The Egyptian government is preparing to implement a new high-speed train network project aimed at enhancing connectivity between Upper Egypt’s governorates and Safaga Port on the Red Sea coast. According to informed sources, the project represents the third line in the network, with an estimated cost of approximately $1.6 billion, with construction expected to begin during the first half of next year.
The planned line will extend approximately 175 kilometers, linking Qena Governorate with Safaga Port. It includes three main stations capable of accommodating approximately 200,000 passengers per day, in addition to the capacity to transport up to 1,500 tons of cargo per day. The project is viewed as a strategic step to improve passenger and cargo movement between the agricultural and industrial production areas in Upper Egypt and the ports on the Red Sea, potentially boosting exports and reducing travel times. The project will be implemented by a consortium comprising the German company Siemens and three major Egyptian companies: Arab Contractors, Orascom Construction, and Elsewedy Electric. The project is supervised by the National Authority for Tunnels, which owns the line. According to an official, the authority seeks to increase the contribution of Egyptian companies in all phases of implementation, including electromechanical works and operating systems, with the aim of reducing costs and limiting any future increases.
This project is part of a broader government plan to develop and modernize Egypt’s infrastructure, for which the state has allocated approximately 10 trillion Egyptian pounds (equivalent to approximately $206 billion) since 2014, according to previous official statements. This plan includes various projects in the transportation sector, including the light rail train, the New Administrative Capital monorail, the fourth line of the Cairo Metro, and the high-speed train network currently under construction. In 2021, Egypt signed an agreement with the same Egyptian-German consortium to implement the first line of the high-speed train network, extending from Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to New Alamein City on the Mediterranean coast, passing through Marsa Matrouh. The 660-kilometer line is costing €6.4 billion and is scheduled to be operational in mid-2026.
The new project is expected to enhance integration between land and sea transport networks and support the government’s plans to develop ports and boost domestic and foreign trade.
