Egypt’s National Railway Authority is aiming to raise $20 million in revenue from foreign passengers traveling on luxury trains by the end of the current fiscal year, up from $13 million last year, according to a board member who spoke to Al Manassa on condition of anonymity.
The official explained that ticket prices for foreign and Arab travelers are pegged to the US dollar, and adjusted according to market demand. As of now, a single private cabin ticket costs $160, while a bed in a shared cabin is priced at $120, and a child’s ticket in the same cabin is approximately $110.
To reach the new revenue target, the NRA is seeking to increase the number of foreign passengers by selling an average of 450 tickets per day, compared to a daily average of 250–300 tickets last year.
The anticipated increase in ticket sales is expected to help reduce the authority’s estimated striking deficit of 500 million Egyptian pounds, between revenue and operating costs, before the close of the fiscal year.
The official attributed the shortfall to a sharp rise in fuel prices during the last quarter of the previous fiscal year, which significantly raised operating costs.
He added that the railway authority’s total revenue deficit currently stands at approximately 7 billion pounds, of which 5.5 billion pounds is covered through government subsidies.
These subsidies, disbursed in installments, help bridge the gap between operating costs and reduced fares offered to university students, persons with disabilities, revolution casualties, and the families of those killed during protests, the official told Al Manassa.
An additional 1 billion pounds in government support is used to offset losses caused by a price freeze on tickets for air-conditioned Spanish and Russian trains, as well as suburban commuter lines that serve short routes with high passenger volumes.
While passenger services are expected to remain in deficit, other divisions—such as land development, commercial ventures, and freight transport—are projected to generate up to 700 million pounds in profit, according to the board member. Combined, these sectors are expected to raise the authority’s total revenue to 4 billion pounds by the end of the fiscal year, up from 3.3 billion pounds last year.
Egypt’s rail network spans over 9,570 kilometers across 23 governorates, serving nearly 420 million passengers annually. The authority currently operates around 3,040 passenger carriages, including 850 air-conditioned cars, alongside 8,553 freight wagons and 793 locomotives.
