Egypt’s National Railways has announced a plan to modernise the 125km rail corridor that runs along the east bank of the Nile between Cairo, Giza and the city of Beni Suef.

The work will involve upgrades to signalling, track and stations, and will be carried out over five years by French engineer Thales and Egyptian contractor Orascom. When complete, the two will maintain the link for another five years.

A portion of the €340m cost of the scheme will be provided by the World Bank as part of its Railway Improvement and Safety for Egypt project.

Alessio Bencivenni, Thales’ managing director for ground transportation systems in Egypt, said: “By introducing state-of-the-art signalling systems, we are dedicated to improving the travel experience for passengers in Egypt.

“Through innovation and collaboration, we strive to optimise punctuality, increase profitability and elevate the capacity of our railway networks, fostering economic growth and connectivity within the country.”