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A beginner's guide to

Train travel in Egypt . . .

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 Country information

Train operator in Egypt:

Egyptian National Railways, www.egyptrail.gov.eg.  Sleeper trains Cairo-Luxor-Aswan: www.sleepingtrains.com.

 

 

Time:

GMT+2 (GMT +3 from last Friday in April to last Thursday in September)

Currency:

Egyptian pounds:   £1 = LE 8.1,  $1 = LE 5.6    Currency converter

Visas:

UK citizens need a visa to visit Egypt.  You can buy this in £ sterling or US$ on arrival for stays of up to one month.  For more information contact the Egyptian Consulate-General, 2 Lowndes Street, London, SW1X 9ET (call 020 7235 9719).

Hotels in Egypt:

Book hotels in Egypt   Tripadvisor hotel reviews

Tourist information:

www.touregypt.net   Tours & excursions

Recommended guidebooks   Health & vaccinations

Page last updated:

15 June 2009.


 See Egypt by train...

Egypt is fabulous, and Cairo one of the most fascinating cities in the world.  There's no need to book a tour, it's easy to travel round Egypt independently.  Egyptian Railways are easily the most comfortable way to travel between Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria, Port Said & Suez.  The views from the train can be wonderful, especially on the Cairo-Luxor-Aswan and Cairo-Alexandria routes. 

Train times & fares for Egypt...

Cairo - Alexandria

Cairo - Luxor - Isna - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Aswan

Cairo - Suez

Cairo - Port Said

Cairo - El Alamein - Mersa Matruh

Alexandria - El Alamein - Mersa Matruh

Alexandria - Port Said

Abu Simbel (bus/ferry service)

Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Siwa Oasis (by bus)

 

Other Egyptian travel information...

How to buy tickets

Tourist travel restrictions

Book hotels in Egypt

International travel to/from Egypt:

Cairo-Amman-Damascus-Istanbul by bus, train & ferry

Cairo-Khartoum (Sudan) by train & ferry

Cairo-Libya-Tunisia-Morocco

London to Egypt by train+ferry

  A street scene in old Islamic Cairo...
Right:  A street scene in old Cairo.  Visit the street called 'El Muiz el din Allah', where tour groups never go, yet where 10th century mosques are two a penny.  Climb the crumbling minarets for a view over the roofs of old Cairo.

Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable - click to buy onlineHow to check Egyptian train times...

Train times for key routes are shown below.  Egyptian National Railways now have a website, www.egyptrail.gov.eg, and you can sue this to check timetables.  There is limited train information on the Egyptian national tourist office website www.touregypt.net.

Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable...

The best source for train, bus & ferry times and route maps for Egypt and all the other countries in Africa, Asia, America and Australasia is the excellent Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable - it's probably the most adventurous timetable ever produced.  Updated every two months, it costs £13.99 from any UK high street branch of Thomas Cook or online at www.thomascooktimetables.com (with worldwide delivery).  Alternatively, you can buy the twice-yearly  Independent Traveller's edition at Amazon.co.uk, also with shipping worldwide.  Definitely buy a copy, it's both an investment and an inspiration for any traveller!


 


How to buy tickets:  Online...

Online booking of Egyptian trains is not possible, so you'll have to buy tickets either through one of these suggested local travel agencies by email, by phone or email to Abela Egypt (if you want the Cairo-Luxor sleeper) or at the station when you get there as described below, or via an Egyptian travel agency (see below).  In fact, there does now seem to be an online reservation facility on the Egyptian Railways website (www.egyptrail.gov.eg, click 'English' then 'Reservation services'), but (a) this only covers the Cairo-Alexandria route at present and (b) it does not seem to accept non-Egyptian credit cards (I've tried!).  Feedback from anyone who has successfully used this facility would be welcome.

How to buy tickets:  At the station...

It's easy to buy tickets at the station ticket office when you get to Egypt, although a degree of patience is called for...  Cairo main station has several booking windows, one for each class and group of destinations, so check that you are joining the right queue.  You can pay for train tickets in Egyptian pounds, except for the deluxe Abela Egypt sleeper which must be paid in foreign currency (dollars, euros or pounds sterling) at the Abela Egypt sleeper office.  Alternatively, if you don't mind paying commission, you can use a local travel agent to buy tickets on your behalf.  Except during busy periods, it's normally easy to get 1st class tickets on the day of travel or the day before.  The deluxe overnight sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan often has places available if you book a day or two in advance, but at peak tourist times it can get fully-booked by tour groups, so pre-booking from outside Egypt is recommended if you cannot afford to take a chance.

