Hyundai Rotem said on June 21 that the train cars it supplied to Cairo, Egypt, has begun pilot operations from the 18th.
Earlier in 2012, the Korean company had been selected as an official supplier of 180 train cars to be used for Cairo's Subway Line No. 1 and has undertaken performance tests and test operations since March this year.
The time of official commercial run was moved up by four weeks as the Egyptian National Authority for Tunnels, the commissioning entity, was satisfied with results of test runs.
According to the company, Egyptian Minister of Transportation Hany Dahy took one of the cars as part of pilot runs on June 15 and made positive remarks on the cars' performance and quality.
The Cairo rolling stock supply project is the first such project won by Hyundai Rotem in Egypt, with its price tag estimated at 376.3 billion won (US$341.4 million). Delivery for all its train cars will be completed by the end of next year.
A Hyundai Rotem official said, "As our train cars were given high marks, we expect to win additional orders related to the construction of Cairo Subway Line No. 2, 3, and 5 as well. We will try to expand the market beyond Egypt toward nearby Middle Eastern nations and North Africa in the west."
