Today in the 'Mamon' magazine, it was published that a Chinese company (CRSBG), one of 15 other worldwide companies to apply for this tender, is suggesting a one hour ride route to Eilat which will be 170km long (from Tzinn - צין), and the train will go at a speed of 350kph.
The railroad will include 63 bridges (with a total length of 4.5km) and 5 tunnels (with a total length of 9.5km).
In adition to this route, another train will be operated via 8 Arava stations: Hazseva, Sapir center, Faran, Yahal, Yotvata, timmna (airport), Shchoret and Eilat itself.
There is also a suggestion from the Israeli government to the Jordanian to make this train go even to Akaba.

extremely realistic. emphasis on extremely.

Huh, this is from Tzinn which is where the current rail ends- not from Tel-Aviv. TA-Eilat should take around 2.5 hours.

if it goes from Tzinn to Eilat in 350kph and the distance is 170km - it seems to me that it takes about half an hour from there to Eilat... and another 40 minutes from Ta to there. about one hour it total......

I wouldn't trust the Chinese to build it. As far as I can tell, they don't have much of a track-record in terms of building safe high-speed rail lines. I wouldn't be surprised if they cut corners (e.g., using adulterated building materials) in order to cut costs on the project.

if it goes from Tzinn to Eilat in 350kph and the distance is 170km - it seems to me that it takes about half an hour from there to Eilat... and another 40 minutes from Ta to there. about one hour it total......

TA-BS is 1:18, BS-Dimona is 24 minutes, Dimona-Tzinn is probably around 20 minutes as well and if that fast train is built, Tzinn-Eilat will be 30 minutes. That's around 2:30, without including time wasted while changing trains and while assuming that the train's average speed from Tzinn to Eilat will be 340 KM/H, while in the reality it will be much slower due to the 8 stops.

I wouldn't trust the Chinese to build it. As far as I can tell, they don't have much of a track-record in terms of building safe high-speed rail lines. I wouldn't be surprised if they cut corners (e.g., using adulterated building materials) in order to cut costs on the project.

They did well with the Carmel Tunnels.

TA-BS is 1:18, BS-Dimona is 24 minutes, Dimona-Tzinn is probably around 20 minutes as well and if that fast train is built, Tzinn-Eilat will be 30 minutes. That's around 2:30, without including time wasted while changing trains and while assuming that the train's average speed from Tzinn to Eilat will be 340 KM/H, while in the reality it will be much slower due to the 8 stops.

I also don't buy the notion that it will only take one hour. However, the figures you provided are also outdated; the time to TA to Beersheva North will be 50 minutes by the end of this year (on a regular train), after the renovation of the line is completed. BS–Dimona time will be significantly cut when the line is upgraded (part of the plan for the railway to Eilat), same with Dimona–Tzin. Overall, if the train goes at 300 kmph or higher, a 1:30–2:00-hour timeframe is realistic, assuming that it will run at at least 200 kmph on the existing lines.

TA-BS is 1:18, BS-Dimona is 24 minutes, Dimona-Tzinn is probably around 20 minutes as well and if that fast train is built, Tzinn-Eilat will be 30 minutes. That's around 2:30, without including time wasted while changing trains and while assuming that the train's average speed from Tzinn to Eilat will be 340 KM/H, while in the reality it will be much slower due to the 8 stops.

You are very wrong with the figures...
As Ynhockey said, soon the line from TA to BS will be 50 minutes in an ordinary train. With the new BS-Dimona that will take 10 minutes, with today's train you can reach Dimona from TA in one hour.
However, we are talking about a 350kph train and not 130kph of today... it could reach BS in 20 minutes (!!!) so lets say that it will take longer.. about 30 minutes? and another 40 from BS to Eilat (this train will not stop in the Arava stations... i mentioned that) - this is 1:10 hours. Less than half the time you said.
I believe that this train is possible and even could reach Eilat in exactly one hour. What i don't believe is that this train will be approved, and if it will than it won't be operated prior to 2040.

You are very wrong with the figures...
As Ynhockey said, soon the line from TA to BS will be 50 minutes in an ordinary train. With the new BS-Dimona that will take 10 minutes, with today's train you can reach Dimona from TA in one hour.
However, we are talking about a 350kph train and not 130kph of today... it could reach BS in 20 minutes (!!!) so lets say that it will take longer.. about 30 minutes? and another 40 from BS to Eilat (this train will not stop in the Arava stations... i mentioned that) - this is 1:10 hours. Less than half the time you said.
I believe that this train is possible and even could reach Eilat in exactly one hour. What i don't believe is that this train will be approved, and if it will than it won't be operated prior to 2040.

1. OK, I forgot about the upgrade of the TA-BS line, so this makes the trip 30 minutes shorter.
2. TA-BS line won't take 20 minutes because that line isn't a part of the BS-Eilat development and therefore won't be upgraded, so it will still take 50 minutes.
3. BS-Eilat is 200 kilometers using a straight line, so if that train will fly past the entire Negev at 350 kmph it will take 40 minutes. The actual road will be around 50 kilometers longer which will take extra 10 minutes.

So the entire TA-Eilat trip will take 1 hour and 40 minutes, and that's while assuming that :
1. The train will travel directly from TA to Eilat without stopping at BS
2. That the existing BS-Dimona line will be upgraded as well to allow that new fast train to reach its maximum speed
3. That the existing Dimona-Tzinn line (which is currently used only as a crago route, if I'm not mistaken) will be dramatically shortened
4. That not all of the trains will stop at all of the 7 Arava stations.

