The European Investment Bank (EIB) is assessing the Abu Qir railway project covering the rehabilitation and upgrade of the obsolete and underused 21.7 km long line, 16 km of which elevated which provides connection with Alexandria.
The bank is proposing a EUR 750 million financing which will support rebuilding and adding metro stations, as well as removal of all the at-grade intersections of the current line. A depot will be constructed and new signalling, telecommunication and control systems will be installed. The project also includes the procurement of new rolling stock to operate the upgraded line.
EUR 1.76 billion million is the estimated value of the project with the aim to convert the existing Abu Qir suburban railway line into a high frequency, modern and efficient metro line with much higher transport capacity, speeds and comfort. The project involves upgrade and electrification works. The 20 stations will be modernised
The upgraded metro line will encourage the usage of public transport and thus promote sustainable mobility in the city.
The alignment of the project is within the current railway corridor, owned by the Egyptian National Railways (ENR) and it is anticipated that all construction works will take place on company’s land, excepting the additional land needed for a depot and the two new stations at Bab Sharq and Sporting.
The mostly elevated line with 20 stations connects the Misr Station and Abou Qir stations in downtown Alexandria with the Abou Qir, 23 km north-east of Alexandria. It is expected that the line will transport 60,000 passengers per hour and direction after all works will be completed in 2028.
In 2022, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a EUR 250 million funding for the project which is also supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) with EUR 250 million each. In addition, the EIB and the Government of Egypt signed a EUR 1 billion framework agreement for the development and expansion of Alexandria and Cairo railway systems with a first tranche of EUR 600 million. The government will deliver EUR 264 million to implement the project.
The Abu Qir railway project is part of the Urban Transport Infrastructure Framework, the aim of which is to finance large public transport projects in the cities of Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt over the next 5 years.
Share on:
