During his tour of Alexandria Governorate, Lieutenant General Engineer Kamel El Wazir - Minister of Transport, accompanied by Eng. Ayman Attia - Alexandria Governor, inspected the progress of the Rehabilitation and Development Project of Al Raml Tram Line
The line will extend to 13.2 km after rehabilitation, comprising 24 stations (5.7 km at-grade, 7.3 km elevated, and 276 meters underground). The route will start from Victoria Station and extend westward through the areas of San Stefano, Gleem (Janaklees), Al Wezarah, Roushdy, Mostafa Kamel, Sidi Gaber, Sporting, Ibrahimia, and Al Raml. He was received by Eng. Wagdy Radwan - Deputy Minister for Railways and Electrified Traction; Major Gen. Tarek Goueili -Chairman of the National Authority for Tunnels, and Eng. Ibrahim Bekhit – Vice Chairman of the National Authority for Tunnels, the project consultant; Eng. Sayed El Wazir - Vice Chairman of the Arab Contractors Company, Eng. Hassan Ibraheem - Board Member, and Eng. Ahmed Shawky - Project Manager.
The Minister reviewed the contractor’s takeover of work sites and commencement of implementation. The company had completed surveying works, soil investigations, and project designs prior to suspending the current tram service to save time and reduce the duration of reliance on alternative transport. He also followed up on the rolling stock contract previously signed with Hyundai Rotem, which includes the design, manufacture, delivery, and testing of 30 tram units, in addition to spare parts and maintenance for eight years.
The Minister coordinated with Alexandria Governor regarding the provision of an alternative transport system to serve tram lines, which includes 206 vehicles operating on three main corridors, with headways ranging from 3 to 5 minutes during peak hours.
He affirmed that the Rehabilitation and Development Project of Al Raml Tram Line is a vital national project aimed at protecting Alexandria from escalating traffic congestion. It is not a step toward canceling the tram or erasing its historical identity, but rather restoring it to operate more safely and efficiently, in a manner consistent with the city’s character. The project planning relied on specialized technical studies conducted in cooperation with Alexandria University and Alexandria Governorate, in addition to traffic, social, and environmental studies.
He noted that the excessive reliance on surface transport (taxis, private cars, microbuses, and buses) has led to severe congestion and wasted time. The current Al Raml Tram line has suffered from deterioration in infrastructure and systems, and ridership has been continuously declining due to poor technical conditions and reduced operational efficiency, prompting passengers to shift to alternative transport modes and exacerbating congestion at intersections and main corridors.
The project contributes to developing urban transport in Alexandria into an eco-friendly green system, providing fast, modern, and safe transport, generating economic returns through fuel savings, reducing environmental pollution, alleviating traffic congestion, and attracting more passengers to public transport instead of private cars. This aligns with the Ministry of Transport’s strategy to maximize the use of sustainable green mass transit.
The project will increase capacity from 4,700 passengers aprox./hour/direction to 13,800 passengers/hour/direction, reduce travel time from 60 minutes to 35 minutes, increase operating speed to 70 km/h, and reduce headway from 9 minutes to 3 minutes. It will provide a modern, safe, and environmentally friendly transport solution to meet growing demand in the areas served by Al Raml Tram Line in Alexandria. The line will also integrate with Cairo–Alexandria Railway at Sidi Gaber Station and with Alexandria Metro at Sidi Gaber and Victoria stations. Moreover, it will contribute to environmental and public health improvements by reducing air and noise pollution through the use of clean electric energy, and create direct and indirect job opportunities during both construction and operation phases.
The Minister highlighted the project’s importance in eliminating traffic bottlenecks at intersections along the tram route through modern signaling systems, reducing air pollution levels in surrounding areas, preserving existing passenger gathering locations, and maintaining compatibility with the city’s architectural character. He stressed that Al Raml Tram will remain the “lungs” through which Alexandria breathes, developed to international standards with advanced technologies that respect its rich past while building a bright future.
For his part, Eng. Ayman Attia - Alexandria Governor affirmed that “Al Raml Tram Line Development” project is the second key pillar within the comprehensive modernization plan for the city’s public transportation system. He stated that the project aims to create a civilizational shift that combines preserving Alexandria’s heritage identity with implementing the latest global smart transportation systems. He emphasized that the project will contribute to doubling the capacity and significantly reducing travel time, while ensuring the highest levels of comfort and safety for citizens.
The governor added, "We are working in close coordination with the Ministry of Transport to transform this historic facility into a vital, modern artery connecting the eastern districts of the city to its center with complete flexibility and efficiency. He emphasized that the governorate is harnessing all its resources to overcome all on-site challenges related to the tram route, ensuring the project's implementation according to the established timeline, so that Al Raml Tram remains a modern, sophisticated symbol serving future generations with a comprehensive, state-of-the-art service."
It is worth noting that on February 1, 2026, a trial suspension of the tram service took place from February 1 to 10 between Victoria Station and Mostafa Kamel Station. This was done to assess the efficiency and quality of the alternative transportation options planned for operation and their ability to meet citizens' needs. A partial suspension of the tram service then began on February 11 for a period of one and a half months between Victoria and Mostafa Kamel. The second phase, a complete suspension of the entire route, began on April 1.