Abela Egypt starts operating & managing Cairo-Upper Egypt sleeper trains

The company, owned by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, apologized on its official Facebook page for the temporary suspension of the mobile booking app and the official website due to maintenance.

Abela added that sleeper train tickets can still be booked through reservation offices, which are located at the main stations of the Egyptian National Railways (ENR).

In January, the government granted Abela the right to manage catering services on the country's air-conditioned and sleeper trains for a period of 15 years.

According to the terms of the grant, Abela will manage and operate Cairo-Upper Egypt sleeper cars of all types and club cars attached to sleeper trains, as well as air-conditioned train buffets of all types.

The company will also be responsible for the kitchens preparing meals out of the Cairo sorting workshop and managing some of the stalls located on train platforms.

Abela won the contract to manage the sleeper trains in October 2022. 

Established in 1986, Abela has been providing catering services on 13 sleeper cars and two club cars.

The government has been working to boost the participation of the private sector in economic activities, including transportation services.

In December 2022, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi approved the final version of the State Ownership Policy Document, which outlines the state's plans to reduce its presence in a number of sectors, including transportation.