Train ticket prices rise by 12.5% to 25% despite March increase

Egypt’s National Authority for Railways has raised ticket prices for Upper and Lower Egypt routes, including first- and second-class air-conditioned trains as well as third-class and Tahya Misr trains, by 12.5% to 25%, effective Wednesday.

The increase comes just three months after the Ministry of Transport introduced similar fare hikes at the end of March, raising prices for long-distance routes by 12.5% and short-distance routes by 25%.

Since Kamel Al-Wazir became transport minister in 2019, train fares have increased several times. The first increase came in July 2020, covering first- and second-class air-conditioned trains and VIP services. Another increase followed in June 2023, affecting air-conditioned and luxury trains as well as Russian-built non-air-conditioned trains and suburban services known as “Tahya Misr.” Ticket prices for luxury Talgo trains were also raised in the middle of last year.

Egypt’s rail network spans more than 9,570 km, serving 23 governorates and carrying nearly 420 million passengers a year through about 3,040 passenger cars, including 850 air-conditioned ones, 8,553 freight cars and 793 locomotives.