The Cairo Metro is a rapid transit system in Egypt that serves Greater Cairo, including the governorates of Cairo, Giza and Qalyubia. It opened on 27 September 1987, making it the first metro system in both Africa and the Arab world. Most of the network runs underground through the dense city centre, while sections in the outer districts emerge to run at grade or on elevated viaducts.
The system is currently composed of three operating lines — Line 1 (Red), Line 2 (Blue) and Line 3 (Green) — with a total of 89 stations as of the latest count, including five interchange stations: Sadat, Al-Shohadaa, Nasser, Attaba and Cairo University. It is owned by the National Authority for Tunnels, an Egyptian state body, though day-to-day operation is split between operators: the Egyptian Company for Metro Management & Operation runs Lines 1 and 2, while Line 3 is operated by RATP Dev.
Most of the network fans out from the city centre along the Nile, with Line 1 running roughly north–south between Helwan and New El-Marg, Line 2 between Shubra El-Kheima and El-Mounib, and Line 3 running east–west between Adly Mansour and Rod El-Farag / Cairo University. The combined system length is 106.8 kilometres, and the Cairo Metro is among the busiest metro systems in the world, carrying around 5 million passengers a day and roughly 1.46 billion passengers a year.
A fourth line is currently under construction. Phase One of Line 4 will run from Hadayeq Al-Ashgar station to Al-Fustat station, covering 19 km with 17 stations, and is expected to be completed and operational in the first half of 2028. The new line will notably interchange with Line 1 at El-Malek El-Saleh station and Line 2 at Giza station, and will bring the metro to areas including Faisal, Omraneya, Nasr City and Al-Azhar University, along with a dedicated station serving the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum. A second phase, adding a further 31.8 km and 21 stations, is already being planned to extend the line toward New Cairo.
The following is a list of the current in service 89 stations and the other planned stations on the Cairo Metro.
Line 1 StationArabic nameLocationOpened
Line 2
StationArabic nameLocationOpened
Line 3
StationArabic nameLocationOpened
The currently in service sections of this line are from Ring Road Station-Adly Mansour Station and from Cairo University Station-Adly Mansour Station. http://www.nat.gov.eg/LocationActivityAr.aspx?id=85
Future lines
Line 4 Hadayek Al Ashgar حدائق الأشجار Ahram Gardens حدائق الأهرام ُEl Nasr النصر The Grand Egyptian Museum المتحف المصري الجديد Remaya Square ميدان الرماية Pyramids الأهرام Maryoteya المريوطية Arish العريش El Matbaa المطبعة Talbeya الطالبية Madkor مدكور El Mesaha المساحة Giza الجيزة Interchange with Line 2 Giza Square ميدان الجيزة Manyal المنيل El-Malek El-Saleh الملك الصالح Interchange with Line 1 Magra El-Oyoun مجرى العيون Salah Eldin Citadel قلعة صلاح الدين ElMalek Mansour -Salah Salem Intersect- -الملك منصور -تقاطع صلاح سالم The 6th District -ElHay ElSadis- الحي السادس ElTayaran الطيران Abbas ElAkkad عباس العقاد Makram Ebeid مكرم عبيد Ahmed ElZomor أحمد الزمر El-Methaq الميثاق Police Academy أكاديمية الشرطة
This line is till under study, construction of the first phase (El Malek El Saleh - Giza) expected to start in early 2016 according to NAT.
Other lines
There are also plans for other lines including a circular line (Line 5) connecting Lines 1, 2, 3 and 4 along with the final line (Line 6) which will run from Shubra up-north until the heart of Maadi and Helwan districts in the south through running from Attaba Station (Interchange with both Line 2 and Line 3) through El Kalaa street شارع القلعة in bored tunnels to Salah Eldin Citadel Station (Interchange with Line 4) and moving on from there to both districts via bored tunnels using the existing route El-Mahager Railway as a guide through both Maadi and Helwan.
Both these lines will not take place before finishing both Line 3 and Line 4.
Notes
References