This photo shows the interior of Talgo s air-conditioned first-class carriage. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Transportation.
The decision comes amid the recent arrival of the fifth and sixth Talgo trains in Egypt which are part of an agreement between the Spanish manufacturer and the ENR to import seven new air-conditioned trains — including one as a gift for the Egyptian people.
According to the agreement, which costs 157 million euros through a 30-year loan, Talgo will undertake the work of maintaining trains for a period of 20 years.
The deal is part of a broader plan to upgrade Egypt’s railway sector, the second oldest in the world, with 9,570 kilometres of track running nationwide, to ensure better services to customers.
Prior to the reception of the last two trains, Talgo train trips between Alexandria and Cairo, which started in December, did not operate with the same number of daily trips, Gad explained.
Starting 1 June, train No. 2025 and train No. 2023 will depart Cairo at 8am and 2pm Cairo Time (GMT +3) respectively, with average travel time of 2 hours and 30 minutes.
On the other side, train No. 2022 and train No. 2024 will depart Alexandria at 7am and at 2pm, respectively.
However, on holidays and Fridays, train No. 2022 will depart Alexandria at 9am.
The air-conditioned first-class tickets of Talgo trains cost EGP 200, whereas air-conditioned second-class tickets cost EGP 150.
Each Talgo train consists of five air-conditioned first-class railcars, eight air-conditioned second-class railcars, a caboose, and an engine car.
The trains, described earlier by the ministry as a “huge quantum leap” in the history of Egyptian railways, are characterized by advanced modern technologies, speeds of up to 160 km/h, and pneumatic systems used as shock absorbers for high speeds.
In March 2023, Egypt inked a deal with Talgo to establish railway passenger carriages throughout a 20-feddan region in Upper Egypt's governorate of Beni Suef.
Egyptian engineers and technicians, overseen by Spanish specialists, will construct a total of 100 trains in two stages, with 50 trains being built in each phase.
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