First air-conditioned Cairo Metro Line 1 train arrives at Alexandria Port under Egypt-France deal. Photo by Ministry of Industry and Transport.
In 2022, Egypt signed a 776.9 million euro financing agreement with France to fund French company Alstom's manufacturing and supply of 55 air-conditioned trains for Cairo Metro Line 1, including eight years of maintenance.
A ministry statement indicated that the deal is funded through concessional financing from the French government under a joint roadmap with France’s Ministry of Economy and Finance.
Minister El-Wazir stated that the project aims to handle rising passenger demand on Metro Line 1 following the planned completion of the five-line metro network and the Line 1 extension from New Marg to Shibin El-Qanatir.
As part of a broader upgrade plan, the ministry commissioned Spain to refurbish 23 existing trains and contracted a local firm to modernize the Torrah workshop.
It also partnered with an Egyptian, French, and Japanese alliance to upgrade signalling, communication, control systems, tracks, and electromechanical works.
The new trains will include the following features:
- High-capacity air-conditioning system,
- Safe passage between cars for passenger comfort,
- Front-mounted CCTV cameras for centralized track monitoring,
- LCD screens to display passenger information and for paid advertisements,
- Screens above the side doors to show the name of the final station before boarding,
- Designated wheelchair areas with secure fixtures to assist passengers with special needs,
- Electronic route maps above doors with illuminated lights to guide hearing-impaired passengers.
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