Middle East
-
Urban newsMetro to the pyramids contract awarded
EGYPT: The National Authority for Tunnels has awarded a consortium of Mitsubishi Corp and Orascom Construction the US$800m Railway Systems, Track Depot Works Package CP411 contract for Cairo metro Line 4 Phase 1. This will run 19 km southwest from central Cairo to the ...
-
Urban news
Alexandria tramway to be modernised
EGYPT: A consortium of Systra, Egis, ACE and Projacs is to provide design and supervision services for the rehabilitation of the Alexandria tramway’s Raml Line, under a contract awarded by the National Authority for Tunnels which is responsible for urban rail projects.
-
News
Desiro HC EMUs en route to Tel Aviv
ISRAEL: The first two of 24 partly double-deck electric multiple-units being built for Israel Railways by Siemens Mobility have been shipped from Hamburg and are due to arrive in Israel towards the end of November.
-
Urban news
Haifa – Nazareth tram-train infrastructure works contracts awarded
ISRAEL: Project promoter Trans Israel-Advanced Transportation Solutions has selected local contractors to undertake civil works on the 41 km interurban tram-train line between Haifa and Nazareth. Y Lehrer Co, Rolider, Abraham Isaac and Brothers Anton Earthworks have been awarded the Section D contract ...
-
Urban news
Baghdad elevated metro letter of intent signed
IRAQ: A letter of intent to define the steps needed to go ahead with the long-planned Baghdad metro has been signed by the Ministry of Transport and a consortium of Alstom and Hyundai Engineering Construction. The letter of intent was signed when Iraqi Prime ...
-
News
Jerusalem – Tel Aviv electrification completed
ISRAEL: Israel Railways began test running of electric trains between Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University and Hertzliya on September 6, following the completion of 25 kV 50 Hz electrification on the northern section of the Ayalon Corridor.
-
Urban news
RATP Dev aims to make Cairo Line 3 ‘a world reference’
EGYPT: The government’s National Authority for Tunnels has awarded RATP Dev a €1·1bn contract to operate and maintain Cairo metro Line 3 for 15 years and commission future extensions. Opened in phases from 2012, the east–west Line 3 is currently 22·9 km long with 19 stations. ...
-
Urban news
Cairo metro Line 3 reaches New Administrative Capital
EGYPT: President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi was among the dignitaries at a ceremony on August 16 to mark the opening of the 7 km phase 4a of Cairo metro Line 3 in the east of the city. Al Sisi laid a foundation stone at Adly ...
-
News
Egyptian National Railways puts first TMH coaches into service
EGYPT: The first of the modern coaches supplied by Transmashholding’s Tver plant in Russia as part of an order for a total of 1 300 vehicles of five types have entered service with Egyptian National Railways, the manufacturer announced on August 14. ...
-
News
Negev rail projects announced
ISRAEL: Plans to construct rail and light rail links to a military intelligence campus which is to be built at Likit near Be’er Sheva have been announced by Minister of Transport Road Safety Miri Regev. The campus is expected to open in 2026, with ...
-
News
Damascus freight service resumes after reinstatement of war-damaged railway
SYRIA: A freight train from the Mediterranean port of Tartus arrived at the Al-Sabinah silos to the south of Damascus for the first time in nine years on August 8, carrying 1 000 tonnes of grain. Minister of Transport Ali Hammoud said this marked the ...
-
Urban news
Virtual reality based training for tram drivers
UAE: Dubai’s Roads Transport Authority and metro and tram operator Serco are using virtual reality during the training of tram drivers. ‘Introducing cutting-edge technologies avails trainee drivers of interactive experiences and opportunities’, said Hassan Mohammad Al Mutawa, Director of Operations at RTA’s Rail Agency. ...
-
News
Etihad Rail triples fleet with 842 wagon order
UAE: Etihad Rail has awarded CRRC Yangtze a contract to supply 842 wagons, which the national railway said would be tailor-made for local environmental conditions and meet Gulf Co-operation Council requirements including ‘state-of-the-art’ braking and safety systems. The order signed on August ...
-
News
Saudi Railway Co signs 25-year freight agreement
SAUDI ARABIA: Sadara Chemical Co has signed a 25-year contract to use Saudi Railway Co as its primary means of transporting solid and liquid products as well as containers. The agreement covers the operation of two trains a day from the Sadara Chemical Campus to King ...
-
Urban news
Dubai Route 2020 metro extension inaugurated
UAE: Dubai’s 15 km Route 2020 metro line was formally inaugurated by the emirate’s Ruler and UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum on July 8, although revenue services are not expected to begin until September. Built at a cost of 11bn dirhams, ...
-
News
Specialist cables developed for Egyptian resignalling project
EGYPT: Nexans has supplied 1 700 km of cables specially developed to an Egyptian National Railways and Alstom specification for use on the project to upgrade signalling systems on the 240 km Beni Suef – Asyut section of ENR’s main line along the River Nile south ...
-
News
First batch of TMH coaches arrives in Egypt
EGYPT: TMH International delivered an initial batch of 22 third-class, forced ventilation loco-hauled passenger coaches to the port of Alexandria on June 25 as part of its contract to supply 1 300 vehicles of five types to Egyptian National Railways. The first 22 vehicles were manufactured ...
-
Urban news
Cairo metro Line 3 trains delivered
EGYPT: Hyundai Rotem has begun delivery of 256 metro cars ordered for Cairo Line 3 which is being extended to run 45·5 km east–west across the city and serve the international airport. The 433bn won order was placed by the National Authority for Tunnel in February ...
-
News
Israel Railways accelerates station enhancement works during lockdown
ISRAEL: In addition to accelerating major infrastructure projects and undertaking track and rolling stock maintenance, Israel Railways has used the opportunity presented by the suspension of passenger services during national Covid-19 lockdown measures to undertake planned enhancement works at 40 stations. The ...
-
Urban news
Haifa – Nazareth tram-train bidders invited
ISRAEL: Government-owned project management company Trans Israel Ltd has launched the prequalification process for the planned Haifa – Nazareth tram-train route, seeking international consortia and local companies to tender for a US$838m PPP concession to design, build and operate the 41 km line.