How to buy tickets:  From www.osoris.com, www.safariegypt.com, www.egyptlegend.com

If you want to book Egyptian train tickets in advance before you leave home, you can book by e-mail through several Egyptian travel agencies.  Reputable agencies include www.egyptlegend.com/trainreservation.htm, www.osoris.com, www.egyptiants.net, www.safariegypt.com and (in Luxor) www.sunrisetours-eg.com.  Osoris charges fares about $10 higher than the normal ticket price, plus a $5 booking fee if you collect the tickets from their office in Cairo, a $25 booking fee if you want them delivered to your hotel, $25 for delivery to the airport to meet your flight, or $20 to meet you with the tickets at Cairo railway station.  They also make a 6% credit card charge.  To book, e-mail them at egypt@osoris.com,  call + 20 2 302 8561 or fax + 20 2 3464146Feedback on agencies, good or bad, is always welcome.  Both Osoris and Egyptlegend have been recommended so far by travellers, though one negative comment has been received about Egyptlegend.

How to buy tickets for the Cairo-Luxor-Aswan sleeper:  call + 202 2 574 94 74 or fax +202 2 574 90 74

The best way to book the deluxe sleeper train between Cairo, Luxor & Aswan is direct with Abela Egypt who run these trains, by phone, fax or email.  Times & fares are on Abela Egypt's website, www.sleepingtrains.com.  You can in theory e-mail your booking request to reservation@sleepingtrains.com, but travellers report that they don't usually get a reply.  Instead, fax your request to + 202 2574 90 74 or phone their reservation office on + 202 2574 94 74 or + 202 2574 92 74.  Travellers report that the reservations office responds to faxes quickly.  They will give you a booking reference and you can pick up the tickets and pay for them (in US Dollars or Euros) at the Abela Egypt sleeper reservation office at Cairo station.  You must collect them at least 24 hours before departure.  If you cannot pick up tickets at least 24 hours in advance, the alternative is to book through a travel agency as recommended above, paying slightly higher fares plus a booking fee.

Learn Arabic numbers...

A top tip for train travel in Egypt is to learn Arabic numbers.  The indicator boards at main stations use Arabic numerals to show train numbers, departure times and platform numbers, not western numbers.  If you know Arabic numbers, you can read these, making it easy to find your train from the departure time, even if you can't read the destination.  Similarly, your ticket will show your train number, date of travel, coach number and seat or berth number in Arabic numbers, not western ones.  Arabic numbers are written left-to-right, exactly like western numbers, even though Arabic words are written right-to-left.  To print these Arabic numbers, right-click the image and click 'print picture'.


Cairo - Luxor - Aswan government tourist restrictions...

Since the terrorist attacks in Egypt some years ago, the Egyptian government has put restrictions on which trains foreigners may take between Cairo, Luxor & Aswan, allegedly so that the government can assure tourists' safety.  Details are difficult to confirm, but tourists were originally allowed to take (1) the Abela Egypt overnight sleeper trains, (2) the 07:40 air-conditioned daytime express and (3) the 22:00 overnight seats express, but not (it's reported by several travellers, much to their annoyance) the 11:00 air-conditioned express or any of the 2nd or 3rd class non-air-con ordinary trains.  It's also possible that you will be sold a 1st class ticket but not a 2nd class one.  If you want to travel on a slow ordinary train, one way to get round the restrictions is to board the train without a ticket and pay the conductor when he comes round.  Another option if you have any trouble at the ticket office is to find a local Egyptian travel agency willing to book for you.  There are no tourist restrictions on other routes, for example Cairo-Alexandria, where you can take any train you like.

Latest report: New restrictions on train travel from March 2009...

It's now reported that from 1 March 2009 tourists are no longer allowed to use on the 22:00 overnight non-sleeper (in other words, seats) express train from Cairo to Luxor & Aswan, or the 07:40 daytime express train from Cairo to Luxor & Aswan.  As of March 2009, the ONLY train which tourists are legally allowed to use between Cairo and either Luxor or Aswan is the overnight Abela sleeper trains (though one report suggests the 22:00 express from Cairo can also be used).  It's reported that the Abela sleeper trains now have seats cars as well as sleepers, albeit at a more expensive fare than the original non-Abela express (LE170 instead of LE90).  You can take a wider selection of trains between Aswan & Luxor, it's reported.  If you have more information, please email me.

The train service between Alexandria and Cairo is excellent.  There are broadly two sorts of train:   Modern air-conditioned express trains with comfortable 1st & 2nd class, not dissimilar to European trains, and ordinary trains with very basic non-air-con 2nd & 3rd class (plus air-con 2nd class on some trains).  A 1st class one-way ticket for an air-conditioned express from Cairo to Alexandria costs about LE 25, less than £3 or $5!

