Egypt raises train and metro ticket prices on higher oil costs

• Increases up to 25%
• Higher fuel and electricity costs
• Wages and maintenance also higher

Egypt will increase railway and metro ticket prices from today amid rising crude prices stemming from the US-Israel and Iran war.

Increases of up to 25 percent will help to offset the high financial costs for the railway and tunnel authorities arising from higher fuel and electricity prices, the transport ministry said in a statement.

Other reasons for the price hike include rising maintenance and spare parts costs, higher employee wages, and the implementation of new development projects.

Prices for long- and short-distance train tickets will rise by 12.5 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Metro fares (lines 1, 2, and 3) will increase by up to 25 percent, with the price of a ticket for up to nine stations rising to EGP10 ($0.19) from EGP8. Tickets for up to 16 stations will cost EGP12 instead of EGP10.

However, the ministry kept the ticket prices for travel up to 23 and 39 stations at EGP15 and EGP20, respectively.

The last train ticket price hikes of 12.5 percent and 25 percent were approved in August 2024, local media reported.

Oil prices hit a high of almost $120 per barrel after the start of the war, following Iran’s near blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices fell on Friday after US President Donald Trump said talks to end the war with Iran were going well and paused attacks on Tehran’s energy plants for 10 days.

Brent futures fell 0.6 percent to $107.4 per barrel, while US West Texas futures declined 0.8 percent to $93.75 per barrel as of 08:50 GMT.

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Earlier this month, Egypt raised fuel prices following a spike in oil and gas prices resulting from the Iran war.

Prime minister Mostafa Madbouly said this month that Egypt’s gas import bill has increased by $1.1 billion a month since the outbreak of the conflict.

The country’s monthly gas import bill was $560 million before the war started, but has now reached $1.65 billion, he said.

Diesel costs have also jumped to $1,604 per tonne from $665, while butane, primarily used for cooking, has risen 34 percent to $730 per tonne since the war started.

Egypt has to import gas due to a decline in its own production, according to a report published by the Washington-based Institute of International Finance.