Shenzhen Metro expands global footprint with project in Egypt

Shenzhen Metro Group helped deliver another milestone of the China-Egypt Belt and Road partnership by opening the Part A segment of the third phase of the Zayed Ten City Railway in Egypt on March 18.

An electric train runs along an elevated section of the Zayed Ten City Railway in Cairo, Egypt, part of a China-Egypt Belt and Road infrastructure project. Photos courtesy of Shenzhen Metro Group

So far, Shenzhen Metro has already delivered 208.4 kilometers of service mileage across its overseas projects, ranking first among its domestic peers in the industry.

The Zayed Ten City Railway has also earned international recognition as a “best practice case for sustainable transportation,” underscoring its contribution to greener and smarter mobility.

Engineers from Shenzhen Metro Group conduct testing and commissioning work on the Zayed Ten City Railway ahead of its opening in Egypt.

The newly opened rail segment spans 19.2 kilometers and has four stations: one at ground level and three elevated stations. Just ahead of the opening, the commissioning team of Shenzhen Metro carried out a sequence of critical tasks, including clearance gauge testing, catenary cold-run tests, power supply energization, and hot-run adjustment and verification for the passenger and freight electric multiple units over a period of more than one month, enabling the project to begin service as planned.

A route map shows the alignment of the Zayed Ten City Railway, connecting Cairo with the new administrative capital and surrounding areas.

Built as Egypt's first electrified railway, the Zayed Ten City Railway totals 68.81 kilometers and follows a Y-shaped layout. It runs through five districts of Cairo, connecting the city's main areas, the new administrative capital, and multiple eastern satellite cities.

The line supports Egypt’s development of an “eastern economic corridor,” while also serving as key infrastructure for the country’s first industrial zone established in desert areas.

Passengers and staff gather at a platform as a train arrives on a newly opened segment of the Zayed Ten City Railway in Egypt.

Upon completion, the railway is expected to serve 5 million residents along the corridor, easing congestion in older Cairo and improving access and connectivity for passengers traveling to and from the new administrative capital after the government’s move.

With the first train carrying passengers departing smoothly along the line, the line’s inauguration marked the formal operational start of Shenzhen Metro Group’s fifth overseas project.