Egypt’s National Railway Authority will borrow 9 billion Egyptian pounds ($178 million) from local banks to finance key infrastructure projects in its 2025–26 fiscal budget, a board member told Al Manassa on condition of anonymity.
The phased loans are expected to be secured before the projects begin in July.
According to the board member, the railway authority aims to complete work on initiatives launched over the past two years, including upgrades to mainline tracks to enhance safety. One of the primary undertakings is completing civil works on the 69-km Belbeis–10th of Ramadan–Robiki line, and initiating the second phase of the 125-km Taba–Arish logistics corridor from Bir Al-Abd to Arish in North Sinai.
The Ministry of Transportation envisions the 10th of Ramadan line as a central freight route, targeting the movement of 1 million tonnes of cargo annually from the inland dry port to Egypt’s high-speed electric rail network via the regional ring road, facilitating distribution nationwide.
The Taba–Arish line is one of seven integrated logistics corridors designed to connect Egypt’s industrial, agricultural, and mining hubs to Red Sea and Mediterranean ports. The project is also intended to support new urban communities through an expanded rail network.
In October 2024, the ministry launched trial operations on the 100-km Al-Fardan–Bir Al-Abd line, pending installation of signaling and communications systems.
Other civil works covered by the new funding include doubling tracks on the 90-km Bashtil–Al-Ittihad route, part of a broader logistics plan linking Cairo and Alexandria, and installing 100 km of concrete fencing across various lines to enhance safety. Some segments of Upper Egypt’s main line will also be refurbished.
In December, 2024, Transportation Minister Kamel Al-Wazir said in a TV interview that the ministry is advancing multiple railway projects, including freight track upgrades to improve links between seaports and inland destinations.
Egypt’s railway system spans 9,570 km, with 705 stations and 1,332 level crossings, servicing both passenger and freight operations.