 Cairo ► Alexandria

Train type: Exp Exp Exp Turbo Exp Ord Exp Exp Ord Exp Ord Exp Ord+ Exp Turbo Exp
Cairo depart depart  0445 0600 0645 0800 0810 0825 0900 0930 1000 1100 1115 1200 1210 1310 1400 1410
Alexandria arrive arrive 0710 0900 0955 1010 1050 1245 1110 1215 1405 1340 1415 1425 1540 1625 1610 1710

 Cairo ► Alexandria  (continued)

Train type: Ord Exp Exp Ord+ Exp Exp Ord Exp Ord Exp Turbo Exp Exp Exp Exp
Cairo depart  1420 1500 1510 1530 1600 1700 1705 1800 1815 1830 1900 2000

2030

2100 2230
Alexandria  arrive 1835 1720 1750 1810 1900 1940 2040 2010 2130 2150 2110 2245 0010 2340 0100

Turbo = Extra-fast train, until recently operated by a French gas-turbine 'turbotrain', but as of December 2007 operated by normal air-conditioned express carriages as the fuel-thirsty turbotrains are reported as too expensive to continue to maintain.  Air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class with refreshments.  Recommended.

Exp = Air-conditioned express, comfortable 1st & 2nd class with refreshments.  Recommended.

Ord = Ordinary train, not normally used by tourists.  Basic 2nd & 3rd class.  'Ord+' - also has air-conditioned 2nd class.

How to buy tickets.  Fares are shown below.  You can check times at www.egyptrail.gov.eg.

Cairo-Alexandria is 208km (129 miles)

 Alexandria ► Cairo

Train type: Ord Exp Exp Exp Exp Turbo Exp Ord+ Exp Exp Ord Exp Exp Exp Ord Turbo
Alexandria  depart  0455 0600 0610 0700 0710 0800 0815 0910 1000 1100 1115 1200 1240 1300 1320 1400
Cairo arrive 0845 0900 0930 0910 0950 1010 1055 1310 1240 1330 1420 1515 1530 1600 1715 1610

 Alexandria ► Cairo  (continued)

Train type: Exp Exp Ord Ord Exp Ord Exp Ord+ Exp Exp Turbo Exp Exp Exp Ord Exp Exp
Alexandria  depart  1500 1530 1540 1600 1700 1710 1730 1740 1800 1810 1900 1910 1930 2000 2010 2100 2215
Cairo arrive 1705 1810 1845 1945 1950 2120 2045 2140 2020 2035 2110 2215 2200 2245 2355 2340 0045

On board an air-conditioned express from Cairo to Alexandria...

Egyptian Railways - air-conditioned express train as used Cairo-Alexandria   Air-conditioned 1st class   Air-conditioned 2nd class

An air-conditioned express.  This type is also known as a 'French' train...

Air-conditioned 1st class

Air-conditioned 2nd class

 Fares

1st class

air-con express   

2nd class

air-con express   

2nd class non-AC

ordinary train *

 Cairo - Alexandria (Turbo train) LE 46 (£5 / $9)  LE 29 (£3 / $6)   -
 Cairo - Alexandria (Express train)     LE 35 (£3.50 / $7)  LE 19 (£2 / $4)   -
 Cairo - Alexandria (Ordinary train)

-

LE 16 (£1.60 / $3)   LE  7 (£1 / $2)

* allegedly not offered to foreigners.   LE = Egyptian pounds.  If you have an ISIC student card, this gives you a 33% reduction.

Children aged 0 to 3 travel free, children 4 to 9 travel at half fare, children 10 and over pay full fare.


You can travel between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan on 4 different types of train:

Overnight deluxe sleeper train (1- & 2-bed sleepers & lounge car, shown as sleeper below, see photos below, recommended)

Overnight air-conditioned express trains (with seats, also shown as Exp in the timetable below)

Daytime air-conditioned express trains (shown as Exp in the timetable below, recommended)

Daytime ordinary slow trains, not air-conditioned, not normally offered to tourists, (shown as Ord below).

Each of these trains is described below.  In this timetable, recommended trains are in bold.

