Egypt’s Cairo-Benha rail line to be modernised by Thales

Thales has won a new extension to modernise the 48km Cairo-Benha within the Cairo-Alexandria line; doubling the section’s total average capacity for the transport of passengers and goods.

This project will improve traffic safety and security; allowing trains to travel at a speed of up to 160km/h compared to the current 120km/h. These changes will increase the capacity of transported passengers and goods on the backbone line that links the north and south of Egypt, from Alexandria-Cairo and all the way to Aswan.

The Cairo-Benha section consists of nine stations and 48km of track – carrying some of the busiest traffic on Egypt’s railway network. Onto it Thales will extend its signalling technologies that are currently being installed on the Benha-Alexandria section of the line. Modernised signalling technology along the entire Cairo-Alexandria corridor will ensure that every moment of operation can be captured.

This extension includes the supply of new signalling technologies such as nine electronic interlocking devices, 11 level crossings and field elements and the interface to existing assets. The contract also includes the overhaul of associated energy systems, refurbishment of existing technical buildings and construction of new ones in different locations. With this extension, the traffic control centre will be able to manage the whole line from Cairo to Alexandria.

Egyptian railways have embarked on an ambitious programme of railway modernisation with Thales involved from the start, first on the Cairo-Alexandria project and more recently with the signing of the contract for the modernisation of the signalling and telecom systems on the 180km section between Asyut and Nagh Hammadi in the Upper Egypt portion of the main Alexandria–Cairo–Aswan corridor.