A “French-Egyptian” consortium has submitted preliminary studies to Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) to implement Phase 5 of Cairo Metro’s Line 3, with expected investments of up to $500 million, a NAT board source told Al Manassa.
The source, who asked not to be named, said the consortium, a partnership of VINCI, Bouygues, Arab Contractors, and Orascom Construction, submitted the studies in preparation for moving the project into implementation and later entering into formal contracts with the government.
In September 2024, the Ministry of Transport signed a memorandum of understanding with the consortium to prepare the preliminary design and submit a financial and technical offer to implement Phase 5 of Greater Cairo Metro Line 3, known as the “airport link,” or “4C.”
Phase 5 of Line 3 runs from Heliopolis to Cairo International Airport over 9.2 kilometers and includes seven stations. It aims to provide a direct connection to the airport, while also serving residential areas along the project route.
NAT granted the consortium an additional six-months to complete more comprehensive studies, the source said, explaining that parts of the studies, especially technical components, were prepared during earlier phases of Line 3, but require a precise update to determine the final alignment in line with NAT’s approved standards.
The source added that NAT asked the consortium for more detailed financial studies and clear proposals for project financing mechanisms, especially for equipment to be imported from abroad that requires securing foreign currency.
When contracting major infrastructure projects such as metro systems and electric railways, the Ministry of Transport requires competing companies to submit financing offers from international institutions to cover the foreign component of construction or manufacturing, with the government’s role limited to financing the local component only.
According to a previous Al Manassa estimate from last February, the total value of external financing obtained by the authority for major public transport projects over the past 10 years exceeded $10 billion, based on announced agreements.