 Cairo ► Luxor ► Aswan

Train type: Exp* Exp Exp Ord Ord+ Exp Ord+ Ord+ Ord+ Exp Ord+ sleeper sleeper Exp Exp Exp* Exp
Alexandria depart - 2215 - - 0710 - - - 1245 - - - - - 1810 - -
Cairo depart  0030 0115 07:40 0745 1010 11:00 1245 1405 1600 1845 1915 20:00 20:30 2045 2100 2200 2250
Giza depart  0050 0135 08:00 0805 1030 11:20 1305 1425 1620 1905 1935 | | 2105 2120 2220 2310
Luxor  arr/dep 0940 1025 17:35 1935 2000 20:55 2330 0025 0245 0405 0525 05:10 05:25 0555 0620 0715 0830
Isna arrive 1025 - 18:20 2021 - 21:39 - - 0331 0450 0612 | | - 0707 0800 |
Edfu arrive 1110 - 18:55 2107 - 22:20 - - 0417 0535 0700 | | - 0750 0845 |
Kom Ombo arrive 1200 - 19:45 2200 - 23:10 - - 0510 0625 0755 | | - 0835 0945 |
Aswan arrive 1250 - 20:35 2255 - 00:15 - - 0605 0710 0845 08:15 08:50 - 0920 1030 1130

Exp = Express train with air-con 1st & 2nd class seats & refreshments.  * also has Nefertiti class with 6-seat compartments.

Ord = Ordinary train, not normally used by tourists, basic 2nd & 3rd class seats.  Ord+ = also has air-con 2nd class.

Sleeper = Deluxe sleeper train run by Abela Egypt, sleeping-cars & lounge car.  It's reported that seat cars have now been added as well.

Cairo to Luxor is 671km (419 miles).  Cairo to Aswan is 879 km (549 miles).   How to buy tickets.  Fares shown below.

Giza station is a fair way from the Pyramids, but if you're staying out that way it can be better than going into Cairo city centre .

You can check these times & fares at www.egyptrail.gov.eg.      

See the section about government tourist restrictions:  As of March 2009, the ONLY train tourists are allowed to use are those marked 'sleeper' or the 22:00 from Cairo.

 Aswan ► Luxor ► Cairo

Train type: Ord+ Exp Exp Exp Slow Ord+ Ord+ Exp Exp Exp* sleeper Ord+ Exp* Exp sleeper Ord+ Ord+
Aswan depart - 06:00 07:30 - 0930 - 1330 1600 - 1800 18:30 1900 2000 2100 21:20 2145 2330
Kom Ombo depart - 06:45 08:15 - 1020 - 1420 1638 - 1842 | 1943 2038 2138 | 2225 0015
Edfu depart - 07:40 09:05 - 1112 - 1510 1725 - 1930 | 2040 2130 2225 | 2330 0115
Isna depart - 08:30 09:55 - 1205 - 1601 1815 - 2020 | 2135 2220 2315 | 0021 0155
Luxor  arr/dep 0800 09:30 10:55 12:45 1310 1530 1700 1910 2040 2115 21:40 2235 2315 0015 00:50 0120 0315
Giza  arrive 1815 19:15 20:55 21:45 0015 0245 0205 0400 0535 0555 | 0850 0805 0905 | 1215 1400
Cairo  arrive 1830 19:30 21:10 22:00 0030 0300 0220 0415 0550 0610 06:45 0905 0820 0920 09:30 1230 1415
Alexandria arrive 2200 - - 01:00 - - 0625 0700 - - - - - - - - -
 Fares

Deluxe sleeper 

(sharing 2-berth)  

Deluxe sleeper

(sole occupancy)

Seat on overnight

sleeper train ***

1st class

air-con express   

2nd class

air-con express   

2nd class non-AC

ordinary train

 Cairo to Luxor $ 60 (£34) ** $ 80  (£45) ** LE170 (£21/$30)*** LE 90 (£9 / $17) * LE 46 (£5 / $9) * LE 40 (£4 / $7) *
 Cairo to Aswan $ 60 (£34) ** $ 80  (£45) ** LE170 (£21/$30)*** LE 109 (£11 / $21) * LE 55 (£6 / $11) * LE 50 (£5 / $10) *
 Aswan to Cairo $ 60 (£34) ** $ 80  (£45) ** LE170 (£21/$30)*** LE 75 (£7 / $11) * LE 50 (£5 / $8) * LE 22 (£4 / $6) *
 Luxor to Cairo $ 60 (£34) ** $ 80  (£45) ** LE170 (£21/$30)*** LE 60 (£6 / $10) * LE 40 (£4 / $7) * LE 15 (£3 / $5) *
 Aswan to Luxor $ 13 (£7) **** - - LE 42 (£4 / $8) LE 21 (£2 / $3) * LE  7 (£1 / $2) *
 Luxor to Aswan   $ 13 (£7) **** - - LE 42 (£4 / $8) LE 20 (£2 / $3) * LE  7 (£1 / $2) *

* allegedly not sold to tourists.   ** fare must be paid in foreign currency, includes evening meal & breakfast.   

