Train Service Starts From Cairo’s Brand New Bashtil Station
Cairo’s Bashtil Station has opened for passenger train services and is set to become the new central railway station of the Egyptian capital.
Cairo’s new Bashtil station
Bashtil, Cairo’s new main railway station, was officially opened by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in a ceremony in October 2024.
The new station was built to modernise rail transport in Egypt, alleviate congestion on Cairo’s railway lines, and ease overcrowding at Ramses Station, which was operating at capacity.
About Bashtil station
Bashtil Station, built on the site of a railway junction on the left bank of the River Nile, about halfway between Giza Station and Cairo’s Ramses Station, will become the main hub in Cairo for south-bound commuter and long-distance train services to Upper Egypt.
The new station is about four times the size of the historic Ramses Train Station, covering approximately 240,000 square meters.
Bashtil is a junction station with six platforms on the railway line linking Ramses Station to the north-east and Giza Station to the south, as well as four platforms on the north-south line on the west bank of the Nile between Al-Manashy and Giza Station.
The station also features its own train maintenance and repair workshop, along with a platform dedicated to cargo handling.
Bashtil Station, sometimes written as Bashteel and also known as the Upper Egypt Railway Station, has the capacity to accommodate 250,000 passengers a day, which will significantly ease pressure on Ramses Station, the main railway station in Cairo until now.
Station architecture
Just like Ramses Station, Cairo’s new Bashtil Station also boasts some eye-catching architecture.
The standout feature of Bashtil Station is its 40-metre-high glass pyramid, beneath which four obelisks are placed.
The design of Cairo’s Bashtil Station mimics the architecture of an ancient Egyptian temple, such as Karnak and Philae.
In addition to general station facilities like ticket booths, the fully air-conditioned station will also feature an on-site shopping centre, a mosque, and a four-star hotel.
Bashtil Station will be connected to Cairo’s public transport network by the third metro line, a monorail, and a bus rapid transit (BRT) system.
Changes in passenger train operations
Although Ramses will remain open and still handle a significant amount of train traffic, it is expected that most train services between Cairo and Upper Egypt will gradually be moved from Ramses Station to Bashtil.
This includes not only southbound commuter trains but also daytime long-distance trains from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan.
The Egyptian night train service operated by Abela Sleeping Train from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan will also reportedly switch stations in Cairo from Ramses to Bashtil.
As it’s still unclear which trains will switch from Ramses to Bashtil and when this will happen, it’s advisable to double-check from which Cairo station your Egyptian train will depart.
The opening of the new Bashtil Station is unlikely to affect services from Cairo’s Giza Station.
Giza Station, located far from Cairo’s city centre but closer to the pyramids, will likely remain a stop for any southbound train service to Upper Egypt, whether departing from Ramses or Bashtil Station.
New developments
Egypt is rapidly working to modernise its ageing rail network, which includes the construction of modern railway infrastructure and the introduction of brand-new trains.
During my trip to Egypt, I was able to witness some of this progress first-hand, riding a grubby train from Luxor to Cairo in a decades-old Spanish coaches, as well as a modern express train from Cairo to Alexandria.
Since my trip, the Egyptian Railways have also introduced sleek Talgo trains, and plans are underway to construct proper high-speed rail lines.
Last month, passenger train service was restarted into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, with authorities planning to extend the railway line to Taba, on the border with Israel.
It will be exciting to watch these developments in the coming years, and hopefully, I can revisit Egypt in the future to try out some of these new trains on the country’s modernised railway network.
Conclusion
A brand new railway station has opened in Cairo, set to become the main train station of Egypt’s capital.
Called Bashtil Station, the new Cairo rail hub will become the primary station for train services to cities in Upper Egypt such as Luxor and Aswan.
With its glass pyramid, obelisks, and design inspired by an ancient Egyptian temple, Bashtil Station certainly looks like a beautiful place to begin your travels across Egypt.
However, as it’s still unclear exactly which train services will move from Cairo’s Ramses Station to Bashtil and when this will happen, it’s advisable to double-check your departure point when buying an Egyptian train ticket!
