Seven people, including the driver of Train No. 134, died and 125 others were injured when a Giza to Fayoum passenger train struck the rear of a stationary Cairo to Aswan train on November 8, 2026. The crash occurred between Kafr Ammar and El Raqqa stations in Al-Ayyat district, Giza Governorate, Egyptian National Railways (ENR) reported.
Emergency Response and Hospital Admissions
The Ministry of Health and Population reported that hospitals received a total of 132 cases from the crash, with 72 ambulances involved in evacuating the injured. Al-Wasta Central Hospital admitted 87 patients, including three fatalities, while Al-Ayyat Central Hospital received 34 cases. Atfih Central
Hospital took in 11 patients, four of whom died. By Sunday evening, 71 injured patients had been discharged, with 12 remaining unstable. Among the unstable patients, five required surgery and four were in intensive care. Local residents near the crash site assisted survivors and alerted emergency services.
Investigation and Prosecution Actions
The South Giza prosecution office, headed by its first attorney general, led an on-site investigation immediately after the incident. Prosecutors visited hospitals to question injured passengers and ordered a specialized technical committee to conduct forensic examinations of the crash site, damaged rail cars, and tracks. The committee’s mandate includes determining the technical causes
of the collision, derailment factors, and whether safety procedures or operational rules were violated. President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi instructed authorities to conduct a prompt inquiry into the crash. No official cause for why the Aswan-bound Train No. 2010 was stationary at the time of collision has been released.
Rail Service Disruptions and Alternative Transport
The collision blocked the Cairo–High Dam railway line, disrupting local train services. ENR deployed emergency teams and cranes to clear wreckage and lift derailed cars. While clearance operations continued, ENR offered passengers on Upper Egypt trains refunds at station ticket counters and rerouted services between Al-Wasta and Aswan. The Ministry of Transport
operated bus services connecting Al-Wasta, Al-Ayyat, and El Moneeb to facilitate passenger movement during train service interruptions. Rail services on the Cairo–High Dam line resumed once damaged cars were removed.
Railway Modernization and Safety Context
ENR is engaged in a network-wide upgrade replacing mechanical signals with electronic systems, including European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 1 installation over 953 kilometers encompassing the Alexandria–Cairo–Nag Hammadi route. Signaling upgrades were completed on the 250 km Beni Suef–Asyut section and the 208 km Cairo–Alexandria line, while work on the 125 km Cairo–Beni Suef section remains ongoing. The accident site lies within this modernization area, although no details are
available on the signaling system in use at the time of the collision. Al-Ayyat district has experienced prior rail incidents, including a separate freight train collision in September 2026 that caused injuries and derailed equipment.
Official Responses and Next Steps
Egyptian National Railways issued an apology to affected passengers for service delays following the accident. The Ministry of Health and Population regularly updated casualty and hospital treatment figures. The Ministry of Transport coordinated substitute bus services to reduce passenger disruption. Authorities continue forensic and operational investigations to clarify the factors that led to the collision and derailment in Al-Ayyat.