*** As from March 2009, this is the only seats option permitted for tourists.   **** daytime journey, using sleepers in daytime mode.

LE = Egyptian pounds.  If you have an ISIC student card, this gives you a 33% reduction.   How to buy tickets

Children aged 0 to 3 travel free, children 4 to 9 travel at half fare, children 10 and over pay full fare.  On the deluxe Abela Egypt sleeper train, children aged 4 to 9 pay $45 one-way for Cairo-Luxor or Cairo-Aswan.

Introducing the deluxe overnight sleepers between Cairo, Luxor & Aswan...  

Due to engineering work, these trains are temporarily leaving from Giza station, not Cairo

To save time and travel in comfort, take the deluxe overnight sleeper train, now run by a private company called Abela Egypt.  This train has modern air-conditioned sleeping-cars with 1 & 2-berth rooms, and a bar-lounge car, see the photos below.  The fare includes a basic airline-style tray-meal in the evening and breakfast.  Room service can serve drinks in your compartment at extra cost.  The fare is US$ 60 per person one-way sharing a 2-berth compartment or US$ 80 in a single-berth compartment from Cairo to either Luxor or Aswan.  Children aged 0-3 travel free, children 4-9 $45.  Passengers travelling alone who don't want to pay the single-berth fare can book a berth in a 2-berth compartment and share with another passenger of the same sex.  For more information, see www.sleepingtrains.com.  To book the deluxe sleeper, either go in person to the sleeper reservation ticket windows at Cairo, Luxor and Aswan stations, or e-mail Abela Egypt at reservation@sleepingtrains.com.  Recent reports suggest they aren't very good at replying, so you can also fax them on +202 2 574 90 74 or call them on +202 2 574 94 74 or +202 2 574 92 74.  Reports suggest they answer faxes within a few hours.  You will be given a booking reference and can pick up and pay for the tickets at Cairo station at least 24 hours before departure.  Alternatively, if you don't mind paying a small booking fee, you can book from overseas via one of the agencies recommended above.  If you book in person at the station a day or two before departure, you may find places available, but at peak tourist times it can get fully-booked by tour groups, so if a specific departure date is important to you, you may want to pre-book from outside Egypt.
Cairo-Luxor-Aswan deluxe sleeper train - daytime mode   Cairo-Luxor-Aswan deluxe sleeper train - night time mode  

2-berth sleeper, beds folded away.

 

2-berth sleeper, beds made up.

  The sleeper corridor...
The Cairo-Luxor-Aswan sleeper train waits departure...   Cairo-Luxor-Aswan deluxe sleeper train  

Watch the video

Short account of an Aswan to Cairo deluxe sleeper train journey.

The compartments are shown in evening mode with the beds still folded away...

Bar car video

The Cairo-Luxor-Aswan deluxe sleeper train...

Compartment photos courtesy of Abela Egypt Corridor and train exterior photos courtesy of Steve Hounslow.

Daytime air-conditioned express trains...

These have comfortable 1st & 2nd class seats, see the photos below.  The journey takes most of the day, but it's a very pleasant ride all along the Nile Valley, so just relax and enjoy the scenery.  The trains run along the Nile for much of the journey, past palm trees, feluccas, camels, and fellahin working in the fields.  You will see how the Nile makes a small strip of land green either side of the river before the desert resumes.  Cairo to Luxor costs about LE 60 (£6 or $10) 1st class one-way.  Cairo to Aswan costs about LE 75 (£7 or $12) 1st class one-way.  See the section about government tourist restrictions, also see a traveller's report about these trains.
Egyptian Railways - air-conditioned express train as used Cairo-Alexandria   Air-conditioned 1st class   Air-conditioned 2nd class

An air-conditioned express...

Air-conditioned 1st class

Air-conditioned 2nd class

Travelling overnight in air-conditioned seats...

The night trains also have 1st & 2nd class seats (see the photos above) and one coach with Nefertiti class seats.  If you don't mind sleeping in a seat, which not a very nice or comfortable experience, these overnight trains save time compared with daytime trains but cost much less than the deluxe sleeper.  Cairo to Aswan costs LE 170 (£21 or $30) 1st class one-way.  Take a fleece or jumper as the air-con can be quite powerful.  The photos below show a Nefertiti class air-con 6-seat compartment on the overnight Cairo-Luxor-Aswan train. They are converted from a sleeping-car with the berths removed and two compartments knocked into one.  See the section about government tourist restrictions. 
Nefertiti class on Cairo - Luxor - Aswan overnight seats train Nefertiti class on Cairo - Luxor - Aswan overnight seats train
Above:  Nefertiti class compartment, Cairo-Luxor-Aswan overnight seats train.

