Egypt has signed a supply contract to purchase six new trains for Greater Cairo's Metro Line 2 from South Korean Hyundai Rotem, a statement by the country's transportation ministry said on Tuesday. According to the statement, the South Korean company will manufacture and supply the six trains at a cost of $131 million, as well as provide maintenance for the trains and supply spare parts for eight years. The National Authority for Tunnels has signed a facilitated cooperation agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to provide 100 million euros to finance the purchasing of the six trains for the second line, which will boost the number of air conditioned trains from four to 10. This is not the first time that Egypt has signed contracts with South Korea for trains. South Korea previously supplied 20 trains for the country's oldest metro line. The plan comes under the country's comprehensive plan to develop the metro's first and second line at a cost worth 30 billion pounds. Cairo's second metro line serves around 1.76 million passengers daily. The Cairo underground metro system, which serves more than four million passengers daily throughout the capital city and surrounding areas, is one of the city's fastest means of transportation. Source: Ahram Online
