Egypt's Tunnel Authority (NAT) has awarded a consortium of Orascom Construction and Colas Rail a €1.3 billion contract to build the first metro line in Alexandria. The contract covers engineering services, procurement, and construction of the first phase of the metro line, which will be 21.7 km long and serve 20 stops. The project involves the conversion of an underused suburban railway line into a metro line connecting Misr main station in the centre to Abu Qir in the north-east. The project is financed by funds from the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the French Development Agency, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
