At a glance
Egypt's National Road Network programme, officially launched by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in August 2014, is the country's most comprehensive land transport investment in modern history. As a cornerstone of Egypt Vision 2030, it aims to build 7,000 kilometres of entirely new roads and upgrade a further 10,000 kilometres of existing routes — connecting governorates, opening up new economic zones, and reducing one of the most chronically congested road environments in the Middle East.
By 2024, ten years into the programme, the results were dramatic: 6,300 km of new roads had been completed at a cost of £E155 billion, the national main road network had grown by 29.8% to 30,500 km, and Egypt's score on the World Economic Forum's Road Quality Index had risen from 2.9 (118th globally in 2015) to 5.53 (18th globally in 2024). Road accident fatalities fell by 28.6% over the same period, from 8,211 deaths in 2016 to 5,861 in 2023.
Scale of Investment: The total transport development plan for 2014–2024 encompassed 2,173 projects at a combined cost of £E1.522 trillion — with the roads and bridges component alone accounting for £E474 billion. It is one of the largest infrastructure investments in Africa and the Arab world in the 21st century.
Table of contents
1) Origins & National Roads Project
The National Roads Project (NRP) was formally initiated by President el-Sisi in August 2014, just months after his election, as the centrepiece of a broader vision to modernise Egypt's transport infrastructure. The country's road network at the time stood at approximately 23,500 km of main roads — largely unchanged for years — and was struggling to serve a rapidly urbanising population of over 90 million people. Traffic fatalities were high, journey times were long, and large swathes of the country — particularly in the Western Desert and Red Sea governorates — remained poorly connected to the national economy.
The NRP set out ambitious targets: the construction of 39 entirely new roadways covering a total of 4,400 km, plus the improvement of thousands more kilometres of existing routes. The programme was placed under the authority of the General Authority for Roads, Bridges, and Land Transport (GARBLT), working in close partnership with the Egyptian Armed Forces Engineering Authority, which became the primary construction arm for many projects — allowing the programme to advance at a pace that commercial contractors alone could not match.
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Egypt Vision 2030
The National Roads Project is a core component of Egypt Vision 2030, the government's national development strategy. Its road and transport objectives aim to reduce travel times nationwide by 23–27%, facilitate the movement of goods (which account for over 98% of domestic freight), open up new industrial, agricultural, and tourism zones, and position Egypt as a major global logistics hub linking Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East.
2) Scale of Achievement (2014–2024)
The decade from 2014 to 2024 delivered results of a scale rarely seen in Egyptian infrastructure history. The Ministry of Transport reported that 1,052 roads and bridges projects had been completed by early 2024, at a combined cost of £E254 billion, with a further 700+ projects still underway. In terms of raw kilometres, 6,300 km of new main roads had been delivered, raising the total main road network from 23,500 km to 30,500 km — an increase of nearly 30% in a decade. A further 8,400 km of existing roads had been upgraded at a cost of £E110 billion.
The bridges and tunnels component was equally striking: 945 new bridges and tunnels were constructed at a total cost of £E132 billion, with a target of expanding this to 2,500 bridges and tunnels at a total investment of £E140 billion. The number of Nile crossing axes — critical links connecting the Nile Valley's east and west banks — grew from 38 in 2014 to 56 completed by 2024, with 17 further axes under construction. Road quality improvements were reflected internationally: Egypt advanced over 100 places in the World Economic Forum's Global Road Quality Index, reaching 18th place — ahead of many European countries.
Roads & Bridges — 2014 vs 2024
In 2014, Egypt had approximately 23,500 km of main roads and 38 Nile crossing axes. By 2024, this had grown to 30,500 km of main roads (+29.8%) and 56 Nile axes, alongside 945 newly constructed bridges and tunnels and a road quality global ranking that improved from 118th to 18th. Accident fatalities fell from 8,211 per year (2016) to 5,861 (2023) — a decrease of 28.6%.
3) Landmark Roads & Highways
Among the hundreds of projects delivered under the National Roads Programme, several stand out for their scale, strategic importance, or engineering achievement. The Sharm el-Sheikh Road, completed in 2019 at a cost of £E3.2 billion and stretching 350 km, cut the journey between Cairo and Sharm el-Sheikh to under four hours for the first time. The Cairo–Asyut highway was upgraded to a six-lane-per-direction freeway over 400 km, with tunnels at all major intersections — transforming the vital Upper Egypt corridor. The Cairo–Ismailia Desert Road was expanded from three to five lanes in each direction and fitted with 2,000 lighting poles, 25,000 reflective markings, and 18 km of concrete barriers.
