Cairo-Sharm-Medina High Speed Train

By:Samy Ashour

Faster, more efficient mobility, enormous energy savings, reduced environmental damage - a train system solves many problems:

1) Creates tens of thousands of green jobs nationwide building the new rail infrastructure and manufacturing the rail cars.2) Pays for itself by significantly reducing oil subsidies. 3) Offers a convenient, comfortable way to travel without hassles or delays. 4) A major step toward solving global warming by reducing our oil consumption and emissions. 5) Freedom from oil - Powered by clean electricity from renewable energy sources: wind, solar etc.6) Safe, affordable, green transportation for everyone.7) Saves lives (6000 Egyptians die each year in car accidents)8) Provides efficient mobility that moves people and goods without delay and waste.9) Helps the horizontal migration of Egyptians outwards away from the delta.10) Increases the flow of tourists to and from famous destinations.

Numerous benefits with train systems

1. High speed rail delivers fast, efficient transportation so riders can save time, energy, and money.

2. High Speed rail is extremely reliable and operates in all weather conditions. It is not subject to congestion, so it operates on schedule every day without delay - especially during rush hour and peak travel times.

3. High Speed Rail spurs the revitalization of cities by encouraging high density, mixed-use real estate development around the stations. It also fosters economic development in second-tier cities along train routes. It links cities together into integrated regions that can then function as a single stronger economy.

4. High Speed Rail broadens labor markets and offers workers a wider network of employers to choose from.

5. It encourages and enables the development of technology clusters with fast easy access between locations.

6. It also expands visitor markets and tourism while increasing visitor spending. 7. The many benefits High Speed Rail delivers spread throughout regions that have High

Speed Rail, encouraging economic development across a large area.

High speed rail delivers many layers of economic benefits

vision

1. Connect Cairo with Sharm Elsheikh by HS Railway

2. Connect Sharm Elsheikh with Medina, Saudi Arabia by HS Railway via the Egypt-Saudi Causeway to Tabuk then to Medina.

1.Provide a less expensive mode of transportation for the millions of Egyptians working and living in Saudi Arabia. This will also allow more frequent travels between both countries.

2.Hisham Zazoua, Minister of Tourism, expected the Egypt-Saudi causeway to increase the number of Saudi tourists visiting Egypt every year to more than 1.2 million from the current 300,000. Now with the HS Railway this figure will most likely double.

3.The Chairman of Foreign Trade at the Egyptian Ministry of Commerce, Hussain Omran, the causeway would increase trade between the two countries by more than 300% from the present $4.2bn a year to more than $13bn in two years. Now with this HS Railway this figure will greatly increase.

4.Safe and affordable transportation for religious travel. To date 950,000 travelers for Omra yearly & 60,000 for Hajj.

5.Increase domestic tourism to Sinai. Today domestic travel to Sharm Elsheikh is approximately 200,000 tourists. This will increase extensively.

6.Promote the migration and industries as more towns will be erected on the West of Sinai.

7.International travelers as well as Egyptians visiting Egypt will have Sharm Elsheikh as a vacation destination since the cost of Rail will be affordable. Today the cost from Cairo to Sharm is nearly 1000LE which is out of range for thousands of families while ground transportation is a deterrent.

8.Will support the Suez Development project overall.

Direct Benefits of the Railway Project to Egypt’s economy:

Railway Cost:Route/Phase Cost per KM (double

track/ balastless (Million USD)*

Distance Total cost of Railway(Million USD)

Egypt Side

Cairo to Suez (km)/Phase1 4 125km 500

Suez to Sharm/Phase1 4 335km 1340

Saudi Side

Tabuk to Medina/Phase2 4 700km 2800

•The cost per kilometer already factors in bridges, tunnels, variable terrains.•The cost of the electrical network is NOT included. But a major cost in the project.

Station Cost:Route (Million USD) Total Cost

(Million USD)Cairo HUB/Airport 30 50

Suez Hub 20 20

Suez to Sharm Midway stations

5 Million eachCities: •Ras Sudr •El Tor•Sharm Elsheikh

15

Sharm Elsheikh Hub 30 50

TOTAL 135

Train Cost:Train Speed Cost

(Million USD)

Route Number of trains

Total (Million

USD)

500 Passengers(Locomotive and 10 Cars)

350Km/Hr 20 Cairo - Suez 1 20

1000 Passengers (Locomotive and 20 Cars)

350Km/Hr 40 Cairo-Sharm-Medina

4 160

TOTAL 180

Project Phases

Phase 1(2

Months)

•Preliminary studies

Phase 2(3

Months)

•Project investment methods obtained

Phase 3 (Open)

•Egyptian-International Consortium build up

•Commence Project construction

Egyptian-International ConsortiumEgyptian-International Partner consortium will be formed to implement the project.

The following are key aspects for the project:

1. Civic Works: Pure Egyptian companies (ex: Arab Contractors and others)

2. Engineering Designs: Egyptian & International partners3. Railway system and rolling stock: Egyptian where applicable

& Int’l partners.4. Project management: Egyptian & International partner.

Cairo to Suez (125km)

Cairo – Suez Route

Suez – Sharm Route

Suez – Sharm Elsheikh (335km)

Sharm Elsheikh – Medina (700km+)

Sharm Route – Medina Route

Org Chat

Ministry of Transportation

Housing MinistryEgyptian-

International Consortium

Project management

Firm

Projects for Egypt

Committee

General points of discussion• What is the role of Egypt Air? They would

become a key investor in the project and can provide meal/beverage and hosting services.

• Egypt Air’s fleet can be rearranged to fly on profitable routes. Today Egypt Air is losing and alternate routes would be more beneficial.