Millions of commuters will benefit from a EUR205 million loan provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to support the Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) with the partial upgrading of the Cairo Metro, the major means of public transport in Egypt’s capital.

The funds will finance urgent works on Line 1 – the oldest of the Cairo underground lines – which remains the backbone of the system and is used by 500 million customers per year. Investments will increase the line’s capacity by 40 % by reducing headway (the time between trains) from 3.5 minutes to 2.5 minutes, thereby improving levels of safety, comfort and service reliability. The project will also introduce on-the-job training opportunities for young people.

The EBRD loan will be complemented by a EUR350 million loan provided by the European Investment Bank and a EUR50 million loan from Agence Française de Developpement, the French development agency.

The Cairo underground transport system currently consists of three lines and a fourth is under construction. Line 1 is 44 km long, with 4.7 km underground. There are 35 stations, five of which are underground. It covers the Egyptian capital from the north to the south, from New El-Marg - Helwan Visit https://www.ebrd.com/news/2018/ebrd-finances-rehabilitation-of-cairo-metro-line-1.html .

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