New gateway to Upper Egypt: Bashteel railway station in Giza nearly complete

Karima Abdelghany, Wednesday 23 Aug 2023

The Bashteel railway station in Giza governorate, which is nearly complete, is set to become a gateway to Upper Egypt, serving up to 250,000 passengers daily.

New Bashteel railway station
The project of Bashteel Railway Station, which is 95 percent complete, is set to become a gateway to Upper Egypt. Photos: Ahmed Agami and Ministry of Transport.

 

Ahram Online toured the new station and found workers diligently putting the final touches on the station’s many amenities and commercial activities, which include bank branches, communication companies, post offices, restaurants, and more.

We also talked to a number of high-level personnel involved in the construction.

Engineer Hussein Shahata, the project manager, explained why the new station is needed.

"Due to the constraints of the current Ramses [railway station in Cairo], which cannot expand and faces severe congestion, this new station was essential. Ramses Station was established in 1854 to serve Egypt's railways at a time when they had less than 400 kilometres of track and the country's population was only four million,” Shahata told Ahram Online.

Egypt’s population has since grown to 105 million, he said, with 1.1 million passengers travelling daily on the country’s 10,000 kilometres of track.

The Bashteel station, also known as the Southern Egypt Railway Station, is meant to accommodate this demand, with a capacity of over 250,000 passengers daily, Shahata said.

The massive new station covers an area of 239,000 square metres or about 57 acres, he added.

“The project includes the main station building, covering 31,000 square metres. Additionally, the station's facilities consist of service buildings, maintenance workshops, platforms, and railway tracks spanning 164,000 square meters.”

The station also includes a 44,000-square-metre investment zone.

Gateway to Upper Egypt
 

The location was strategically chosen as it sits between the Ramses and Giza stations, Shahata said. Moreover, it is the intersection point for Egypt's major railway lines (High Dam, Alexandria, Imbaba, El-Manashi, El-Qubari), he added.

These advantages allow it to be a gateway to upper Egypt, he explained.

"These advantages enable efficient passenger transfer from Upper Egypt to all areas in Greater Cairo and other regions.”

“The new station is situated in a strategic area with access to four main axes for easy transportation: Kamal Amer Axis, Sudan Street, Ahmed Arabi Axis, and Airport Street. In addition, it connects to various transportation modes, including railways, the third metro line, monorail, and bus services on the ring road, all catering to passenger needs.”

This sentiment was echoed by Fouad Mahmoud, the architectural designer for the station.

He explained that the new station is situated in the heart of Greater Cairo, rather than on the outskirts, based on the needs of passengers. Passengers from Upper Egypt primarily come to the city to access services, whether medical (from doctors, hospitals, and laboratories) or to conduct government-related business, among other reasons.

This meant that the new station had to be located within the city, where a variety of transportation options and road intersections were readily available.

Building the station on the outskirts would have required the establishment of new integrated service zones, increasing the project's costs and proving cumbersome for citizens.

Mahmoud emphasized that "every developmental project serves as the engine of development for the region in which it is situated."

The station's location in Bostiel, near the Engineers' area, granted it uniqueness and distinction due to significant investment potential.

The investment zone will provide services to both passengers and the local community.

The site was designed as a developmental service centre, not just a train station, similar to international stations like Berlin and Frankfurt.

The design ensures that the station is not merely a means of transportation but rather a means of community living, integrated into the urban fabric.

Amenities galore
 

Shahata said that the project is 95 percent complete.

The station will be a smart interchange, featuring passenger guidance screens, electronic ticket machines, gates, and surveillance cameras. Furthermore, it will be fully air-conditioned, offer Wi-Fi services, and boast state-of-the-art safety systems for monitoring and fire prevention, he revealed.

Shahata emphasized that the project encompasses more than just the station building; it also includes a development plan for the surrounding area.

This plan includes the construction of a multi-story parking garage for 1,000 cars, contributing to smoother traffic flow in the region. Additionally, the area under the new 26th of July Axis will serve as bus parking for 20 buses, connecting bus parking and the multi-storey garage with the surrounding roads.

Meanwhile, a 500-car garage is planned beneath the investment zone.

Ahram Online also spoke to Engineer Rami Abdel-Rahman, who is affiliated with the project's consulting office about the facilities that will be available.

He explained that the main building comprises a basement garage, a ground floor, and two additional floors. The ground floor includes a commercial section, administrative offices, 28 ticket counters, and restrooms. The first and second floors house a comprehensive shopping mall with commercial stores and investment zones. The basement garage will be able to accommodate 250 vehicles.

An additional garage under the investment buildings is planned that will be able to accommodate 500 vehicles.

Moreover, tunnels for both cars and pedestrians have been constructed below the station building, allowing access from the Kamal Amer Axis to the garage for pedestrians and cars.

Passengers will be able to reach the ticket halls using escalators or any of the 32 elevators.

People with disabilities will be able to navigate the station, thanks to special elevators that will allow them to reach the platforms, and equipment to help in boarding and disembarking from trains.

‘Significant return on investment'
 

Shahata further stated that "projects like these do not burden the state, as they offer a significant return on investment. This is a key feature of projects undertaken by the Ministry of Transportation. While their primary goal is to provide integrated services to citizens, they also include investment aspects that generate returns, benefiting service quality and supporting ticket costs for citizens."

This is evident in the adjacent commercial enterprises, with dozens of commercial spaces sold to investors who market them to banks, communication companies, and various retail stores. Thus, the station building is a comprehensive service hub for the region's residents and all passengers, with its investments exceeding construction costs, he said.

“Since its initiation in 2020, the project has created approximately 7,500 job opportunities," he added.

Pharaonic spirit
 

Fouad Mahmoud, the architectural designer, explained the Pharaonic spirit behind the design of the station.

"This station has been designed in the ancient Egyptian style to convey a mental image to travellers along the Upper Egypt route and foreigners, linking the Pharaonic monuments in the south to Giza."

Other Pharaonic elements include columns resembling the lotus flower alongside simulations of Pharaonic obelisks in the station's atrium, where elevators were creatively incorporated.

Meanwhile, a 40-metre-tall glass pyramid in the station's main atrium provides natural light. 

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