Photos courtesy of Gabriel Openshaw

Ordinary slow trains...

The 2nd & 3rd class non-air-con slow trains are fairly basic and only recommended for the more adventurous visitors, see the 'ordinary trains' pictures further up this page.  Government restrictions prevent tourists from being sold a ticket for these trains, although you could get on without a ticket and pay the conductor on board.
Trains in Egypt - 2nd & 3rd class ordinary train      Trains in Egypt:  Ordinary 2nd class...

Above:  A 2nd & 3rd class ordinary train.  Photo courtesy of Edwin van den Bergh

Above:  Ordinary 2nd class (non-AC).  3rd class can be left to the imagination...

Traveller's report...

Traveller Jerome Wise reports: "We took the daytime air-conditioned express train from Cairo to Luxor, which took 10 hours or so.  It was great fun, a bit of an adventure and a great way to see the real Egypt.  The children (8 and 6) even enjoyed it.  The great thing about the first class seats is that, whilst they are in an airline configuration, you can swivel them so you have facing and back - great for four people travelling together."

Visiting the temples at Abydos & Dendera...

Traveller Krys Garnett reports:  "Visiting the temples of Abydos and Dendera from Luxor is easy by train, and much more convenient than the convoy or bus. For Abydos take any train headed to Cairo and get off at Qena, where the station master will arrange a taxi and inform the tourist police.  A policeman will accompany you in the taxi, but you won't get a convoy.  All trains except the Abela sleepers stop at Qena.  Visiting Abydos, take the train to El Balyana. Again, all trains except sleepers stop here, but it's a smaller, older station.  El Balyana is around 3 hours from Luxor, Qena between 1½ & 2 hours."


Ord+ = Ordinary train, with 2nd class air-conditioned and 3rd class non-A/C.

Exp = Express train with air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class.

Fare:  LE 20 one-way 2nd class (£2 or $4).

 Cairo ► Port Said

  Ord+ Exp Ord+ Ord+ Ord+ Ord+ Ord+
Cairo  depart  06:30 - 08:45 11:30 14:35 - 19:10
Alexandria  depart

|

04:40

|

|

|

16:05

|

Port Said  arrive 10:30 11:10 12:25 15:35 18:55 21:55 23:05
 

 Port Said ► Cairo

  Ord+ Ord+ Ord+ Ord+ Ord+ Exp Ord+
Port Said depart  05:30 07:25 09:45 13:10 17:30 18:25 19:30
Alexandria  arrive | 13:15 | | | 00:35 |
Cairo arrive 09:45 - 13:40 17:25 21:10 - 23:25

Fare:  One-way 2nd class:  about LE 7, or less than UK £1.

Ord = Ordinary train, with non-air-con 2nd & 3rd class.

Ord+ = Ordinary train, with air-con 2nd class & non-air-con 3rd class.

 Cairo ► Suez

  Ord Ord+ Ord Ord Ord Ord Ord
Cairo (main station)  depart  - 05:10 - - - - -
Cairo (Ain Shams station)  depart  06:30 | 09:20 13:10 16:15 18:45 21:45
Suez  arrive 08:40 09:50 11:35 15:20 18:30 21:00 00:00
 

 Suez ► Cairo

  Ord Ord Ord Ord+ Ord Ord Ord
Suez depart  06:00 10:10 13:10 15:25 15:50 19:00 21:25
Cairo (Ain Shams station)  arrive 08:15 12:15 15:25 | 18:05 21:10 23:35
Cairo (main station)  arrive  - - - 20:05 - - -

Ord = Ordinary train, with 2nd & 3rd class seats, basic seating, not air-conditioned.

Note A = Express train with air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class seats, runs June-September only.  At other periods, travel via Alexandria.

Note B = Sleeper, www.sleepingtrains.com.  Runs 15 June-15 Sept on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

Note C = Sleeper, www.sleepingtrains.com.  Runs 15 June-15 Sept on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday.

