The Cairo Metro is run by the National Authority for Tunnels and carries about 3 million passengers a day, a figure that is forecast to rise to 5 million by 2020. The network consists of two lines that are fully operational and a third that is under construction.

The first section of Line 3 was opened in February 2012, and the entire line is set to be completed by October 2019. A planned fourth line has yet to be tendered, and two further lines are expected to follow.

Metro routes

Line 1 was completed in 1987 and runs on a north-south axis from El-Marg to Helwan. It is 42.5 kilometres long and has 33 stations. Line 2 stretches for 21km from the north to the southwest, connecting Shoubra with El-Mounib, and serving the Pyramids of Giza. It has 20 stations and was constructed in two phases, with the first opening in 1997 and the second in 2004.

Our main challenge was to make sure local market products were in compliance with the tender specifications

Khaled Wagih, Alstom

Line 3 is being built in four phases, with construction on the first phase having begun in 2007. Once completed, Line 3 will be 43km long with 34 stations, of which 28 will be underground. The line connects Cairo airport in the east to Imbaba and Mohandiseen in the west, crossing the downtown area and Heliopolis. It will increase the capacity of the metro by 1.8 million passengers a day. The line will use trains made by Japan’s Kinki Sharyo and Toshiba Corporation.

Phase 1 of the Line 3 project was opened in February 2012 and connects Attaba to Abbasia. The 4.3km section consists of five underground stations and an interchange with Line 2 at Attaba station. The line was opened less than six months after the original planned date, despite the political unrest that hit Egypt in early 2011 and tunnelling problems in 2009.

Construction on the second phase of Line 3 started in 2009 and it was opened in May 2014. This phase spans 7.7km and comprises four underground stations.

A consortium led by France’s Vinci Construction Grands Projets built phases 1 and 2 of the line. The value of the civil engineering contract for phase 1 was $308m, while phase 2 was worth $323m. France’s Alstom provided signalling, telecommunications and electromechanical systems.

The construction contract for the third phase of Line 3 was due to be tendered before the end of 2012. However, because of the social unrest this was delayed until May 2014. Bids are to be submitted by 20 October. The design work for both phase 3 and phase 4 is being carried out by France’s Systra.

Phase 3 of the third line will extend from Attaba to Kit Kat, via Rod el-Farag and on to Cairo University. It will be built in three parts, by 2018. Including 16 stations, the length of the line will be 17.7km. The cost of this phase is £E12bn ($1.8bn). The signalling and telecommunications system is being provided by a consortium led by Alstom Equipment. The total value of the signalling and telecommunications contract is E29.8m ($39m).

Phase 4 is expected to operate between the Haram district in the east and the New Cairo district in the west. It will be 13.5km in length, with 10 stations. A total of 8km will be underground. It is currently at the design stage, with start of operation scheduled for 2019. It will be built in two phases: the first covers Al-Ahram to Ain Shams 1 and the second covers Ain Shams 1 to Cairo airport.

Studies are ongoing for Line 4 and tender documents are expected to be issued by the end of 2014, with construction due to start in mid-2015. This line will run for 17.7km and have 16 stations. It will only become operational after the completion of the third phase of Line 3 in 2018. Line 4 will run from Nasr City to Abbasia, Giza and El-Ahram.

Two further lines are being planned: Line 5 will run for 20km connecting Nasr City to Port Said Street and Shoubra, while Line 6 will extend 19km from Shoubra to Maadi, via El-Ahram.

Social unrest

The political unrest caused limited disturbance to the construction of Line 3 of the metro, with works halting for just a few weeks in February and March 2011, when the violence was at its peak. The main impact has been to slow decision-making and to make securing finance more difficult. The EU and Agence Francaise de Developpement had to step in and provide a E940m ($1.23bn) finance package in September 2012 to fund the metro expansion. Awards have also been delayed. Until a semblance of order returns to the country, this will continue to be an issue.

Further challenges are posed to those designing and building the Cairo Metro by the cramped conditions above ground in the densely populated city and also by the underground utilities, which have in the past caused tunnelling problems.