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National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) Chairman Tarek Gewaily stated  that the current EGP 8 metro ticket price could be increased to EGP 10 due to a severe shortage of small change.

Gewaily said the authority faces a daily shortage of about EGP 300,000 in small denominations. He added that the problem has increased operating pressure, especially for the lowest fare category, which accounts for the largest number of passengers in the metro.

Gewaily explained that the shortage is linked to difficulties in minting coins. He said the relevant authorities had informed NAT that imported raw materials needed for coin production are in short supply, warning that the problem could worsen over the coming year.

Against this background, Gewaily said previous fare increases were unavoidable because of the heavy losses the authority has suffered in recent years.

He added that NAT’s budget depends on several sources of income, including ticket sales, commercial use of metro stations and monorail pillars, advertising, and land use.

Gewaily urged passengers to cooperate by carrying the exact fare before entering stations. He also highlighted the expansion of electronic payment options, noting that Visa card payments have already been introduced on Metro Lines 1 and 2 as a first step.

He said work is also underway on a unified transport card that will cover the three metro lines, the monorail, and light rail transit (LRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT) systems. Persons with disabilities will receive special arrangements, while students and veterans will be offered discounted fares through half-price cards.

Gewaily said losses at the National Authority for Tunnels fell to EGP 69 million in 2025, and the authority is expected to record a surplus in 2026. This follows losses of about EGP 1.38 billion in 2021 and 2022, which increased to EGP 1.89 billion in 2023 before narrowing to EGP 350 million in 2024.

In August 2024, NAT raised metro ticket prices. The fare for trips of up to nine stations increased to EGP 8 from EGP 6, while fares for 10 to 16 stations rose to EGP 10 from EGP 8.

Fares for journeys of 17 to 23 stations were raised to EGP 15 from EGP 12, and tickets for trips of more than 23 stations increased to EGP 20.

Egypt’s metro system, which carries millions of passengers each day across Greater Cairo, has faced growing financial pressure due to higher operating costs, currency devaluation, and the expansion of major transport projects, including new metro lines, the monorail, and electric rail systems.

NAT, which oversees these projects, has repeatedly said that ticket revenue alone does not cover operating and maintenance costs, leading to periodic fare increases and efforts to boost income through commercial leasing, advertising, and land development.

Source: Al-Ahram Online