 Cairo / Alex Mersa Matruh

          

  

 Mersa Matruh Alex / Cairo

  Ord Note A Ord Note B   Ord Note C Ord Note B
Cairo  depart  - 06:40 - 23:00 Mersa Matruh  depart 07:05 13:35 15:45 23:00
Alexandria depart 06:40 | 13:30 | El Alamein depart 10:24 16:20 18:30 |
El Alamein  arrive 09:24 11:45 17:17 | Alexandria arrive 13:30 | 21:15 |
Mersa Matruh   arrive 12:05 14:15 20:20 06:00 Cairo arrive - 21:35 - 06:00

There are no trains to Abu Simbel, but a bus service operates from Aswan (275 km).  It departs Aswan at 07:00, arriving Abu Simbel at 10:00.  It leaves Abu Simbel at 13:00 arriving back in Aswan at 16:00.  There are also many tourist day tours, most leaving Aswan very early - for example, 04:00 - for about LE55 (£5 or $9).


 Sharm el Sheik, Hurghada, Siwa Oasis

Buses to Sharm el Sheik (Sinai)

There are no trains to Sharm el Sheik, but there are buses to and from Cairo, most run by the East Delta Bus Co, some by the Super Jet Bus Co. (neither company has a website, but try www.ask-aladdin.com for bus times).  Sharm el Sheik to Cairo (485 km) takes about 7 hours by bus, and there are about 6 or 7 buses daily including an overnight bus.  The fare is around LE60 (£6 or $11).  Sharm El Sheik is the far side of the Gulf of Suez from the Nile Valley, so for Luxor you either need to return to Cairo by bus, then travel by train from Cairo to Luxor, or you can cross by ferry (3 weekly) from Sharm el Sheik to Hurghada, spend the night there then continue to Luxor by bus.  There is a three-times-weekly fast ferry from Sharm el Sheik to Hurghada, plus a three-times-weekly slow ferry.

Buses to Hurghada

There are no trains to Hurghada but there are buses from both Cairo and Luxor, run by Super Jet or El Gouna bus companies (no website, but try www.ask-aladdin.com for bus times).  Hurghada to Cairo (500 km) takes about 7 hours by bus with 3-4 departures daily, fare around LE55 (£5/$10).  Hurghada to Luxor (255 km) takes 4 hours by bus, with 2 departures daily (around 06:00 and 12:00 from Luxor, 05:00 and 17:00 from Hurghada.  There is a three-times-weekly fast ferry from Hurghada to Sharm el Sheik, plus a three-times-weekly slow ferry.

Siwa Oasis

There are no trains to Siwa.  A daily bus links Siwa with Alexandria (590 km), departing Alex at 08:230, returning from Siwa at 08:00.  There's also a weekly bus direct from Cairo, on Wednesday nights, run by the West Delta Bus Co.


 International buses & ferries from Egypt

There are no international trains from Egypt, but buses will get you to Libya, there's a ferry to Jordan and a Nile steamer from Aswan to Sudan.  There are currently NO passenger ferries between Egypt and anywhere in Europe, as the services from Greece via Israel were all suspended in 2001.

Cairo - Amman (Jordan) - Damascus (Syria) - Istanbul (Turkey)...

There is a daily direct bus from Cairo to Amman, run by JETT of Jordan and taking 19 hours, exact times northbound not known - note that this crosses Israel, and you may be refused entry to Syria later on if you have any sign of a visit to Israel in your passport.  Alternatively, if you want to avoid Israel:

  • Take a bus from Cairo to Nuweiba on the Red Sea.  A bus leaves Cairo main bus station at around 07:00, taking about 6 hours to reach Nuweiba.

  • Take the daily fast catamaran (departing 15:30, crossing 1 hour) or the daily conventional ferry (departing 15:00, crossing 3-4 hours) from Nuweiba to Aqaba in southern Jordan.  The fare is about $45 for the ferry or $50 for the fast catamaran.  You must check in at least 2 hours before departure, and pay your fare in US$ cash.  There may also be an Egyptian exit tax to pay, about $10.

  • You will probably need to spend the night in Aqaba.  There are regular buses and service taxis from Aqaba to Petra and Amman, costing around 3 or 4 JD, see the Jordan page.  For trains and buses onwards to Damascus, see the Jordan page.  For trains from Damascus to Aleppo & Istanbul, see the Syria page.

  • Details of the southbound journey from Amman to Cairo are shown on the Jordan page.

Cairo - Tripoli (Libya) - Tunis (Tunisia) - Morocco...

IF you have a Libyan visa, there are buses from Egypt into Libya.  However, at present the Libyan government will not grant visas for independent travel to Libya, only for people on tours organised by a recognised Libyan travel agency.  There are buses from Libya into Tunisia, but it's not possible to travel on to Morocco overland, as the Algerian/Moroccan border is closed and Algeria has security problems which make it a no-go zone for westerners.

