The agreement was signed between the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) and the consortium. Deutsche Bahn National Operations is the German railway company’s international arm, while Elsewedy Electric is one of Egypt’s leading industrial firms.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Transport, NAT Chairman Dr Tarek Gewaily, DB International Operations CEO Niko Warbanoff, and Elsewedy Electric Chairman Ahmed El-Sewedy signed the contract.
Under the deal, Egyptian staff must make up at least 95 percent of the operating company’s workforce to ensure full transfer of expertise.
The consortium will also run extensive training programmes for Egyptian engineers and technicians to prepare them to operate the system independently in the future.
The contract includes annual training for Egyptian train drivers in Germany on high-speed electric train operations.
Minister El-Wazir said the agreement is part of the Ministry of Transport’s plan to partner with global railway leaders and benefit from their technical expertise.
He noted that Deutsche Bahn operates Germany’s entire rail network and manages systems in multiple countries.
The minister added that having a single operator manage all high-speed lines will reduce operational overlap and interoperability issues. The contract also introduces a new revenue-sharing model.
Egypt’s high-speed electric rail project will be implemented in three phases.
The first phase stretches from Ain Sokhna Port on the Red Sea, through Cairo and Alexandria, to Marsa Matrouh, covering about 660 kilometres. This line links major population and economic centres in the northern corridor.
The second phase starts in the Hadayek October area, south of Cairo, and extends to Upper Egypt, passing through several governorates to reach Aswan and Abu Simbel, linking the southern regions to the national rail network.
The third phase starts in Qena and runs eastward to the Red Sea, passing through Safaga and Hurghada, creating a key east-west connection between Upper Egypt and major Red Sea ports and tourist hubs.
Once complete, the network will cover around 2,000 kilometres, include 60 stations, and connect cities, industrial zones, ports, and tourist destinations.
The system will operate three train types: Velaro high-speed trains for long-distance travel, Desiro regional trains for medium and short distances, and Vectron locomotives for freight.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly launched the trial operation of the first phase of the network.
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