Egypt Launches Campaign to Promote Free Digital Books via Metro, Rail Networks

In a step intended to encourage reading and expand public access to cultural content, Egypt’s Ministry of Culture has launched an awareness campaign to promote the use of the “Ketab” mobile application, which provides free access to a wide selection of books. 

The campaign is being rolled out across the Cairo Metro and railway stations, where informational videos and visual materials introducing the Ketab app are displayed on screens inside trains and on station platforms. The initiative aims to familiarize commuters with the digital platform and encourage its use during daily travel.

According to the Ministry of Culture, the Ketab app offers users free access to books published under the ministry’s intellectual property rights, covering a range of literary, cultural, and knowledge-based fields. The application is available for download on mobile devices and does not require subscription fees.

The campaign coincides with the opening of the Cairo International Book Fair (CIBF) and forms part of broader government efforts to integrate culture into public spaces and promote digital transformation in the cultural sector.

Officials said the initiative seeks to make reading more accessible to the public, particularly for those who may not regularly visit libraries or bookstores, by utilizing existing transportation networks with high daily passenger volumes.

The Ketab platform was launched in cooperation with relevant government bodies as part of a strategy to support digital literacy and expand access to cultural resources, while adapting to changing reading habits in an increasingly digital environment.