Egypt launches trial operation of first phase of high-speed electric train line ‘El Sokhna–Matrouh’

CAIRO – 9 November 2025: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly gave the signal to begin the trial operation of the first phase of Egypt’s high-speed electric train line linking El Sokhna, Alamein, and Marsa Matrouh.

The launch of operations took place during the 6th Smart Transport, Logistics and Traffic Fair & Forum for the Middle East & Africa (TransMEA 2025), taking place from November 9 to 11 in Cairo’s Fifth Settlement.

The trial run will take place in the 6th of October City, west of Cairo.

According to the National Authority for Tunnels, the high-speed train is designed for speeds of up to 250 km/h, offering a faster and more comfortable experience for passengers.

The first line of the high-speed network spans around 660 km and includes 21 stations — 8 for regional service and 13 for high-speed service.

The line begins at El Sokhna on the Red Sea coast, passes through the New Administrative Capital, Alexandria, and Alamein, and terminates at Marsa Matrouh on the Mediterranean, creating the first rail link between the Red and Mediterranean seas.

Passengers can transfer seamlessly to the light rail at the Central Capital Station, the second high-speed line at Hadayek October Station, the West Nile monorail at 6th of October Station, the Cairo–Aswan railway at Giza Station, and eventually the sixth metro line at Ahmed Omar Hashem Station.

The line is expected to carry one million passengers daily and transport four million tons of cargo annually.

 

Boosting Connectivity, Tourism

During the trial, Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir highlighted that the network will serve urban, industrial, agricultural, and tourist areas across the country.

The network will also support new agricultural projects in regions such as the New Delta, West Minya, Toshka, and East El Oweinat.

Meanwhile, it will create logistical corridors connecting the Red and Mediterranean seas and linking industrial zones with seaports for exports.

It will be integrated with airports, seaports, and road networks to promote multimodal transport, sustainable urban development, and environmental protection, while creating thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

The launch of the high-speed electric train supports the goals of sustainable urban development, the minister emphasized.

It creates new development corridors, help reduce environmental pollution, and is expected to generate thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities, El-Wazir said.