Siemens Mobility finalises contract for 2,000km high-speed rail system in Egypt

Siemens Mobility finalises contract for 2,000km high-speed rail system in Egypt

The Siemens Mobility share of the combined contract is $8.68 billion and includes the initial contract of $2.89 billion for the first line signed on September 1, 2021.

The contract was signed by Lieutenant General Kamel Al Wazir, Minister of Transport of Egypt, and Roland Busch, president and CEO of Siemens AG, as well as Osama Bishai, CEO of Orascom Construction and Sayed Farouk, president and CEO of Arab Contractors.

The 2,000-kilometre state-of-the-art high-speed rail network will connect 60 cities throughout the country, with trains that can operate at up to 230km/h, meaning that approximately 90 per cent of Egyptians will have access to this modern, safe, and integrated rail system.

With a modal shift to train transport, the fully electrified network will cut carbon emissions by 70 per cent compared to current car or bus transport, further supporting Egypt’s efforts in transforming its mobility into a more sustainable one.

Together with civil works partners Orascom Construction and The Arab Contractors, Siemens Mobility will provide its comprehensive turnkey services to design, install, commission, and maintain the entire system for 15 years.

“The new electrified train network comes as a consolidation of the fruitful cooperation between Egypt and Germany in the field of infrastructure and will represent a valuable great addition to Egypt’s transportation system, marking the beginning of a new era for the railway system in Egypt, Africa, and the Middle East,” said Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

Busch said, “The opportunity to provide Egypt with a modern, safe, and affordable transportation system that will transform every day for millions of Egyptians, create thousands of local jobs, and reduces CO₂ emissions in transport, is an honour for us. Not only will it promote economic growth but it will also enable Egypt to take a leap forward in rail transportation. With our latest technology in rolling stock, signalling, and maintenance services, Egypt will have the sixth-largest and most modern high-speed rail network in the world. In addition, it is the biggest order in the history of Siemens.”

The Egyptian high-speed network will consist of three lines: The already announced “Suez Canal on rails", a 660-kilometre line connecting the port cities of Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to Marsa Matrouh and Alexandria on the Mediterranean. And the two rail lines that were signed on May 28.

Along with this, the second line will be about 1,100km long and run between Cairo and Abu Simbel near the Sudan border, linking the megacity to rising economic centres in the south.

The third line will cover 225 kilometres, connecting the world heritage archaeological sites in Luxor with Hurghada by the Red Sea.

To support the installation of the rail network, the consortium will directly create up to 40,000 jobs in Egypt, with an additional 6,700 at Egyptian suppliers and others indirectly through the wider Egyptian economy.

To equip the rail network, Siemens Mobility will deliver trains based on its proven product platforms. This includes 41 Velaro eight-car high-speed trains, 94 Desiro high-capacity four-car regional train sets, and 41 Vectron freight locomotives.

On all three lines, Siemens Mobility will install a safe and reliable signalling system based on the European Train Control System, as well as the power supply system that will deliver efficient and continuous energy.

Siemens Mobility will also provide its latest digital products and platforms that will optimise operations throughout the network for trains, rail infrastructure, and subsystems.