The Transport Ministry is mulling an extension of the Alexandria Metro to New Abu Qir in a bid to integrate the metro system with the fourth Abu Qir–Port Said high-speed railway line, a government official tells EnterpriseAM. The new metro is also slated to cut travel times along the corridor in half — dropping to just 25 minutes from 50 minutes, our source added.

Passenger capacity is also expected to increase to 60k passengers per hour one-way, up from its current 2.85k threshold. Congestion and traffic bottlenecks along the line will also be eased — with headways capped at 2.5 minutes.

The ministry tapped the US-based Institute for Transport and Development Policy’s consulting arm LGIT to serve as advisor for the Alex metro project in a contract valued at EUR 608k, our source tells us. The first phase of construction works has officially started, following the suspension of operations on the old Alexandria tram line last week. Construction will include the establishment of two depots at Abu Qir and Kafr Abdo, with building and infrastructure works.

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