Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) has signed a $4.5 billion contract to build a high-speed rail line linking the country’s Red Sea coast with the Mediterranean.
The contract between NAT and a consortium comprising Siemens Mobility, Orascom Construction and The Arab Contractors will cover design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of the rail system for 15 years. The contract follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in January to design, build and commission Egypt’s first high-speed electric rail line.
The railway project covers a total of 660km, with phase one (460km) connecting Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to El-Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea, via the New Administrative Capital (NAC). Phase two (200km) will extend the line from El-Alamein to Marsa Matrouh. The rail line will have a design speed of 250km/h and will carry both passengers and freight. The line will stop at 21 stations.
The Egyptian Transport ministry announced in February the end of preliminary work on the project, which is to be completed in 2023. The financial close on the high-speed rail project is expected in 2022.
Siemens Mobility, whose share of the contract is worth $3 billion, will deliver its Velaro high-speed trains, Desiro high-capacity regional trains, and Vectron freight locomotives. A signalling system based on the latest computer-based interlocking technology and European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 will be installed, as well as the traction power supply system. Siemens Mobility will also provide and integrate the communications, safety and security systems. Orascom Construction and The Arab Contractors will install the tracks, while NAT will build the bridges and facilitate the sub-construction.
The Egyptian government plans to invest heavily in an 1800-km high-speed rail network to transport goods and passengers across the country. Two additional lines will connect the Greater Cairo region from 6th of October City along the Nile River with Aswan, and Luxor via Hurghada to Safaga.
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