Egypt High-Speed Rail Train Lines

Egypt High-Speed Rail Train Lines

High-Speed Rail in Egypt Red Line

The first 660 km was planned to begin at Mersa Matruh on the Mediterranean Sea, pass through Al-Alamein, Borg El Arab, then to Wadi El Natroun, on to the 6th October City, through southern Cairo to the New Administrative Capital, and end in Ain Sokhna on the Gulf of Suez of the Red Sea. As of January 2021, surveying and route planning have been completed and construction is underway to build bridges and track. This initial segment is intended to be used for both passengers and freight, and is projected to cost US$3 billion with a completion date of 2023. On 14 January 2021, a Memorandum of understanding was signed between Siemens Mobility and the National Authority of Tunnels, an authority under the Ministry of Transportation of Egypt to design, install, and maintain Egypt's first high-speed rail system. The initially-dubbed "second line" between Alexandria and Borg El Arab was combined into this contract, and both are under construction as of 2022. The Siemens-led consortium was awarded a $4.5 billion contract to build the lines from Ain Sokhna to Marsa Matruh and to Alexandria in September 2021, and is scheduled for completion in 2027. The line will be outfitted with Velaro high-speed passenger trains. This 660 km segment will be designed to carry up to 30 million passengers annually, cut travel times in half, and cut carbon emissions by 70%. Design speed of the new railway line is going to be 250 km/h, while high-speed trains are going to reach 230 km/h during normal service.

High-Speed Rail in Egypt Yellow Line

A second line will stretch from Sixth of October City through Fayoum, Minya, Aswan, and Abu Simbel over 1,100 km on the west bank of the Nile. Local stations will include Al-Ayat, Al-Fashn, Al-Adwa, Bani Mazar, Samalout, Abu Qurqas, Mallawi, and Dayrout. Survey and construction work for this line began in March 2022 by Egyptian authorities, especially around 6 October City and Fayoum, with an anticipated design speed of 250 km/h, but preliminary operation of express trains at 230 km/h. An extension of this line was announced in May 2022 from Aswan through Abu Simbel to Toshka and Sharq El Owainat in the Western Desert, as well as an extension to Wadi Halfa, in Sudan. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development signed a $2.45 million feasibility study for a 283.5 km line from Aswan to Toshka and Abu Simbel, as well as the 80 km extension to Sudan, which includes a 6 km bridge across Lake Nasser.

High-Speed Rail in Egypt Purple Line

The third line is planned in the south from Safaga through Sahl Hasheesh, Hurghada, East Sohag, Qena, and Qus, ending in Luxor, at a total cost of $2.7 billion with a construction time of two years. Contracts for building the second and third lines were planned to be signed by Siemens in March 2022, the 8.1 billion euro contract was signed on May 31, 2022, between the Egyptian government and Siemens (and its consortium partners Orascom Construction and The Arab Contractors), and includes the construction of the second and third line as well as 41 Velaro 8-car high-speed passenger trains, 94 Desiro high-capacity four-car regional train sets, and 41 Vectron freight locomotives, as well as ETCS Level 2 and a suitable power grid.

The entire network is projected to cost US$23 billion and span over 2000 km.

High-Speed Rail in Egypt Overview

High-Speed Rail in Egypt Headquarters: Cairo
High-Speed Rail in Egypt Locale: Egypt
High-Speed Rail in Egypt Dates of Operation: 2027 onwards
High-Speed Rail in EgyptTrack Gauge: 1,435mm Standard gauge
High-Speed Rail in Egypt Track Length: 2000 km