High occupancy rates as train services partially resumed

Train occupancy rates reached 150 percent for high standard trains and 70 percent for air conditioned trains on the first day of the resumption of the service, according to a follow-up report produced by the railways authority.Hussein Zakaria, the head of the railway authority, said the smooth operation of trains on the first day of the resumption of service and the high occupancy rates might encourage the authority to increase the number of trains over the coming days
.He also said that only 15 percent of the total fleet of Lower Egypt trains are currently operating, but the high occupancy rates show how much the citizens need the service back.Al-Sayyed Mostafa, general director for long-distance trains, said the total number of passengers on the six operational air conditioned trains reached 15,500 on the first day, adding that he projects that the number will increase to 17,000 the next day.Security and railway authorities on Sunday agreed to gradually resume train service between Cairo and Alexandria starting Tuesday. Upper Egypt trains are scheduled to resume service after the end of the first session of ousted President Mohamed Morsy's trial in early November.Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm