Orascom Construction PLC has announced that its consortium with Colas Rail and Hitachi Rail has signed a contract with the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) to modernize Cairo Metro Line 1.

Line 1 spans 44 km, connecting 35 stations and serving over 1.5 million passengers daily. Colas Rail and Orascom Construction will upgrade the electric power supply, catenary, and electromechanical systems in stations, tunnels, and along the track, along with related civil works. Hitachi Rail will handle the modernization of the signaling, control, and telecommunications infrastructure. The project has a total value of approximately EUR 800 million (US$ 885 million), with Orascom Construction holding a 35% share. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and L’Agence française de développement (AFD) are funding the project.

The project will commence in October 2024 and last for 64 months, with works being executed without any interruption to commercial operation.