More Spanish trains delivered

Tuesday 3 Jan 2023

Talgo train

 

SPANISH manufacturer Talgo delivered two more trains to Egypt last week, the Ministry of Transportation announced on Monday.

According to an agreement between Talgo and the Egyptian National Railways, seven new air-conditioned trains — one a gift for the Egyptian people — are worth 157 million euros, including a maintenance contract and spare parts, the ministry said. One train is already being operated on the Cairo-Alexandria line, and preparations are underway for the trial operation without passengers for the second train, according to the ministry.

The third and fourth trains will be taken to Talgo workshops in Cairo before operating them experimentally without passengers in accordance with international safety standards.

With the successive arrival of the trains, the ministry says, more trains will operate on the Cairo-Aswan line to serve the people of Upper Egypt during the coming period.

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 by the ministry as a “huge quantum leap” in the history of Egyptian railways, are characterised by advanced modern technologies, speeds of up to 160 km/h, and pneumatic systems used as shock absorbers for high speeds.

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

The deal is part of a broader plan to upgrade Egypt’s railway sector, the second oldest in the world, with 9,570 km of track running nationwide, to ensure better services to customers.

The Transport Ministry previously announced that the plan to upgrade the railway network includes improving locomotives and carriages for LE48.2 billion.

According to Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), there were 978 railway accidents in 2021 compared to 898 in 2020, an increase of 8.9 per cent.

On the other hand, the railway authority announced on Monday the price of train tickets in US dollars for foreigners looking to book seats on the cross-country Alexandria-Aswan train.

Tickets foreigners can buy vary from $15 for second-class tickets from Alexandria’s Sidi Gaber station to Cairo’s Ramses station, to $65 for first-class tickets on the VIP train from Alexandria’s Sidi Gaber station to Aswan station.


* A version of this article appears in print in the 5 January, 2023 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

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