CAIRO – Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel el-Wazir on Friday conducted an inspection tour to assess progress on the first phase of the Sokhna–El Alamein–Matrouh high-speed rail project, particularly the Matrouh–Alexandria section.
According to the Ministry of Transport, this visit is in line with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s directives to accelerate the development of seven integrated logistics corridors.
These corridors aim to connect production areas with seaports, link Red Sea and Mediterranean ports, and serve new urban communities via a network of diesel and high-speed railways, major highways, and interconnected dry ports and logistics hubs.
The Ministry of Transport highlighted the Sokhna–El-Alamein–Matrouh high-speed rail line as a key element of the Sokhna–Alexandria logistics corridor, which includes Sokhna Port, the high-speed rail link, the 10th of Ramadan dry port, the Rubiki–10th of Ramadan–Belbeis railway, and Greater Alexandria Port.
During the tour, Wazir inspected stations along the Matrouh–Alexandria section, including Ras El Hekma, Dabaa, Sidi Abdel Rahman, El Alamein, El Hamam, Borg El Arab, Army Stadium (King Mariout), and Alexandria, assessing construction progress and finishing works.
Strategically situated along the international coastal highway and within key urban centers, these stations are designed to boost tourism, serve local populations, and improve commuter access.
The minister said that the high-speed rail line will serve as a catalyst for economic growth, tourism, residential development, and investment projects that depend on modern, efficient, and secure transportation.
He reviewed passenger flow designs, from station entrances to ticketing areas and platforms, with particular attention to accessibility features such as elevators, and evaluated plans for the optimal administrative and commercial use of station spaces.
He stressed the importance of maintaining strict quality standards to ensure that all stations reflect the project’s modern and advanced character.
He reviewed progress at the 256,000-square-meter light maintenance workshop in Marsa Matrouh, designated for routine train servicing, and inspected ongoing civil works, such as bridges and tunnels along the route.
Wazir also assessed the handover status of rail segments to the Siemens–Orascom–Arab Contractors consortium for basalt bed preparation and rail installation.
To date, 387 kilometers of the 660-kilometer line have been handed over to Siemens, with the remaining sections scheduled for phased delivery.
Regarding rolling stock, the first regional train manufactured by Siemens in Germany arrived in Egypt earlier this year, while the first Velaro high-speed train is scheduled to arrive in September.
During the tour, residents of Sidi Abdel Rahman requested the construction of a pedestrian bridge to ensure safe railway crossing.
Wazir immediately approved the request and directed the construction of an additional pedestrian bridge to complement the existing one situated 7 kilometers away.
