Khaberni - Egypt is preparing to initiate the trial operation of the first line of the high-speed train network on November 9, 2025, linking New Alamein on the Mediterranean coast with Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea.
According to Major General Kamel El-Wazir, the Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, during a press conference held today, Thursday, in the new administrative capital to announce the launch of the Middle East and Africa industry and transport exhibitions, the minister emphasized that the high-speed train project, which commenced at the beginning of 2021, is part of a comprehensive vision to connect the Red and Mediterranean sea ports, thereby facilitating the movement of goods and passengers through a strategic economic corridor.
49 trains are expected to be operated on the line, including:
34 trains with a speed of 160 km/h for servicing regional stations,
15 high-speed trains to connect the main hubs.
Additionally, he mentioned that the project will later extend to include Marsa Matrouh, becoming part of an integrated transport network stretching from the west to the east of the country.
Local Manufacturing of Trains: Strategic Partnerships
In the context of boosting local manufacturing, the minister revealed that the government is negotiating with the German company "Siemens" to establish a factory in Egypt to produce carriages for the high-speed train, following the example of the French company "Alstom," which has already started constructing its first factory outside France in Borg El Arab, Alexandria, for manufacturing monorail and high-speed train parts as well as subway parts.
He further explained that "Alstom" plans to soon establish a second factory in Egypt for manufacturing the entire high-speed trains and monorails locally, while the Egyptian "Semaf" factory will soon begin producing high-speed train carriages.
Investment Incentives to Support Manufacturing
In another stimulating step, the minister announced that the Spanish company "Cool Way" will soon start manufacturing buses in Egypt, noting that the government will provide the necessary land for free, especially since it is one of the first companies to respond to establish a factory in Beni Suef governorate, Upper Egypt, to meet the needs of the Railway Authority for spare parts.
Kamel El-Wazir emphasized that the integration between the industrial and transport sectors could raise the industry's contribution to the gross domestic product to more than 20% by 2030, compared to about 14% currently, provided that it is "real and competitive manufacturing," not just assembly.
Unprecedented Investments in Infrastructure
Egypt is currently implementing an unprecedented development plan for its infrastructure, having spent about 10 trillion Egyptian pounds (approximately 210 billion USD according to the current exchange rate) since 2014, according to previous statements by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
The ongoing projects include more than 14 major projects in the transport sector, which are seen as pillars for building a competitive economy, enhancing Egypt's position as a regional logistical and industrial hub, in addition to supporting sustainable development efforts and creating direct and indirect job opportunities for hundreds of thousands.