Cairo - Aswan - Wadi Halfa - Khartoum (Sudan):  See the Sudan page...

A weekly Nile steamer links Aswan with Wadi Halfa in the Sudan, with a twice-monthly train connection for Khartoum, see the Sudan page for details.


Valley of the Kings, LuxorThis used to be easy.  Adriatica Line's 'Espresso Egitto' used to sail weekly from Venice and Piraeus to Alexandria.  Michael Palin used it in 1989 and I used it in 1990 - Michael gets everywhere a year or two before I do, and he doesn't have to pay for his own ticket...  Sadly, the terrorist problems in Egypt ended this service.  Until 2001, Salamis Lines sailed weekly from Greece to Egypt via Cyprus, but services are now suspended because of the problems in Israel, the ship's ultimate destination - check with their UK agents www.viamare.com.  There have until recently been no ferries to Egypt from anywhere in Europe at all. 

New cruise ferry to Egypt, summer 2008...

However, there's now a glimmer of hope for ferry travel to Egypt.  As of summer 2008, a passenger cruise ferry sails at least weekly from Rhodes (and on some dates Crete) to Limassol in Cyprus between June & October taking 1 night, then weekly between April & October from Limassol to Port Said in Egypt taking 1 night.  For sailing dates and prices see www.varianostravel.com/Cruises/ferry_service.htm.  Hopefully these ferries will operate again in 2009.  For train & ferry travel from the UK to Rhodes, see the London to Greece page.  It may seem a bit daunting to plan a multi-stage train + ferry journey from the UK to Egypt via Athens, Piraeus, Rhodes & Cyprus, but you may find this planning technique helpful.

Overland to Egypt via Turkey, Syria & Jordan...

An alternative more adventurous option is to travel overland by train via Istanbul, Syria and Jordan.  See the London to Turkey page for train travel London-Istanbul.  Then see the Syria & Jordan pages for info on the train journey from Istanbul to Damascus and on to Amman.  From Amman, there is a daily long-distance bus leaving at 03:00 and taking some 19 hours to reach Cairo.  It is run by Jordan Express Tourist and Transport Co (JETT), telephone Amman 662722, fax 601507.  A better option, avoiding Israel is to take a bus or taxi from Amman or Petra to Aqaba for the ferry to Nuweiba in Egypt, for buses to Cairo.  See above for more information on how to do this section.  In planning a trip like this, you may find this technique helpful.

Right:  The entrance to Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings at Luxor.


 Hotels & accommodation

Find a hotel in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria...

A good guidebook like the Lonely Planet or Rough Guides will point you at some good hotels in each town or city when you get there, or you can pre-book hotels in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria & other Egyptian cities using www.hotelscombined.com, just use the search box below.  This is not a hotel booking website, but a free search tool which checks all the main hotel booking sites for you (AsiaRooms, Opodo, Expedia, Travelocity, LateRooms and many others) to find the cheapest hotel rates on the net.  Set up in 2005, it's an amazing system and probably the best place to start for booking any hotel online in any country, worldwide.

 

◄◄◄ Search all the major hotel

booking websites at once...

Hotel reservations? Find the right hotel first. Compare here.

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Personal recommendations:

  • In Cairo, try ww.windsorcairo.com.  I have yet to stay there myself, but it's been recommended to me, so take a look.

  • In Luxor, easily the most classic place to stay if your budget will stretch is the famous and fabulous Old Winter Palace Hotel, from $109 or £55 a night.  At least have a drink in the bar!

  • In Alexandria, the most historic hotel is the Cecil Hotel (from about $114 or £75 a room), though the Metropole Hotel across the square is a cheaper but still a classic choice for faded grandeur, from $64 or £32 a night.


 

Click to buy onlinePaying for a guidebook may seem an unnecessary expense, but it's a tiny fraction of what you're spending on your whole trip.  You will see so much more, and know so much more about what you're looking at, if you have a decent guidebook.  For independent travel, easily the best guidebook is either the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide.  Both books provide an excellent level of practical information and historical and cultural background.  You won't regret buying either of them..!

Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk

Or buy direct from the Lonely Planet website, with shipping worldwide.


 

 Travel insurance

Travel insurance is boring, but a necessity, so don't travel without it.  Make sure you get adequate cover, at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover, from a reliable insurer.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash (up to a limit) and belongings.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year (I have an annual policy myself).  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy after clicking these links.

  If you're a UK resident, try Direct Line whom I've used myself on many occasions, or Columbus Direct.

      If you're resident in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland or the EU, try Columbus Direct Australia.

  If you're resident in the USA or Canada, try Travel Guard USA.


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