The Cairo Metro in Egypt is Africa's only full-fledged metro system. The system currently consists of two operational lines, with a third in an advanced stage of planning.
The metro is run by the National Authority for Tunnels. The line uses standard gauge (1435 mm). Ticket price is EGP 1.00 for each journey (as of July 2006, EUR 0.14 or USD 0.18), regardless of distance. On all Cairo metros, the first two cars of each train are reserved for women until early evening as an option for women who don't wish to ride with men in the same car, however women can still ride other cars freely.
Line 1 (the red line) opened in 1987 after the joining of two existing above-ground lines with a large underground section through the city center. (Because of this, it is sometimes referred to as the "Regional Line".) The line runs a total of 43.5 km (27 miles) with 3 km (1.8 miles) underground, serves 33 stations, and has a 60,000 hourly passenger capacity per direction. Sometimes known as the "French-Built Line", this metro runs from the industrial Helwan area in the south to El-Marg northward. It is mostly above ground, with the downtown section below ground. This line was built in three stages:
* First: (Helwan / Ramsis field): 29 km, opened 1987.
* 2nd: (Ramsis field / El-Marg ): 14 km, opened 1989.
* 3rd: Northern continuation of Line 1: 1.3 km, opened 1999.
Line 2 (Shobra - El Mounib)
Cairo's metro network was greatly expanded in the mid-1990s with the building of Line 2 (yellow), from Shoubra to Cairo University. Extending 19 km (11.8 miles) with 18 stations, it is sometimes called the "Japanese-Built Line" and includes the first underground crossing of the Nile. Line 2, which opened in four stages starting in October 1996 and finishing in 2000, has also been extended to Giza. It is mostly in bored tunnel, with two exceptions: a short section at the northern end approaching Shubra El-Kheima which is elevated, and a section just south of this by cut-and-cover. The main difference between Lines 1 and 2 is that Line 1 uses an overhead line while Line 2 uses the third-rail system. This line was built in four stages:
* First: (Shobra / Ramsis field): 8 km, opened 1996.
* 2nd: (Ramsis field / Al-tahrer): 3 km, opened 1997.
* 3rd: (Al-tahrer / Cairo University in Bolak): 5.5 km, opened 1999.
* 4th: (Cairo University / Al-omraniya in Giza): 2.7 km, opened 2000.
Plans
Four more lines are proposed — all with the goal of reducing Cairo's chronic road congestion — with Line 3 (green) from Imbaba / Mohandessin to Abbasiya, and eventually to Cairo International Airport at Heliopolis. Line 4 is expected to go from the southwest at Al Ahram to the east at Nasr City; Line 5 is planned as a half-circular line connecting all the other lines, from Nasr City to Port Said Street and Shubra El Kheima; and Line 6 is to be a north-south line from Shubra to Maadi.
A recent transportation study of the Greater Cairo region was completed in 1999 and recommended the implementation of four new metro lines, Lines 3, 4, 5 and 6, in addition to the two existing lines presently under operation. The completed Metro Network will be capable of serving most of the densely populated areas in the Greater Cairo region, which is in much need of a mass transit system. The Metro Network includes many interchange stations between the six metro lines and also provides interchange facilities with existing main railway stations and bus terminal stations.
Line No. 3 in this plan has become an important project; this line extends from the north west of the Greater Cairo at Imbaba to the north-east at Heliopolis and will also serve the Cairo International Airport. The line crosses under the two branches of the River Nile, same as Line 2. The total length of the line is approximately 30 km most of which is in bored tunnel and will be implemented in four phases. The project includes a Main Workshop adjacent to the western terminal of the line and a Light Repair Workshop at the middle of the line at Abbasia. The implementation of Line No. 3 will start with Attaba to Abbasia section, the first phase, followed by the second phase from Abbasia to Heliopolis, which are the most urgent sections for the transportation needs. The basic design of phase 1, 6 km in length, has just started and will be completed by the end of year 2001 to be ready for launching as an international tender for its construction. The design of phase 1 is taking into consideration the safe crossing of two major underground structures; namely, the line 2 bored tunnel at Attaba and the wastewater spine tunnel north of Attaba. It is also planned that some of the underground stations will be extensively used as commercial centres. These stations will be constructed by the cut-and-cover method and the rolling stock will be fed by power through a third rail.
Line No. 4 crosses the region from the south-west at Al Ahram to the east at Nasr City, a length of 24 km most of which is also in bored tunnel and crosses under the two branches of the River Nile.
Line No. 5 is a half-circular line connecting lines 1, 2, 3 and 4 and has a length of 20 km. The entire route is in bored tunnel.
Line No. 6 is a longitudinal line stretching from the north of the city to the south, a length of 19 km, most of which is in bored tunnel. The six metro lines are planned to meet the transportation demands of the Greater Cairo area up to the year 2022. However, the actual construction and implementation schedule will be restricted by the available funding resources.
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