The project will extend railway connectivity across Sinai, linking residential communities, industrial and mining areas to Egypt’s national railway network. The connection to Al-Arish Port will provide an additional route for transporting goods between industrial facilities and maritime export infrastructure, supporting the movement of freight through the region.
Completion of the remaining sections will extend the network towards Taba and strengthen rail access across northern, central and southern Sinai. The project also forms part of Egypt’s integrated Al-Arish–Taba logistics corridor, which is intended to connect railway infrastructure with ports, dry ports and logistics facilities.
- Egypt's Ministry of Transport has reported progress across the Al-Firdan to Taba railway in Sinai, a line of approximately 500km known as the Development Train.
- The Fardan–East Port Said–Bir Al-Abd–Al-Arish–Taba railway project extends approximately 500 km and forms part of Egypt’s integrated Al-Arish–Taba logistics corridor.
- The first phase of the project covers 100 km between Fardan and Bir Al-Abd.
- Work is progressing on the 83 km Bir Al-Abd–Al-Arish section, with 11 Egyptian companies involved in implementation.
- The 12 km railway connection to Al-Arish Port is under construction and will connect the port to Egypt’s national railway network.
- The remaining sections include 85 km from Al-Arish to Al-Hosna and 173 km from Al-Hosna to Taba.
- The railway will support passenger and freight transport, connecting residential communities, industrial and mining areas with the national railway network and the ports of Al-Arish and Taba.
Egypt’s Minister of Transport, Kamel Al-Wazir, has inspected progress on the rehabilitation, development and construction of the Fardan–East Port Said–Bir Al-Abd–Al-Arish–Taba railway line, which extends for approximately 500 km and forms part of the country’s integrated Al-Arish–Taba logistics corridor.
The project is one of eight integrated international logistics corridors being implemented by the Egyptian government through the Ministry of Transport. It is intended to support passenger and freight transport, connect industrial and mining areas in Sinai to the national railway network and improve access to the ports of Al-Arish and Taba.
During the inspection, Al-Wazir reviewed progress on the Fardan–Bir Al-Abd–East Port Said railway line, including a 20 km section from the Balwazah area towards East Port Said that has been completed. Plans for the section between kilometre 21 and kilometre 41 were also reviewed. This section is to be implemented in two stages, with the first covering kilometre 21 to kilometre 35 to serve the Nirke factory, followed by the section from kilometre 35 to kilometre 41.
The Minister also inspected work on the 341 km Bir Al-Abd–Al-Arish–South of Ras Al-Naqab railway line towards Taba Airport, together with the associated railway connections.
On the 83 km section between Bir Al-Abd and Al-Arish, work is progressing on the formation of the railway line, with 11 Egyptian companies involved in implementation.
The Minister reviewed work on seven stations intended to serve villages, residential communities and other areas along the route. These include Sadat Station, which will serve Al-Madad, Al-Mu'ayl and Salma villages; Al-Tallul Station, serving Al-Tallul village; and Al-Rawda Martyrs Station, serving Al-Rawda and Al-Mazar villages.
Other stations along the route will provide access to residential communities, industrial facilities, commercial areas and Al-Arish International Airport.
Al-Wazir also inspected construction of the 12 km railway connection to Al-Arish Port. The connection is intended to facilitate the movement of goods between the port and destinations across Egypt through the national railway network, supporting industrial, commercial and logistics activities in Sinai.
Associated infrastructure works under review included nine interlocking bridges and two tunnels. The Minister instructed the implementing companies to maintain construction progress and quality standards and called for the construction of a tunnel beneath the railway line at Al-Mazar village to facilitate movement within the community.
Progress on the remaining sections of the railway was also reviewed, including the 85 km section from Al-Arish to Al-Hosna and the 173 km section from Al-Hosna to Taba.
Al-Wazir instructed the companies and other parties involved in the project to continue working around the clock and to submit regular progress reports covering the railway alignment, individual sections, quantities of work completed and implementation against the project timetable.
Following the inspection, the Minister said the railway would support Egypt’s transport and logistics network by connecting residential, industrial and mining communities in Sinai to the national railway system.
The line is intended to facilitate the movement of passengers and goods while enabling factories to transport their products to the ports of Al-Arish and Taba for export. The project will also connect with existing and planned dry ports and logistics facilities in Sinai.
Al-Wazir referred to the importance of opening the first 100 km phase between Fardan and Bir Al-Abd, which is intended to provide passenger and freight services.
He said completion of the remaining sections would extend Sinai’s railway network and strengthen its connection with the national railway system.
The Minister added that the Ministry of Transport was continuing to implement infrastructure and public transport projects in Sinai in accordance with directives issued by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, with the objective of supporting urban, industrial, commercial and tourism development in the region.
