The Egyptian National Railways (ENR) will start the trial of the rolling stock made by the Talgo company on the Cairo-Aswan rail line without any passengers, the ministry said.

The move comes as part of a broader plan to upgrade railway infrastructure, including carriages and personnel, to ensure better services to customers.

The new train consists of five air-conditioned first-class railcars, eight air-conditioned second-class railcars, a caboose, engine, and a power car.

It is the first to be received by Egypt as part of a contract with the Spanish Talgo company to supply Egypt with seven trains.

The new trains – part of a €125.6 million deal – are made of aluminum, which reduces their weight and helps reduce the train’s fuel consumption during the journey.

It is also resistant to rust and therefore will not corrode from the water used to clean the trains, which extends their life spans.

For people with special needs, each seat of the first air-conditioned carriages is equipped with a display screen to display information, in addition to the presence of central screens in the second-class air-conditioned carriages. The carriages are also fitted with surveillance cameras for security.

Over the past years, Egypt has worked with international companies to upgrade its rail sector and has inked deals to obtain hundreds of railcars.

French company Thales announced on Tuesday delivering three crucial stations for the ENR; Tanta, Sedfa, and Al-Ousayrat, part of the rail corridor from northern Egypt's Alexandria to Upper Egypt's Aswan via Cairo.

The two stations of Sedfa and Al-Ousayrat are built to connect Assiut with Qena's Nagaa Hammadi, while Tanta station is located on the Cairo-Alexandria line.