Cairo Monorail

The Cairo Monorail (Arabic: مونوريل القاهرة) is a two-line monorail rapid transit system currently under construction in the Cairo region and is projected to become the longest driverless monorail system in the world when completed.^[4] The two lines will create the first public transport from the New Administrative Capital and 6th of October City to the Cairo metropolitan area when completed.^[5] The expected travel time for the 53km Line between the New Administrative City and East Cairo is about 60 minutes and the 42km line connecting 6th of October City with Giza is about 42 minutes.^[6]

The Cairo Monorail was first conceptualized in the late 2010s to combat the rise of traffic in the Greater Cairo area, and to provide a rapid transportation option for suburban residents. The Monorail was also thought of as a rail link between Cairo and Egypt's New Administrative Capital. The Monorail has also been chosen to use renewable resources, to cause less pollution and to be a zero emissions form of transit. The monorail is also automated, meaning it does not require a driver for operations.^[7]

Funding for the project was secured and obtained through a mix of local and international investments. This included a substantial loan facilitation agreement between the National Authority for Tunnels and GB Morgan Europe Limited, as well as contributions from other financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB). The total funding amounted to approximately 4.5 billion Euros.^[8]

In August 2019, the French rolling stock manufacturer, Alstom, would lead a consortium with many businesses, which includes Orascom Construction and several Egyptian Contractors. The consortium would sign a 2.7 billion Euros contract to design, construct, operate, and maintain the two monorail lines. Upon completion of the construction phase, the consortium will provide 30 years of operation and maintenance services for both lines. ^[9]

The system was expected to first open to the public in 2023.^[10][11], however was delayed to October 2024.

The monorail will enter its testing phase in October 2024, with plans to launch within the same month. The initial trial operations will run from the control center at the New Administrative Capital to the Moshir Mosque Station.^[12]

Cairo Monorail is set to use 70 fully automated Alstom Innovia Monorail 300 vehicles for both lines. The vehicles are four cars long and were manufactured at Alstom's Derby Litchurch Lane Works factory in Derby, United Kingdom. ^[6]

The Innovia 300 Monorail system incorporates Alstom’s Cityflo 650 CBTC system, which uses radio communication and moving block technology to manage train operations.^[13]

Construction on this line began in 2019 and was initially scheduled for completion in May 2022. However, the completion date was postponed to October 2023, with operations expected to start in April 2024. The timeline has since been further delayed, with the new expected completion and operation dates set for October 2024.^[2]

It will be 56.5 kilometres (35.1 mi) long, with 22 stations starting with Stadium and stops named Hisham Barakat, Nouri Khattab, the 7th District, Free Zone, Marshal Tantawy, Cairo Festival, Air Hospital, Narjis District, Mohammed Naguib, American University, Emaar, Nafoura Square, Al Barwa, Middle Ring Road, Mohammed Bin Zayed, Regional Ring Road, Almasa Hotel, Ministries (Al Wezarat) District, Administrative Capital, and terminating at an unknown station 22 (referred to as Station 22).^[14]

The line will provide a transfer to the Cairo Metro Line 3 at its terminus in Stadium station. It will also be connected to the Cairo LRT at Almasa Hotel station (transfer to the Arts and Culture City station of the LRT).

Work on the October Line started in January 2020, and was projected to begin operating in mid 2023.^[15] However work on it has been delayed due to difficulties in expropriating land for the project, pushing the operational date to October 2024.^[2]

The line will be 45 kilometres (28 mi) long, with 13 stations starting with New October Station, Industrial Zone Station, Sadat Station, Sixth of October City Authority Station, Engineers Association Station, Nile University Station, Hyper One station, Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, Mansouriya Station, Mariouteya Station, Ring Road Station, Bashteel Station, and termi ating at Nile Valley Station.^[16]

The line will provide a transfer to the Cairo Metro Line 3 at Nile Valley Station, part of the line's eastern expansion plans.

• Cairo Metro
• Urban rail transit in Africa
• List of monorail systems
• High-speed rail in Egypt

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