Factbox: Bus Rapid Transit begins trial on Cairo's Ring Road - Urban & Transport

Al-Ahram Weekly

21-05-2025

The Ministry of Transport has launched trial operations of its new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system on Greater Cairo's Ring Road without passengers.
The all-electric network is designed to replace microbuses, ease congestion, and provide fast, clean, and integrated public transport across the capital.
The project forms part of a wider government strategy to modernize transit infrastructure and reduce emissions.
What is the BRT?
Cairo's BRT is a high-capacity electric bus system running in dedicated lanes along the city's 105-kilometre Ring Road.
It will reduce reliance on private vehicles, cut traffic, and integrate with the metro and Light Rail Transit (LRT) networks.
Fully electric buses with scheduled service, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and real-time updates
Replaces microbuses, which will be banned from the Ring Road
Emergency access is permitted only for ambulances and fire engines
Headway during peak hours: 1–1.5 minutes
Inspired by BRT models in Mexico, Brazil and China
The project has included significant upgrades to the Ring Road, expanding it from four to seven lanes in each direction and adding dedicated BRT lanes.
Station construction began in January 2022. The upgrade cost was EGP 21.5 billion.
Project phases & timeline
The BRT will roll out in three phases, serving 48 stations.
Phase 1
14 stations from Alexandria Agricultural Road to the Police Academy
35km stretch currently undergoing trial operation
Full passenger service is expected in the coming weeks
Microbuses are to be phased out and replaced by electric minibuses operated by trained former drivers
Driver training and station testing began in April 2025
Phase 2
21 stations from Field Marshal Tantawi to the Fayoum intersection
Includes stops at Mariouteya, King Faisal, Tersa and the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
Scheduled to open before the GEM's inauguration on 3 July 2025
Completion of Phases 1 and 2 will bring over 75% of the network into service
Phase 3
13 stations linking the GEM to the Alexandria Desert Road
The final phase will close the loop
A completion date has yet to be announced
Fares
Tickets for Phase 1 will range from EGP 5 to EGP 15, depending on distance
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Vehicles & infrastructure
100 locally manufactured electric buses (each with a 66-passenger capacity)
Designed to move 3,200 passengers per hour in each direction
480 electric minibuses to replace existing microbuses operated by current drivers
Surface-level stations equipped with pedestrian bridges or tunnels
Electronic ticketing and access gates
Park-and-ride facilities to encourage car owners to switch to public transport
Integration and connectivity
The BRT will link with major transport hubs and metro lines across Greater Cairo:
Adly Mansour interchange connects Metro Line 3, the LRT, the Cairo–Suez railway, and SuperJet buses
Two stations with pedestrian bridges : Bahteem, Police Academy
Eleven stations with pedestrian underpasses
: Alexandria Agricultural Road, Colonel Ahmed Abdel Rahim, Shubra–Banha Highway, Mostorod, Khusus, Marg, El-Qalag, Zakat Foundation, General Ibrahim El-Orabi, El-Salam and Suez Road
The system connects key points along the Ring Road—including Marg, Mostorod, Adly Mansour and Suez Road—and links eastern and western Cairo to the New Administrative Capital.
It also offers direct transfers to:
Metro Line 1 at El-Marg
Metro Line 3 at Adly Mansour and Imbaba
Light Rail Transit (LRT)
at Adly Mansour
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