Cairo Monorail | |
Native Name: | Arabic: مونوريل القاهرة |
Owner: | National Authority for Tunnels (Egyptian state) |
Locale: | Greater Cairo |
Transit Type: | Monorail |
Lines: | 2 under construction |
Stations: | 33 Planned[1] |
Operation Will Start: | [2] |
Vehicles: | 70 |
Train Length: | 4 |
System Length: | 96km (60miles) planned[3] |
Average Speed: | 80km/h |
The Cairo Monorail (Arabic: مونوريل القاهرة) is a two-line monorail rapid transit system currently under construction in Cairo and is projected to become the longest driverless monorail system in the world.[4] The two lines will create the first public transport from the New Administrative Capital and 6th of October City to the Cairo metropolitan area when completed.[5] The expected travel time for the 53km Line between the New Administrative City and East Cairo is about 60 minutes and the 42km line connecting 6th of October City with Giza is about 42 minutes.[6]
The system was expected to first open to the public in 2023.[7] [8]
Construction on this line started in 2019, and was due to be completed in May 2022.[9] However, completion has been delayed until October 2023, and operation by April 2024,[10] before being delayed a further time to October 2024.[11]
It will be 56.5km (35.1miles) long, with 22 stations starting with Stadium and stops named Hisham Barakat, Nouri Khattab, the 7th District, Free Zone, Marshal Tantawy, Cairo Festival, Air Hospital, Narjis District, Mohammed Naguib, American University, Emaar, Nafoura Square, Al Barwa, Middle Ring Road, Mohammed Bin Zayed, Regional Ring Road, Almasa Hotel, Ministries (Al Wezarat) District, Administrative Capital, and terminating at an unknown station 22 (referred to as Station 22).[12]
The line will provide a transfer to the Cairo Metro Line 3 at its terminus in Stadium station. It will also be connected to the Cairo LRT at Almasa Hotel station (transfer to the Arts and Culture City station of the LRT).
Work on the October Line started in January 2020, and was projected to begin operating in mid 2023.[13] However work on it has been delayed due to difficulties in expropriating land for the project, pushing the operational date to October 2024.
The line will be 45km (28miles) long, with 13 stations starting with New October Station, Industrial Zone Station, Sadat Station, Sixth of October City Authority Station, Engineers Association Station, Nile University Station, Hyper One station, Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, Mansouriya Station, Mariouteya Station, Ring Road Station, Bashteel Station, and termi ating at Nile Valley Station.[14]
The line will provide a transfer to the Cairo Metro Line 3 at Nile Valley Station, part of the line's eastern expansion plans.
Cairo Monorail is to use 70 fully automated, driverless Bombardier Innovia Monorail 300 vehicles for the two lines with four cars each. The rolling stock has been manufactured at Derby Litchurch Lane Works in England.