Train through the desert. This attraction will delight tourists in Egypt

Egypt urgently needs to develop high-speed rail. This vast country, popular among tourists, has just introduced a new train, which will hit the tracks in the future, connecting the capital and the largest cities. The Siemens Mobility Velaro will reach speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, which will shorten current travel times by up to 50 percent. “Designed to withstand the harsh conditions of Egyptian deserts, Velaro has undergone extensive tests for resistance to various types of sand and extreme heat,” writes The Independent.

New train in Egypt

The new Siemens Mobility Velaro train was presented at this year’s TransMEA fair in New Cairo. Guests could see the first high-speed railway that will run on newly built lines. At least some of them are to be built by 2030.

The project, whose implementation began in 2018, assumes a real railway transformation of the country, which has been struggling with problems resulting from outdated infrastructure for years. “After the investment is completed, Egypt’s railway infrastructure will advance to sixth position in the global ranking. The system will reach almost 90 percent of the country’s population,” we read.

Resistant to desert conditions

Velaro will connect Cairo with the most important cities in the country, including: with the New Administrative Capital. It consists of eight carriages with 489 seats, including 99 in first class. The new train is to be an alternative not only to long and tiring bus journeys, but also to current trains that are unable to cover long distances at such a fast pace. “Velaro promises to reduce travel times by up to 50 percent and ensures that CO2 emissions will be reduced by up to 70 percent compared to buses and cars,” writes The Independent. This will be made possible by advanced filtration and cooling systems that counteract the effects of sand, heat and dust in the difficult desert terrain.

The exact start date of the first courses is not known yet.