The first line of Egypt's high-speed electric train network, stretching 660 km from Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to Marsa Matrouh on the Mediterranean, is now 67% complete, the country's transport minister has said. The update was provided during a meeting on Sunday, chaired by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to review the executive status of the high-speed train and monorail projects. Madbouly stressed the presidential directive to expedite their completion as they form a "pillar for urban, industrial, and tourism development." During the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel El-Wazir, also explained the economic feasibility and executive status of the second and third lines of the high-speed rail network. The second line will extend 1,100 km from the Giza governorate to Abu Simbel in the south, while the third line will run about 175 km from Qena to Safaga and Hurghada. He highlighted the importance of the lines in connecting new agricultural development areas with consumption centres and export ports, linking tourist areas to allow for diverse tourism programmes, and serving new and planned cities, including New Beni Suef, New Fayoum, New Minya, and New Aswan. The transport minister noted that the route of the first and second lines aligns with the "Development Corridor" plan proposed by Egyptian scientist Farouk El-Baz, which aims to achieve agricultural and urban development and accommodate 20 million citizens along a 1,200 km path from Alexandria to Abu Simbel. Regarding the monorail project, El-Wazir said the East Nile line, which extends 56.5 km from Cairo Stadium in Nasr City to the City of Justice in the New Administrative Capital, is currently being prepared for its upcoming opening. All 40 trains for this line have been delivered. The West Nile monorail will extend 43.8 km from October City to the Wadi El Nil station in Mohandessin. This project will serve the large expansions in 6th of October City and will integrate with the third metro line, the Upper Egypt train station in Bashteel, and the high-speed electric train.
