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Egypt awards $885m contract to upgrade Cairo metro

By Pramod Kumar
A train arrives at the Cairo subway. Line 1, which spans 44 km and connects 35 stations, transports more than 1.5 million passengers daily EBRD
A train arrives at the Cairo subway. Line 1, which spans 44 km and connects 35 stations, transports more than 1.5 million passengers daily

A consortium led by Orascom Construction, listed on Dubai, Egypt and Nasdaq stock exchanges, will commence the modernisation of the Cairo metro line 1 next month.

The €800 million ($885 million) project will be completed in 64 months without disturbing commercial operations.

The consortium has signed a contract with Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels to enhance the line’s efficiency, capacity, safety and performance.

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Line 1, which spans 44 km and connects 35 stations, transports more than 1.5 million passengers daily.

Colas Rail and Orascom Construction will upgrade the electric power supply, catenary and electromechanical systems in stations, tunnels, rail tracks, and associated civil works.

Hitachi Rail will modernise the signalling, control and telecommunications infrastructure.

The project is financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank and Agence Française de Développement.

Orascom secured its first contract for Greater Cairo Metro in the 1980s. It has also been involved in other major transportation projects, including Line 4 of the Cairo Metro and the new regional metro in Alexandria.

The company’s portfolio covers over 3,800 km of sustainable transportation systems across Egypt and the Middle East.

In addition to its construction activities, Orascom invests in concessions and owns 50 percent of Belgian construction group Besix.

In August 2023, the French Development Agency signed a €100 million finance agreement with the Egyptian government to develop the El-Raml tram in Alexandria.

The new project aims to develop the old tram and build a new 900-metre-long station between Al-Raml and El-Manshia.

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