Egypt’s Ministry of Transport announced Wednesday, 16 April, that it has begun training drivers for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system on the Ring Road in preparation for the launch of the project’s first phase.
The move follows directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and is being overseen by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Vice Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir.
The first phase of the BRT project extends from the Police Academy station to the intersection of the Ring Road with the Alexandria Agricultural Road. This segment includes 14 stations: the Adly Mansour station, two elevated pedestrian bridge stations (Bahtim and Police Academy), and 11 at-grade stations with pedestrian underpasses serving areas including Alexandria Agricultural Road, El-Sharqaweya, Shubra Banha, Mostorod, Khusus, Marg, Qalaj, Zakat Foundation, Ibrahim El-Oraby, Salam, and Suez Road.
Ten buses have begun operating along this route to familiarize drivers with station locations, bus intervals, and stop times. The goal is to ensure smooth operations and provide high-quality service to passengers once the system goes live.
This development follows a series of on-site inspections by El-Wazir to assess the readiness of the infrastructure and operational systems. Officials are finalizing how the BRT will connect with key transportation hubs and parking areas beneath the Ring Road. They are also preparing pedestrian access via bridges and tunnels, organizing ticketing and e-gate systems, and ensuring waiting areas at stations are fully equipped.
The BRT project will eventually operate 100 electric buses across its first and second phases. All buses are manufactured domestically, aligning with the national strategy to localize industry and reduce reliance on imports, part of Egypt’s broader effort to become a regional industrial hub.
When complete, the Greater Cairo BRT system will span three phases with 48 stations, one main charging depot, and three satellite charging stations. The first phase covers 14 stations between Alexandria Agricultural Road and the Police Academy. The second phase, now under construction, adds 21 stations from El-Mosheer Tantawy axis to the Fayoum intersection and includes key points like Mariouteya Axis, King Faisal, Tersa, and the Grand Egyptian Museum. The third phase will include 13 more stations extending from the Alexandria Agricultural Road to the Alexandria Desert Road.
Buses will run every three minutes during off-peak hours, increasing to 90-second intervals during rush hours, equivalent to 20 buses per hour.
The system aims to provide a modern, environmentally friendly alternative to private cars, reduce emissions, and ease congestion on one of Cairo’s busiest thoroughfares.
