Mubasher: The Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) has signed a contract with Germany’s Siemens Mobility and its consortium partners, Orascom Construction and The Arab Contractors, to build the sixth largest high-speed rail network in the world.

The 2,000-kilometre rail system will link 60 cities throughout the country with trains that can operate at up to 230 km/h, according to a press release on Sunday.

Under a 15-year agreement, Siemens, Orascom Construction, and The Arab Contractors will offer turnkey services to design, install, commission, and maintain the entire system.

Siemens will also equip the rail network with 41 Velaro eight-car high-speed trains, 94 Desiro high-capacity four-car regional train sets, and 41 Vectron freight locomotives.

The German company’s share in the combined contract reached EUR 8.10 billion, including EUR 2.7 billion in the initial contract that was signed for the project’s first line last September.

The first line of the project will link Ain Sokna city on the Red Sea with both Alexandria and Marsa Matrouh and will extend for 660 kilometres.

The second line will extend 1,100 kilometres, linking Cairo with Abu Simbel, while the third line, covering 225 kilometres, will connect Luxor in Upper Egypt with Hurghada city on the Red Sea.

The Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, stated that the new electrified train network comes in line with the solid cooperation between Egypt and Germany in the field of infrastructure.

The CEO of Siemens Mobility, Michael Peter, commented: "This transportation project is truly historic for both Egypt and Siemens. The extensive 2,000 km high-speed rail network will connect 60 cities and enable around 500 million journeys a year."

The CEO of Siemens AG, Roland Busch,  said: "[The Project] will also enable Egypt to take a leap forward in rail transportation. Egypt will have the sixth largest and most modern high-speed rail network in the world. In addition, it is the biggest order in the history of Siemens!"