Egypt’s first high-speed electric railway is set to function as a strategic overland corridor between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, Transport Minister Kamel al-Wazir said, describing it as a “Suez Canal on rails.”

Construction is being carried out by two consortia. A joint venture between Orascom Construction and Al Rowad Construction is managing civil and infrastructure works, while a separate alliance of Siemens Mobility, Orascom, and The Arab Contractors is overseeing track installation, signaling, electrification, and control systems.

During an inspection of the project’s first line, which will link Ain Sokhna, Alamein, and Matrouh, al-Wazir reviewed progress at the October Gardens workshop. Covering 578 acres, the facility is expected to rank among the largest train operation and maintenance hubs in the region, according to the transport ministry.

The complex will include 46 buildings, among them a 67,000-square-metre heavy maintenance facility and a control center described by officials as one of the largest in Africa and the Middle East. It will accommodate up to 50 trains and locomotives and will oversee operations and maintenance for the network’s three planned lines.

The National Authority for Tunnels said that 88.3 kilometers of track have been installed in the East Nile sector, along with 18 kilometers in the West Nile sector and 27 kilometers in the North sector. Parts of the route have been handed over to the Siemens-led consortium for ballast laying and overhead catenary installation.

Al-Wazir, joined by Deputy Minister for Electric Traction Wagdi Radwan and NAT Chairman Tarek Goweili, also inspected station finishing works and passenger flow plans. He called for continuous, round-the-clock construction to ensure adherence to quality and safety standards.