Cairo: With smiling and optimistic faces, 900 Sudanese departed the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Monday aboard a free train bound for war-torn Sudan. Departing Egypt, Sudanese were lining up outside Ramses railway station, the central train station in Cairo, to begin a journey home in a train that takes them to the southern Egyptian city of Aswan, where they will take ferries and buses to enter Sudan.
According to Nam News Network, Egypt's National Railways Authority launched a special train last week to facilitate the voluntary return of Sudanese in Egypt. The authority's statement released on Monday detailed that train No.1940, an air-conditioned third-class service, departed from Cairo Station at 11:00 am local time and will arrive at the High Dam Station in Aswan at 11:40 pm.
All Sudanese nationals wishing to return can register via WhatsApp, as stated by Omaima Abdullah, head of the Voluntary Return Committee for Sudanese in Egypt. She explained that applicants need to submit their details to prove their nationality, and the committee will contact them with travel dates and ticket numbers. Abdullah emphasized that any Sudanese, whether they came to Egypt legally or not, can apply for the journey.
On March 26, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council and commander of the SAF, declared that Khartoum is free, referring to the end of the RSF's control over the capital. This declaration has encouraged Sudanese like Sarah Mohamed, a 33-year-old mother of two, to return home despite rising commodity prices.
Mohamed Elwan, a 20-year-old Sudanese student, expressed his mixed feelings about leaving Cairo, where he lived for 18 months. He cherished the experiences and relationships he formed in Egypt but felt compelled to return to Sudan to resume his university education.
Sudanese ambassador in Cairo, Emad el-Din Adawi, who accompanied the returnees, stated that the restoration of control in Khartoum marks a moment for stability. He highlighted that aiding the return of Sudanese people is a vital step in the reconstruction of their country.
The United Nations reported on Friday that over 1.3 million Sudanese people, including one million internally displaced individuals and over 300,000 refugees, have returned home. The International Organization for Migration noted an increase in voluntary returns of displaced Sudanese from neighboring countries since January 2025, attributing this trend to the improved security situation in Khartoum.
Egypt accommodates the largest share of Sudanese who escaped the intense conflicts that plunged Sudan into a severe humanitarian crisis, as reported by the UN.