About 2: the rail doesn't have to be improved in order to maintain a faster train. It was taken under consideration. The 50 minutes route to BS can easily be shorten to 20 minutes with a 350kph train, but with some curves and stations on its way, which will make this train go slower in some parts - the average speed will be 250kph minimum? which mean 25-30 minutes.
About 3: this route length from BS to Eilat is less than 250km, but even if it's more than that, it will fly through the Negev in 40 minutes, and not 50 as you claim (250/350*60=42).

I do agree with you though about the other things you wrote: it will take 1:10 minutes if it won't stop in BS which is logical because the route doesn't go through the main BS station; the BS-Dimona line will be upgraded which it will; the existing Dimona-Tzinn must be upgraded for the curves can't maintain high speeds such as 40kph; and this train will not stop at any station in its way (as i mentioned twice).

They did well with the Carmel Tunnels.

That's because they haven't collapsed yet.

^^ oh, please.....

2. TA-BS line won't take 20 minutes because that line isn't a part of the BS-Eilat development and therefore won't be upgraded, so it will still take 50 minutes.

Not correct; Yoav is right: the line was entirely rebuilt, it's very high-quality and should be able to handle 250 kmph trains when electrified, which will shorten the ride to about 30 minutes. Not sure about 350 kmph but it might be possible with small adjustments in the future. The line is straight in almost all sections and has no significant slopes. Now they are straightening out the last section—in Ramla. You can actually see it in the recent Google Earth update.

About 2: the rail doesn't have to be improved in order to maintain a faster train. It was taken under consideration. The 50 minutes route to BS can easily be shorten to 20 minutes with a 350kph train, but with some curves and stations on its way, which will make this train go slower in some parts - the average speed will be 250kph minimum? which mean 25-30 minutes.
About 3: this route length from BS to Eilat is less than 250km, but even if it's more than that, it will fly through the Negev in 40 minutes, and not 50 as you claim (250/350*60=42).

I do agree with you though about the other things you wrote: it will take 1:10 minutes if it won't stop in BS which is logical because the route doesn't go through the main BS station; the BS-Dimona line will be upgraded which it will; the existing Dimona-Tzinn must be upgraded for the curves can't maintain high speeds such as 40kph; and this train will not stop at any station in its way (as i mentioned twice).

2. It has to be improved unless the upgraded rail is suitable for trains traveling at 350 kmph, and I doubt that this is the case (since it obviously costs more money). Therefore, unless the rail is upgraded again- the 50 minutes travel time from TA to BS won't be changed.
3. You assume that the train will get to BS and then magically accelerate to 350 kmph in a second, and will preserve this speed through the entire trip until it stops in Eilat, again in a single second. Maximum speed is not the same as average speed.

For the 1:40 travel time I assumed that the train won't stop even once from TA to Eilat, and that the entire BS-Eilat route will be suited for a constant speed of 300-350 kmph, which is an optimistic figure.

Not correct; Yoav is right: the line was entirely rebuilt, it's very high-quality and should be able to handle 250 kmph trains when electrified, which will shorten the ride to about 30 minutes. Not sure about 350 kmph but it might be possible with small adjustments in the future. The line is straight in almost all sections and has no significant slopes. Now they are straightening out the last section—in Ramla. You can actually see it in the recent Google Earth update.

As far as I know, a further upgrade to the TA-BS line has nothing to do with the BS-Eilat line. Therefore, other than the current upgrade- it is just a possibility.

Except money :) there is no one reason why such fast railway cannot be built in Israel... even landscape is some similar to israeli one:
http://www.rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=2119

3,15 min. cabin ride in this train - while watching the video you "pass" 11-15 km:
http://www.rail-videos.net/video/view.php?id=2114

If they get the train to work properly (emphasis on "if") then this would be great. I'd love to get down to Eilat more often but it's too long a trip right now.

^^ you can fly.
If you live in "The City", lets say, it will take about an hour to get Sde Dov. Then 20-30 min. registration+baggage+boarding + 40 min. flight.
The railroad could never be faster.
And looking at fast rail tickets in Europe (TGV, ICE etc.) it is not always cheaper...

It will be economically viable only if the railroad will be used for cargo transport between Eilat and Ashdod port, bypassing the Suez Canal. There just not enough passengers to build a railway just for them. Anyway, if a trip from Tel Aviv to Eilat will take 2 hours, it would be fine.

It will be economically viable only if the railroad will be used for cargo transport between Eilat and Ashdod port, bypassing the Suez Canal.

yes thats the main financial idea behind it.

but then it will be ecological disaster for the riff.

I am pretty sure the the port will be far enough from the reef.
Cargo transport port can only be in a place with deep water while reef is located in shallow waters.

I am pretty sure the the port will be far enough from the reef.
Cargo transport port can only be in a place with deep water while reef is located in shallow waters.

But the cargo has to be transfered from the ships to the shore. That's why this was built in Haifa:
http://dunsguide.dundb.co.il/images/pic/649641842a.jpg

I think that a possible option is to dig near the border with Jordan in order to build an artificial port in land. Obviously, it will be quite expensive- but with enough Chinese money it should be possible.

The Chinese wouldn't want to spend money just because someone in Israel cares about some stupid reef :)
Look what they have done in China.
I dont think they need to dig.
What they need to do is to find a place where deep waters are close to shore.
If not , they will have to dig anyway (not because they care about the reefs or anything else).
It's all about economical viability.
There is another problem with the project though.
Somehow I think Egypt is not gonna like it and I am sure a great deal of pressure will be put both on China and on our government to cancel this project.
I do think China will probably withstand the pressure but I am not so sure about our leaders.

thats not an issue because cargo by rail will always be limited, it would never be a real competition to giant cargo ships passing the canal.

China is going to build a rail in Columbia in order to compete the Panama canal. I believe they know what they are doing.

maby in 3040.