Key highway projects
| Road / Highway | Key Detail |
|---|---|
| Sharm el-Sheikh Road | 350 km; opened 2019; reduced Cairo–Sharm journey to under 4 hours |
| Cairo–Asyut Freeway | 400 km; 6 lanes each direction; tunnels at all major intersections |
| Cairo–Ismailia Desert Rd | Widened to 5 lanes each way; 2,000 lighting poles; 18 km barriers |
| Wadi al-Natrun–Alamein | 134 km; links Cairo to the North Coast; supports New Alamein City |
The Cairo Ring Road
The Cairo Ring Road, encircling the greater capital, has been progressively expanded and upgraded as part of the NRP. New interchange bridges and link roads — including the 5 km Lieutenant General Saad Eldeen Elshazly Road — have been added to relieve bottlenecks at key entry and exit points. In East Cairo, an $895 million programme focused specifically on building over 40 new bridges and flyovers to serve the rapidly growing eastern suburbs and the new administrative capital 45 km away.
The Gabal El Galala Mountain Road
One of the most dramatic new roads in the programme is the Gabal El Galala highway — a 82-kilometre freeway carved through the mountains between the Cairo–Ain Sokhna Road and the Red Sea coast. Designed for speeds of 120 km/h, it passes through some of Egypt's most spectacular mountain scenery and opens up the Red Sea's Ain Sokhna and Hurghada regions to significantly faster access, boosting tourism and residential development on the Red Sea coast.
4) Bridges & Nile Crossings
Perhaps the most visible symbol of the road programme is the dramatic expansion of Egypt's bridge network — particularly the crossings of the Nile River, whose banks have historically been difficult to connect. Between 2014 and 2024, the number of Nile crossing axes rose from 38 to 56, with 17 more under construction. The flagship of this effort is the Rod El Farag Axis Bridge — also known as the Tahya Misr (Long Live Egypt) Bridge — completed in 2019 across the Nile in northern Cairo. At 67.3 metres wide and 540 metres long, with six lanes in each direction, it holds the Guinness World Record for the world's widest cable-stayed bridge. Its towers stand 92 metres tall, supporting 160 suspension cables, and it was built by the Arab Contractors company with 4,000 engineers and workers.
The bridge is the centrepiece of the 17.2 km Rod El Farag Axis, a multi-bridge corridor connecting northern and eastern Cairo with the west bank. It has become both a vital traffic artery and a tourist landmark in its own right, with glass-floor walkways on the pedestrian passages giving visitors a dramatic view straight down into the Nile below. The programme also delivered the Talkha Bridge, the Benha Bridge, and began construction on 11 further Nile crossings, including several aimed at linking Upper Egypt governorates that had long depended on ferries to cross the river.
Tahya Misr Bridge — World Record
The Rod El Farag Axis Bridge (Tahya Misr) was certified by Guinness World Records in May 2019 as the world's widest cable-stayed bridge, measuring 67.3 metres — surpassing the previous record-holder, Canada's Port Mann Bridge at 65 metres. The bridge links northern and western Cairo, carrying an estimated 600,000 vehicles per day and slashing cross-city journey times by up to 40 minutes during peak hours.
5) Regional & Continental Connections
Egypt's road programme is not confined to domestic connectivity — it also encompasses Egypt's role as a crossroads between Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. The country is integrated into two Trans-African Highway network routes originating in Cairo, and into the Arab Mashreq International Road Network linking Egypt with the Levant and beyond. The single most strategically significant international road project under the NRP is Egypt's contribution to the Cairo–Cape Town Highway.
The Cairo–Cape Town Highway, a pan-African road corridor first discussed in the 1890s, stretches approximately 10,000 km from Cairo to Cape Town in South Africa. Egypt's northern section — running from Alexandria through Cairo and southward through the Nile Valley to the Sudanese border at Wadi Halfa — was a priority of the programme. Construction of Egypt's section began in mid-2015 and the main Nile Valley stretch was completed in 2019, running through Luxor and Aswan and crossing the tropic of Cancer on the way south. Its completion positions Egypt as the first African nation to deliver its full section of this historic corridor.
Cross-Canal and Tunnel Links
- Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel (upgrade): Egypt's primary road tunnel beneath the Suez Canal was upgraded and a second parallel tunnel, Ahmed Handy Tunnel 2, was under construction with completion targeted for 2021, doubling the crossing capacity for vehicles and goods between Sinai and the Nile Valley.
