Egypt’s Minister of Transport, Kamel El-Wazir, conducted an inspection tour on Friday along the Marsa Matrouh–Nubariya section of the High-Speed Electric Train Network’s first line.
Stretching 660 km from Ain Sokhna to Marsa Matrouh via Alamein, the first line forms a core component of the Sokhna–Dekheila logistics corridor. The visit forms part of the minister’s continuous follow-up on the progress of the national high-speed rail initiative.
Wazir was accompanied by Hossam Moustafa, Assistant Minister of Transport for Roads and Bridges, Tareq Goweily, Head of the National Authority for Tunnels, Mohamed Hassan, Head of the General Authority for Roads and Bridges, Ibrahim Bekheit, Deputy Head of the National Authority for Tunnels, and senior officials from both authorities and representatives from the project’s implementing companies.
During the tour, the minister inspected construction and finishing works across nine key stations: Ras El-Hekma, Dabaa, Sidi Abdel Rahman, Alamein, El-Hamam, Borg El Arab, Army Stadium, King Mariout, and Nubariya.
Wazir reviewed progress rates at these hubs, emphasizing their crucial role in supporting tourism and economic activity along the International Coastal Road. He noted that the stations will serve residents, workers, and visitors, providing a modern, safe transportation link designed to drive urban development and regional investment.
The inspection focused on passenger flow management from entrances to ticket halls and platforms, accessibility features, including lifts and facilities for passengers with reduced mobility and strategies for the optimal commercial and administrative utilisation of station spaces.
Wazir reviewed infrastructure developments along the route — including bridges, tunnels, culverts, and waterways — assessing completed works against established timelines. He directed teams to operate around the clock while maintaining the highest quality standards to ensure strict adherence to the project schedule.
To enhance local mobility and safety, the minister ordered the construction of dedicated pedestrian bridges alongside vehicle crossings. He also called for the accelerated construction of access roads linking stations directly to main highways.
Reviewing the track laying, Wazir confirmed the completion of railway embankments across the entire route, alongside ongoing ballast laying, sleeper installation, and rail joining. He instructed workers to maintain service roads parallel to the track to assist installation teams and serve nearby residential and agricultural communities.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the network, Wazir described the first line as a “new Suez Canal on rails” that creates a direct land connection between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.
He praised the workforce for their dedication and highlighted that the network marks a major shift toward sustainable, eco-friendly mass transit. By delivering a fast and efficient alternative to road transport, the project will cut fuel consumption and lower carbon emissions in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 green transition goals.
