Protocol signed to set up postal services kiosks in railway stations

CAIRO - 10 January 2019: A protocol was signed on Wednesday between the Egyptian National Railway Authority and the National Postal Authority to set up postal services kiosks at railway stations as part of the government's plan to digitalize the services related to train tickets and the transportation of goods.

The signing ceremony between Head of the Railway Authority Ashraf Raslan and Egypt Post's Board Chairman Essam al-Saghir was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Transport Hisham Arafat and Minister of Communication Amr Talaat.

Arafat stressed that the protocol is part of the government's plan to achieve the financial inclusion, to book the train tickets by mobile phones and to provide modern postal services.

Meanwhile, Talaat referred that the National Postal Authority cooperates with National Railway Authority under the protocol to launch an IPOST service, which is a parcel delivery service provided online, through setting up kiosks in the rail stations.

Egypt’s railway launched a new application to book train tickets by mobile phones in Egypt’s Delta, Head of Egypt’s railway, Raslan, told Egypt Today on Aug. 15, 2018.

Raslan added that the application aims to facilitate Egyptians' access to tickets, pointing out that the commission is seeking to launch the same service through the internet.

Chairman and CEO of Transport Information Technology Company Khaled Attia added that this application will launch in another governorate in the coming period, specifically in early October.

Attia confirmed that the application will not cancel ticket windows in stations. In Aug. 7, 2018, Prime Minister Madbouly signed a supply and maintenance contract with Austria’s Plasser & Theurer Company to provide Egypt with a Track Recording Car EM100U to measure and analyze defects in Egypt’s railway system and upgrade it.

In July 2017, ENR signed a $575 million deal with U.S.-based General Electric to supply 100 new locomotives for both passengers and freight rail services and refurbish 81 old engines. The deal includes a 15-year technical support agreement and technical training program for more than 275 engineers and technicians to improve their capabilities and technical skills.