The Ministry of Transport announced that this launch is a direct response to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's directives to expand sustainable, environmentally friendly green mass transit options.
This first phase, now open to the public, features 14 stations: Adly Mansour (noted as a "non-typical" station), two at-grade stations with pedestrian bridges: Bahtim and Police Academy, eleven at-grade stations with pedestrian underpasses: Alexandria Agricultural, Colonel Ahmed Abdel Rahim, Shubra Banha, Mostorod, Al-Khosous, El-Marg, Al-Qalag, Zakat Institution, Lieutenant General Ibrahim El-Oraby, El Salam, and Suez Road.
The ministry's statement also provided details on accessing each station and the areas they serve:
First: Alexandria Agricultural Station: This at-grade
station, accessible via a pedestrian underpass, serves the Cairo-Alexandria
Agricultural Road. It's ideal for commuters from Banha, Toukh, Qalyub, and
their surrounding areas, as well as those from Shubra El-Kheima and its
environs who use the Ring Road.
Second: Colonel Ahmed Abdel Rahim Station (Sharqawiya area):
An at-grade station with pedestrian underpass access, it serves the Sharqawiya
area and commuters from nearby villages like Mit Halfa and Mit Nama.
Third: Shubra Banha Station: This at-grade station, accessible
via a pedestrian underpass, caters to those traveling towards the Shubra-Banha
Free Road and the Lieutenant General El-Assar Axis.
Fourth: Bahteem Station: Bahteem is a surface station,
accessible to passengers via a pedestrian bridge. It serves the Bahteem area,
West Shubra El Khaima, Esko Club Street, and their surrounding villages.
Fifth: Mostorod Station: Mostorod is a surface station,
accessible to passengers via a pedestrian underpass. It serves the Mostorod
area, Ismailia Canal, Ismailia Agricultural Road, Belbeis Road, and those
heading to Amiriyah and Matariya.
Sixth: El Khousous Station: El Khousous is a surface
station, accessible to passengers via a pedestrian underpass. It serves the El
Khousous area and its hamlets.
Seventh: El Marg Station: El Marg is a surface station, accessible
to passengers via a pedestrian underpass. It serves the New El Marg area and
the El Marg-Khanka axis. It also offers interchange with Metro Line 1 via El
Marg Station.
Eighth: El Qalag Station: El Qalag is a surface station, accessible to passengers via a pedestrian underpass. It serves the El Qalag area, Mohamed Naguib Road, and their surrounding areas.
Ninth: Mo'assassat Al Zakat Station: Mo'assassat Al Zakat is
a surface station, accessible to passengers via a pedestrian underpass. It
serves the Mo'assassat Al Zakat area and those coming from Ain Shams and their surrounding
villages.
Tenth: Al-Fareeq Ibrahim Orabi Station: Al-Fareeq Ibrahim
Orabi is a surface station, accessible to passengers via a pedestrian
underpass. It serves 100th Street, the ElHerafeyeen area, and their surrounding
areas.
Eleventh: El Salam Station: El Salam is a surface station,
accessible to passengers via a pedestrian underpass. It serves the El Salam
area, El Salam bus stop, as well as Nahda City and El Salam Stadium.
Twelfth: Adly Mansour Station: Adly Mansour is a
non-standard station serving the Adly Mansour area and those arriving from Gesr
El Suez, Hikestep, Obour, and the Ismailia Road. It offers interchange with the
Adly Mansour Metro Station, Railway, and the LRT (Light Rail Transit).
Thirteenth: Suez Road Station: Suez Road is a surface
station, accessible to passengers via a pedestrian underpass. It serves the Cairo/Suez
Road and those coming from Nasr City and Almaza, heading towards New Cairo 1
(First Settlement) and the New Administrative Capital.
Fourteenth: Police Academy Station: Police Academy is a surface station, accessible to passengers via a pedestrian bridge. It serves the Zahraa Nasr City area, New Cairo 1 (First Settlement), and the Police Academy.
The Ministry announced the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) project
as a key initiative in the state's modern, environmentally friendly public
transport strategy. It aims to improve citizen mobility and enhance traffic
flow on the Ring Road.
This project aims to maximize public transport ridership by
attracting private car users. The electric, environmentally friendly buses will
offer premium service, reduce emissions, and connect key Ring Road
intersections like Suez, Adly Mansour, El Marg, and Mostorod.
Furthermore, this project serves as a vital artery
connecting the east and west of the capital, offering a single, fast, modern,
clean, and safe transport link to the New Administrative Capital. It will also
integrate with other transport methods, providing interchange with:
Metro Line 1 at El Zahraa and El Marg stations.
Metro Line 3 at Adly Mansour and Imbaba stations.
LRT (Light Rail Transit) at Adly Mansour station.
Training for all drivers assigned to the first phase of the BRT project concluded successfully, with results confirming their proficiency in route navigation, station stops, and maintaining scheduled headways. Initially, buses will operate with a 3-minute headway (20 buses per hour), decreasing to 1.5 minutes during peak hours to ensure optimal service for passengers.
The project's first and second phases will see the
deployment of 100 air-conditioned electric buses. Each bus has a capacity of 66
passengers (equivalent to five minibuses), allowing for the transport of 3,200
passengers per hour in both directions. These buses are locally produced in
Egypt, aligning with the President's directives to localize various industries,
including bus manufacturing, and reduce reliance on imports. This initiative is
a cornerstone of the comprehensive plan to bolster Egypt's industrial sector,
with the goal of transforming the nation into a regional industrial hub.
The Greater Cairo BRT project will span 113 km across three
phases, featuring 48 stations, parking areas, a main charging station, and
three subsidiary charging stations.
The project will be operated in three phases:
Phase One includes 14 stations, covering the distance from
Alexandria Agricultural Road to the Police Academy.
Phase Two is currently underway, with 21 stations covering
the distance from Moshir Tantawy to the Fayoum intersection, including 3
stations on the Mariouteya Axis (Haram - King Faisal - Tersa) and the Grand
Egyptian Museum station (Alexandria Desert Road).
Work on the 13 stations of Phase Three will commence after the completion of the expansion in that section, covering the distance from Alexandria Agricultural Road to Alexandria Desert Road.