The number of passengers using Egypt's railway system declined by 87 percent to 2.7 million in March 2014 compared to 20.7 million in the same period of previous years. 

The drop has had a crucial impact on Egypt's Railway Authority revenues from passenger rail, declining by 34 percent during the same period, representing a loss of some LE24.5 million ($3.5 million), according to the Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC).

The drop in revenues was partly compensated by a seven percent rise in revenues from commercial rail that reached LE128 million ($18.3 million).

After the July 2013 ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, the Railway Authority suspended most of its operations over security concerns following the forced dispersal of two pro-Muslim Brotherhood sit-ins in August.

Railway services connecting Cairo to Upper Egypt partially resumed in November with more trains back to service in the months that followed.

In March, several temporary halts of train traffic took place in Egypt’s Delta, as well as in Upper Egypt, as railway rods were cut or the presence of unknown objects feared to be bombs were reported.