The Egyptian government has signed three strategic contracts with Spain’s leading rail company CAF to upgrade and maintain trains on Cairo’s metro network.
The agreements were concluded during the official visit of Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia to Egypt, underscoring the growing strength of bilateral ties.
The contracts were signed in the presence of Vice Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir, who hailed the deals as “a cornerstone in Egypt’s comprehensive plan to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of Greater Cairo’s metro system.”
The first contract covers the long-term maintenance of 23 trains operating on Cairo Metro’s Line 1, while the second and third focus on the refurbishment, rehabilitation, and upkeep of 39 trains running on Line 2. Collectively, the agreements will see 62 trains undergo modernization and scheduled servicing over the next decade.
According to the ministry, the refurbishment program will overhaul propulsion, control, air-conditioning, and ventilation systems, extending the operational lifespan of the trains by at least 20 years.
Significantly, all works will be carried out inside Egypt at the Tura and Shubra workshops, with more than 95% of labor provided by Egyptian engineers and technicians. Funding will come directly from the budget of the National Authority for Tunnels, in Egyptian pounds.
Minister El-Wazir emphasized that the contracts go beyond maintenance: “This partnership reflects our strategy to localize rail technology and spare parts manufacturing in Egypt. Together with CAF, we will train our engineers, transfer know-how, and ensure that Egypt becomes a hub for sustainable rail solutions in the region.”
CAF will cooperate with the Egyptian Company for Metro Management and Operations to establish a domestic supply chain for components, reinforcing Egypt’s goal of reducing dependency on imports.
The initiative aligns with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s directives to expand Egypt’s environmentally friendly, electrified public transport network. Cairo is already building new metro lines and electric mass transit corridors to serve rapidly growing urban and industrial zones.
“Modernizing our metro system is not only about better service and safety,” El-Wazir noted, “it’s about lowering long-term operating costs, reducing daily breakdowns, and meeting rising demand with sustainable, world-class solutions.”
On the sidelines of the Egyptian-Spanish Business Forum, El-Wazir met with Spain’s Secretary of State for Trade, Amparo López Senovilla, alongside CAF Group CEO Javier Martínez Ojinaga. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in transport and industrial projects.
The Egyptian minister thanked the Spanish government for its role in finalizing the deals, calling them “a testament to the trust between Egypt and Spain, and to Spain’s confidence in Egypt as a long-term partner.”
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