Egypt is set to receive its first Velaro high-speed electric train this August, marking a key milestone in the country's transformative high-speed rail project. The announcement came during an inspection tour by Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel Al-Wazir, who reviewed progress along the Ain Sokhna–Alamein–Marsa Matrouh corridor—part of the first 660-kilometer line of the 2,000-kilometer network. The tour focused on the section from Mohamed Naguib Station to 6th October Station and included a review of road connections linking the stations to major traffic arteries, such as the Middle Ring Road and Mohamed Naguib Axis. Al-Wazir also inspected Cairo Station in Helwan, which will serve Helwan City, 15th of May City, and southern Cairo. He checked final finishes at key interchange stations—Giza Station, which connects to the Cairo-Aswan railway, and October Gardens Station, which links the first and second high-speed rail lines. At 6th October Station, the minister reviewed finishing works and detailed plans for administrative, commercial, and investment uses of available spaces. This station will also provide integrated services with the West Nile Monorail. Al-Wazir stressed that all work must adhere to international standards in construction, operations, and services. A major stop on the tour was the main maintenance and overhaul workshop for the rolling stock of both the first and second lines. Spanning 578 feddans, the facility includes 39 buildings—21 currently under construction and 18 designated for future expansion. Among them are heavy maintenance buildings, inspection and sorting workshops, train parking areas, and other key technical facilities. The minister also assessed the progress of infrastructure works along the route, including construction of the Autostrad Bridge, the SUMED Bridge, and the South Helwan Nile Bridge, which links Tebeen Road and the Nile Corniche extension to the Cairo-Aswan agricultural road. He reviewed reports on completed bridges and instructed that work on those still underway be expedited and executed to the highest quality standards. He then inspected track segments that had been handed over to the Siemens–Orascom–Arab Contractors consortium. These segments are undergoing basalt bedding, rail installation, and erection of catenary poles for electric power lines, paving the way for upcoming electromechanical works. On the rolling stock front, Egypt has already received the first Desiro regional train from Siemens' factories in Germany. Fourteen more have been completed, out of a total of 34 trains allocated to the line. Additionally, five Velaro high-speed trains have been fully manufactured, with the first expected to arrive in August. Siemens has also completed production of 14 freight locomotives. Minister Al-Wazir underscored the national significance of the high-speed electric train network, which will extend across the country to connect new and existing urban, industrial, and agricultural areas. The network will support growth in regions such as Helwan, 15th of May City, Borg El Arab, 6th of October City, New Minya, and New Assiut. It will also serve key tourism destinations including Giza, Sohag, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Red Sea resorts. Beyond urban connectivity, the rail system will reach major new agricultural zones including the New Delta, Mostakbal Misr (Future of Egypt), Ganat Misr, West Minya, Toshka, and East Oweinat. The project aims to create strategic logistical corridors between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, linking northern and southern Egypt and connecting industrial hubs to seaports and consumer markets. The high-speed rail network is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities. When complete, it will comprise three lines with a combined length of 2,000 kilometers, 60 stations, two main depots, and five maintenance points. The rolling stock fleet will include 41 high-speed trains, 94 regional trains, and 41 freight locomotives. The first line—linking Ain Sokhna to Alamein and Marsa Matrouh—will span 660 kilometers and feature 21 stations, including 13 high-speed and 8 regional train stations, along with a central control and monitoring center.
