The consortium, comprising Colas Rail (leader), Orascom Construction and Hitachi Rail, has signed a contract with the Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) to renovate line 1 of the Cairo underground system for a total of approximately 850 million euros, including 35% for Colas Rail. 

This line is the oldest in Egypt and is the backbone to the capital's urban transport system, currently carrying more than 1.5 million people every day. To meet the ever-increasing demand for mobility in Cairo, the authorities have decided to boost its transport capacity.

Colas Rail will work with Orascom to modernise the electric power supply, catenary and electromechanical systems in stations and tunnels and on the rail track. Hitachi Rail, for its part, will modernise the signalling, control and telecommunications infrastructures.

This work will be an impressive technical feat, as it will be carried out during the day while maintaining commercial operations on the line. The project is expected to start in October 2024 and will run for 64 months.

“We are proud to have supported the National Authority for Tunnels over more than 40 years in the construction of reliable, low-carbon urban mobility infrastructure in Cairo and Alexandria. The modernisation of line 1, which Colas Rail helped to build in the 1980s, represents a new challenge. Over the next few years, many of the world's major cities will have to modernise their underground railway lines to keep pace with the growing demand for mobility among the population. Colas Rail will be there to support its customers and boost the regional economy,” says Hervé Le Joliff, Chairman of Colas Rail.

“We are pleased to continue our successful collaboration with NAT and our long-term partners to modernize Egypt’s first metro line. Orascom Construction has established itself as a leading player in the construction of metro systems, starting with the Group’s first contract for Greater Cairo Metro in the 1980s, and most recently Line 4 and the new regional metro in Alexandria. Complementing this track record, this project for Line 1 marks the modernization of such transportation infrastructure and positions the Group to capitalize on expected future modernization projects,” commented Osama Bishai, CEO of Orascom Construction.

“Our consortium is delivering a truly innovative project to update Egypt’s oldest metro line while maintaining day to day commercial operations. Building on more than 40 years supporting the Cairo metro, we will deliver our modern, digital technology, enhancing signalling, control and telecommunication infrastructure on line 1. Our solution will enable greater safety, reliability and capacity on the line and deliver more seamless and sustainable journeys for passengers in Cairo,” added Alessio Bencivenni, Head of Ground Transportation Systems for Egypt, Hitachi Rail.