Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi inaugurated the East Nile Monorail, a major new mass transit project linking eastern Cairo with the New Administrative Capital, marking a significant advancement in Egypt’s development of modern, sustainable urban transportation.
The 56.5-kilometer monorail line runs from Cairo Stadium in Nasr City to the control and operations center in the New Administrative Capital. During the inauguration, the president rode the monorail alongside families of fallen servicemen, traveling from Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque station to the Business District station, stopping at key stations along the route.
The project represents Egypt’s first monorail system and is part of a broader national plan to expand environmentally friendly, high-capacity public transportation. Officials say the system is designed to ease congestion in Greater Cairo, reduce emissions, and provide a faster, safer alternative to private vehicles.
Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir highlighted that the project follows presidential directives to prioritize sustainable transit solutions. He described the monorail as a “major leap forward” in public transportation, noting its efficiency, lower fuel consumption, and reduced environmental impact.
The monorail operates entirely on electricity and uses rubber-tired trains, reducing noise by around 30 percent compared to conventional electric rail systems. Its elevated tracks allow the system to run along road medians without disrupting traffic, while minimizing land acquisition requirements.
The trains are fully automated and operate without drivers. Service intervals are expected to be three minutes, with potential reductions to 90 seconds during peak demand. The full journey from Cairo Stadium to the New Administrative Capital takes approximately 70 minutes.
Each train comprises four cars and can reach speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour. The network is designed to serve up to 500,000 passengers per day, reflecting the growing demand for efficient transit between Cairo and the expanding capital.
The monorail integrates with other transportation systems, connecting to Cairo Metro Line 3 at Cairo Stadium station and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) at the Arts and Culture City station, with future connections planned for Metro Lines 4 and 6.
Stations feature advanced passenger amenities, including platform screen doors for safety, LED information displays, and designated spaces for passengers with disabilities, including secure areas for wheelchairs and visual route mapping for hearing-impaired travelers.
The project generated approximately 15,000 direct jobs during construction, along with 10,000 indirect positions across related industries. It serves major locations including Cairo Stadium, Al-Azhar University, several hospitals, commercial centers, residential districts, and the government and financial districts of the New Administrative Capital.
The full monorail network, including East and West Nile lines, will cover roughly 100 kilometers with 35 stations. The East Nile segment alone features 22 stations and was developed by a consortium of Egyptian companies Orascom Construction and Arab Contractors in partnership with France’s Alstom.
A central control and operations hub, spanning 85 feddans with 13 buildings, has been established in the New Administrative Capital to manage the system. Authorities have also introduced commercial partnerships, including naming rights for certain stations, to enhance financial sustainability.
The inauguration of the East Nile Monorail underscores Egypt’s commitment to modernizing infrastructure, supporting urban growth, and improving mobility for residents across the Greater Cairo region.
