archaeological sites in the city as well as popular tourist attractions nearby.
Historically, the city is where the Maccabean revolt broke out, commemorated by the Chanukah holiday. The modern city was established as a planned city in 1997, and by now there are approximately 70,000 residents. Eventually the city may have up to 250,000 residents, as well as significant commerce and industry (for now, it is mostly a commuter suburb).
South of Modi'in is Latrun, a monastery and British Mandate police station, which was made famous in 1948 when its location controlled the road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. With Jewish Jerusalem under siege, Jewish forces launched three unsuccessful attacks on Latrun in an attempt to open the road. In the end, Latrun remained under Jordanian control until 1967 (it's the finger of the West Bank that pokes into Israel), while the siege was broken by carving an entirely new road through the mountains south of Latrun.
Get in
By car
Modi'in is about 10 km east of Ben Gurion Airport, 35 km southeast of Tel Aviv and about 30 km west of Jerusalem. Route 443 connects the city to: Tel Aviv (via Lod), Jerusalem and Highway 6 (a major electronic toll highway that provides an efficient north–south transportation corridor within the country).
By bus
Kavim bus company provides connection to Jerusalem, Tel-Aviv and other major cities. Bus schedules and routes are available here. Most buses terminate at the Central Bus Station, which is located near Modi'in Merkaz Railway Station and Modi'in Mall.
"Sherut" service taxis are available from Jerusalem to Modiin.
By train
- 🌍 Modi'in Merkaz train station. Trains from here connect Modi'in to Nahariya via Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv and Haifa. (A second station, "Paatey Modi'in", is on the city outskirts and of no interest to tourists.)
Get around
Buses
Public transportation within the city is provided by Kavim bus company. There are 10 local bus lines that serve all parts of the city.
32: From Avnei Chen to Masuah via most neighborhoods. One way only, one trip per day.
33: From HaShvatim to city hall via most neighborhoods. One way only, 2 trips per day.
50: City Hall, HaNevi'm, HaMeginim, CBS, HaNechalim, Masuah, HaShvatim, Moriah. Every 20 minutes each direction.
51: CBS, HaNevi'im, Masuah, HaNechalim, HaPrachim, City Hall. Every 20 minutes each direction.
53: Masuah, HaNechalim, CBS, HaPrachim, HaMeginim, Avnei Chen. Every 20 minutes each direction.
54: HaKramim, HaNevi'im, HaPrachim, CBS, HaNechalim, Maccabim, Reut. Every 20 minutes each direction.
55: From CBS to the Technological Park. Every 2 hours each direction.
56: City Hall, CBS, Masuah, HaTziporim, Pa'atey Modi'in Railway Station, Einav Center (Industrial Area). Every 30 minutes each direction.
58: HaKramim, HaPrachim, CBS, Masuah, HaShvatim, Begin Road (Moriah). Every 20 minutes each direction.
59: City Hall, HaKramim, HaNevi'im, HaMeginim, Avnei Chen, CBS, Masuah, HaShvatim, Moriah. Every 20 minutes each direction.
Bus schedules and routes are available here. Taxis are also available all over the city as well.
See
- 🌍 Titura hill (Giv'at ha-titura). A pleasant hiking spot within the city borders. It offers beautiful flowers blossoming during spring time and archaeological findings.
- 🌍 . A park near the city center, with a playground, a grove of Israeli trees and a lake, where you can rent a boat.
- 🌍 Bareket Observatory.
- 🌍 Hasmonean Heritage Museum.
Do
- 🌍 Neot Kedumim (5 km northwest of Modi'in on 443 route. On the north side of a busy road. You can safely cross to/from the south side at signalled intersections 400m west or 600m east of the site.). A biblical landscape reserve. Hundreds of varieties of biblical and talmudic plants; wild and domesticated animals; ancient and reconstructed olive and wine presses, threshing floors, cisterns, and ritual baths bring to life the literal roots of the biblical tradition in the soil of the land of Israel.
- 🌍 Monkey park. 80,000 sqm park where visitors can enjoy direct contact with groups of monkeys from different species and learn about them in a natural environment. The monkeys are housed in spacious open enclosures allowing them to be almost free and ensuring unobstructed observation for visitors.
Go next
| Routes through Modi'in |
| Tel Aviv ← Ben Gurion airport ← | W E | → Jerusalem |
| Tel Aviv ← Ben Gurion Airport ← | W E | → End |