- Sinai Development Roads: A network of new roads across the North Sinai and South Sinai governorates, totalling several hundred kilometres, was completed as part of a broader Sinai Development Plan aimed at opening the peninsula to investment, agriculture, and tourism.
- Red Sea Governorate Links: New roads connecting the Red Sea's resort corridor (Ain Sokhna, Hurghada, Marsa Alam) to the Nile Valley were expanded, dramatically reducing journey times for tourists and goods transport.
6) Economic & Safety Impact
The economic ripple effects of Egypt's road expansion have been substantial. The programme opened vast tracts of previously inaccessible land — particularly in the Western Desert, Red Sea highlands, and Sinai — to agricultural, industrial, and tourism development. New industrial zones, agricultural projects, and urban communities in areas like New Alamein City, East Port Said, and the New Administrative Capital were only made viable by the new road infrastructure connecting them to Cairo and the rest of Egypt. The Ministry of Transport estimated that, upon full completion, the network will reduce nationwide travel times by 23–27% and significantly lower the cost of transporting goods — which accounts for over 98% of Egypt's domestic freight movement.
Road safety improvements have been equally significant. The combination of wider roads, better lighting, grade-separated intersections (replacing at-grade crossings that were hotspots for fatal collisions), and improved road surface quality contributed to a 28.6% reduction in road fatalities between 2016 and 2023. The number of injuries also fell by 17.9% over the same period, from 86,500 to 71,000 annually. These figures place Egypt among the Arab world's fastest-improving nations for road safety over the decade.
7) Travelling Egypt's Roads
Practical Driving Tips
- Documents: Foreign visitors driving in Egypt must carry an International Driving Permit alongside their national licence. Car rental is widely available in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, and Hurghada.
- Road Conditions: Major intercity highways are generally well maintained and lit. Desert roads at night carry risks from unlit vehicles and animals; avoid night driving outside cities where possible.
- Tolls: Most major expressways and bridges in Egypt operate toll systems. Tolls are modest and payable in Egyptian pounds. Toll booths accept cash only; ensure you carry change.
Key Road Routes for Visitors
- Cairo to Alexandria: Cairo–Alexandria Desert Road — approximately 220 km; 2.5 hours on the upgraded dual carriageway
- Cairo to Luxor: Nile Valley Road (Upper Egypt) — approximately 650 km; 7–8 hours via the expanded southern highway corridor
- Cairo to Sharm el-Sheikh: New Sharm Road via Suez — approximately 500 km; under 5 hours on the completed 2019 highway
Suggested Road Trip: Cairo to Hurghada
- Morning — Depart Cairo via the Cairo–Ain Sokhna Road and take the dramatic Gabal El Galala mountain highway through the Red Sea hills; allow 30 minutes to stop and photograph the mountain scenery.
- Midday — Continue south along the newly upgraded Red Sea Coastal Road through Ain Sokhna to the Zaafarana–Hurghada stretch; roadside service areas are available along the route.
- Afternoon — Arrive in Hurghada (approximately 460 km from Cairo; 5–6 hours with stops); the route showcases the Red Sea mountains, coastal plain, and clear blue waters of the Gulf of Suez.
Last updated: April 2026. Road conditions and toll prices are subject to change; verify with local authorities or your rental company before travelling.
8) Sources & Further Reading
The following are reputable starting points used to compile the information on this page.
- Ahram Online / Ministry of Transport. Egypt Constructed 945 Bridges and Tunnels in Last 10 Years. Al-Ahram, 2024. — Official ministry statistics on bridges, tunnels, and road kilometres delivered from 2014 to 2024.
- Wikipedia contributors. National Roads Project; Transport in Egypt. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2025. — Overview of the NRP scope, targets, and outcomes, plus Egypt's broader transport network context.
- Egyptian Gazette. Government Making Great Strides to Upgrade National Road Network. Egyptian Gazette, 2023. — Detailed review of key road projects, costs, and Minister of Transport statements on the 10-year plan.
- Guinness World Records. Egypt Claims New Record for Widest Cable-Stayed Bridge. Guinness World Records, 2019. — Official certification of the Rod El Farag Axis Bridge (Tahya Misr) as the world's widest cable-stayed bridge.
Highway and bridge photographs © Wikimedia Commons contributors (CC BY-SA 2.0 / CC BY-SA 4.0). All images used under Creative Commons licences.