Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inspected Cairo’s modernised public transport system on Saturday, highlighting the integration of e-ticketing and eco-friendly buses, before visiting the historical Al-Masbah Mosque restoration project.
Madbouly visited the Cairo Transport Authority (CTA) headquarters to review steps toward providing a “civilised, safe, and sustainable” transport service. The CTA currently transports approximately one million passengers daily across Greater Cairo using a fleet of 2,500 buses and 1,800 minibuses over 173 routes, Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber noted.
CTA Chairperson Essam Abdel Khalek El-Sheikh detailed a green transition strategy involving the conversion of 1,962 buses to run on natural gas across six phases. Two phases are complete, resulting in 654 converted buses. The deployment of 151 natural gas buses between July 2025 and May 2026 reduced diesel consumption by 73.5%, El-Sheikh said.
Additionally, 70 air-conditioned electric buses are operational, with plans to procure 100 new electric buses and redevelop the Amiriya garage with modern charging stations. El-Sheikh also outlined a future plan, currently under financial study, to locally assemble and deploy 2,000 electric buses.
The Prime Minister also reviewed a new electronic payment system introduced by Geyoushi Automotive Industry. The system, accessible via the “Tawaly” application and prepaid cards, has been rolled out on 300 buses, with a target of 1,800 buses by the end of 2027. Geyoushi Vice Chairperson and Managing Director Khaled Geyoushi stated the system replaces traditional ticketing, ensures fair pricing based on journey distance, and directly transfers revenues to bank accounts.
Following the CTA visit, Madbouly toured the restoration site of Al-Masbah Mosque and its surrounding area opposite the Sayyida Aisha area in central Cairo.
Madbouly directed the development of a comprehensive vision to integrate the area into the broader Historic Cairo project, including a planned park and linked transport networks. Minister of Endowments Usama Al-Azhary detailed the completion of the initial and most comprehensive restoration phase for the five-hundred-year-old Al-Masbah Mosque. This stage involved complex structural efforts, including the deconstruction and reassembly of the minaret, foundational reinforcement, and the meticulous renewal of exterior facades and wooden ceilings.
