Egypt Partners with Deutsche Bahn to Operate new โHigh-Speedโค Railโข Network
Egypt’s National Tunnels Authority (NAT) has finalized a 15-year agreement with a consortiumโ led by Deutsche Bahn (DB), Germany’s primary railway operator, and โขEgyptian firm Elsewedy Electric,โ to manage and operate the country’s forthcoming high-speed electric โคtrain network.โ The contract,โ announced on November 13th, utilizes a revenue-sharing model and prioritizesโ the integration of atโฃ least 95% โฃEgyptian personnel to ensure a comprehensive skills transfer.
Egyptian minister of industry and Transport, Kamel El-Wazir, highlighted the partnership as a crucial component of a broader plan to combine international rail expertise with โthe development of local capabilities. The agreement includes โคprovisions for the training and qualification of Egyptian engineers and technicians,โ withโฃ annual โopportunities for Egyptianโ train driversโค to receive trainingโ in Germany specifically for operating high-speed electric trains.
The project is already underway, with technicalโ tests recently initiated on the โขfirst 660km lineโ connecting the Red Sea port of Ain Sokhna to Marsa Matrouhโ and Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast. Upon completion, the entire network will span 2,000 km,โ positioning Egypt’s high-speedโค rail system asโฃ the โsixth largest globally.
Theโค network is designed โto connectโข 60 cities across egypt, โoperating at a maximum speed of 230 km/h. Developedโ by siemens Mobility in collaborationโฃ with Orascom construction and The Arab Contractors, โคthe system will employ a diverse fleet including Velaro high-speed trains for longโ distances, Desiro regional trains for medium and short journeys,โ and Vectron locomotives for freightโ transport.
Egypt will become the secondโค African nation to operate โhigh-speed rail, following morocco’s Al Boraq โฃline linking โTangier and Casablanca,โ launched in 2018.The Moroccan network, costing โ24 billion dirhams (โฌ2.2 โฃbillion), transported 5.5 million passengers in 2024.
The Egyptian government views the high-speed rail โproject as โคa key driver โfor socio-economic development,aiming toโ improve territorial connectivity and modernize โคtransportโ infrastructure. It is โคanticipated to boost tourism, especially asโ Egypt seeks to regain its position as africa’s leading tourist destination – a title recently held by Morocco. The network willโ facilitate access to key tourist sites, including connections from Cairoโค to Abu Simbel and Luxor โto Hurghada. This development is also aligned with ongoing modernization effortsโ at Egyptian airports, as 80% of tourists currently arrive by air according to the World Bank. โThe Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities aims to double tourist numbers to 30 million by 2028.
