The northern coastal city is planning for a major breakthrough in its tramway network; writes Ameera Fouad
Tram Garden is now taking its turn after the success that has accompanied Alexandria’s Tram Café, a project launched by the new city Governor Hani Al Messiri, which is considered the latest facelift landmark in the coastal city.
Tram Garden, akin to Tram Café, is not just a traditional means of transportation, but rather offers a different ambience from the traditional “customized tram”. It runs between San Stefano Station and Ras Al Teen, at a fare of LE5, in addition to the cost of beverages and light meals.
The moving cafeteria with free WIFI is available for rent for occasions such as birthday parties, social gatherings, and other kinds of festivities. The Tram Garden will take four rides per day.
Head of Alexandria Passenger Transportation Authority Gen. Khaled Eleiwa said in a press conference that “the revenues from the Tram Garden have reached LE8,640 a day, compared to LE350 a day from the regular tram and LE1,500 from the Tram Café.”
He also added that such a sharp increase in the tram revenues helps a great deal in tram and railway upkeep. All the revenues are slated for the authority’s maintenance and for all repairs.
The tram, which fits 32 passengers, cost around LE100,000. It includes a library, which carries all daily newspapers and artistic paintings, as well as TV screens intended to create more revenue for enhancing the tram service across Alexandria.
Eleiwa also added that Al Messiri pressed the urgent request that the café renting price range should not exceed LE300 and that the Garden should not exceed LE400.
In the scope of the city’s tram development plan, a referendum memo has been signed between the Passenger Transportation Authority and the AFD last week to develop Tram Al Ramlh in Alexandria.
A loan of 300 million Euros will be given by the French Development Agency (AFD) to the Egyptian General Transportation Authority to start off developing the Tram Al Ramlh line, which connects Victoria Station to Ramlh Station.
The Tram Al Ramlh line will be extended 15 kilometres inside the city and two more kilometres to connect it with Mansheya District.
The project is considered one of the city’s largest breakthroughs in its attempt to develop its tramway network. The projects are supported by Alexandria Governor Hani Al-Messiri, who is dedicating much of the city’s development resources to the tramway lines. With the success of the Tram Café and Tram Garden projects, the extensions are viewed as a major step in developing the city’s main means of public transport.
The project also aims to cut off all the intersections and the crossroads that act as barriers to the trams. These intersections, which account for over 37 spread across the city, will be removed in coordination with the Traffic Authority.
Underground tunnels shall be constructed instead, which will, in the long run, lessen sound pollution as well as reduce travel time from 70 to 20 minutes. The project is also expected to ease traffic in major city streets such as the Corniche and Abu Qir Street.
