Premiere for Egypt's new generation of high-speed trains

Egypt's railway infrastructure is undergoing a fundamental expansion: Siemens Mobility unveiled its new high-speed trains for the country at a trade fair in New Cairo. The centerpiece is the further developed Velaro high-speed train, which can reach speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour and is intended to be a central component of the new nationwide rail network.

41 Velaro trains, each with a capacity of 489 passengers, are planned for the 2,000-kilometer high-speed rail network. According to Siemens, this network will be accessible to approximately 90 percent of the Egyptian population, connecting the major cities via three lines and reducing travel times by up to 50 percent.

The trains, developed and produced in Germany, are specially adapted to Egypt's extreme conditions, as reported by «CNN». This includes enhanced filter systems and optimized cooling and air conditioning technology to withstand sand, heat, and dust.

Africa's railway expansion is gaining momentum

Egypt's project is not the first high-speed rail project in Africa: Morocco has been operating a high-speed rail line between Tangier and Casablanca since 2018, with speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour.

Other countries are also planning ambitious rail infrastructure projects. Nigeria is pursuing a 4,000-kilometer high-speed rail network between Lagos and Port Harcourt, which is expected to cost around 60 billion US dollars (approximately 50 billion Swiss francs). According to the company, the first section could be completed within three years.

At the continental level, the African Union is also focusing on rail transport as part of Agenda 2063: The «African Integrated High Speed ​​Railway Network» completed its first planning phase in 2023. In the long term, the network is expected to reduce transport costs by 40 percent and significantly strengthen intra-African trade.