President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi recently approved the details of a 100-billion-Japanese yen (nearly $676 million) loan provided by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to be used in the first phase of Greater Cairo’s metro Line 4.

The loan was signed in April 2023 and approved by parliament in November.

The line comprises 39 stations (37 underground and two surface stations) and will be implemented in two phases, according to the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT). The first phase, currently under construction, is 19 km long, comprising 17 stations, and connecting Cairo governorate’s Fustat area and Giza governorate’s 6 October city.

With a total length of 42 km, the line is expected to transport approximately two million passengers daily. The line in the two phases extends from 6 October city to Giza and Cairo, passing through Salah Salem Street, reaching Nasr City and extending to New Cairo. 

A joint venture by Egyptian national firms in constructing the first phase includes Concord for Engineering and Contracting, Arab Contractors, Hassan Allam Construction, and Petrojet.

The route’s first phase extends from Hadaek Al-Ashgar station west of the Cairo Ring Road on the outskirts of 6 October city, passing through the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), then Remayah Square and Haram Street before reaching Giza station, facilitating service interchange with the second metro line. 

It then crosses under the Nile to Al-Malik Al-Saleh station, intersecting with the first metro line, then reaching Fustat station, marking the end of the first phase. 

The second phase of the line will be 23 km long, comprising 22 stations. 

Cairo metro’s three lines serve more than 3.5 million people daily in the Greater Cairo area.

On 1 January, Egypt’s Ministry of Transport raised ticket prices for the three-line metro by LE1 to LE2 while introducing a new ticket pricing scheme for passengers travelling more than 23 stops.

Based on the new pricing scheme, a ticket for a journey between one to nine stops increased from LE5 to LE6, while a ticket for 10 to 16 stops increased from LE7 to LE8.

Furthermore, a ticket for 17 to 23 stops increased from LE10 to LE12, while a new ticket costing LE15 was added for passengers travelling more than 23 stops.

* A version of this article appears in print in the 25 January, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly