How to Travel in Egypt

Fortunately for its many visitors, travel in Egypt has become convenient and affordable. This is the case whether you choose to travel by air, train or bus.

Air Travel in Egypt

Most of the major, and even the more minor, destinations boast airports. While there are not many airlines from which to choose, the rates are quite reasonable.

Currently, EgyptAir prices one-way tickets from Cairo (two-way are double) as follows (all prices are in U.S. dollars and subject to change):

• Luxor: $121
• Aswan: $167
• Alexandria: $72
• Hurghada: $131
• Sharm el-Sheikh : $138

There are a number of other small airlines in Egypt that seem to come and go. Most of these don't have a website at this time, and those that do have no online reservation systems. However, Orca Air is apparently one of the more modern of the smaller, internal airlines. In general, for destinations inside Egypt, their prices are from 20 to 25 percent less than EgyptAir, the national carrier.

Train Travel in Egypt

Traveling by Train in Egypt - When it comes to Egyptian trains, as with most other railroads, first class is the way to go. You will be made quite comfortable. However, this is usually not the least expensive way to travel. (That distinction falls to bus travel) But while the sleeper trains seem expensive, this may be somewhat deceptive. Traveling by night, you can make the trip, miss no prime "tourist time," and, importantly, avoid the cost of a hotel room.

Trains leave hourly for Alexandria. The trip takes about two hours. Tickets cost $8.64 for first class and $6.34 for second class. (Note, the difference is negligible (2007))

If you want to take the train to Luxor (day train, non-sleeper), they usually leave in the morning, as do trains to Aswan. The trip can take anywhere from about 8 1/2 to 11 hours, depending on the speed of the train. Tickets to Luxor are $17.27 for first class and $10.37 for second class (2007) The regular trains to Aswan are $21.00 for first class and $12.09 for second class (2007) This trip can take from 14 1/2 to 18 hours.

Sleeper train prices can vary considerably. For a journey to Aswan or Luxor, for instance, the AbelaEgypt sleeper train costs anywhere from $89.50 per person for a double-occupancy sleeper, all the way up to $241.00 for a single-person cabin (2007)

All trains depart from Ramsis Station (Mahattit Ramsis) in Cairo. It is a very good idea to make reservations in advance. For information, call 202 57 53 555 in Egypt.

Bus Travel in Egypt

As is the case most places, buses are the most economical way to travel in Egypt. Tourist buses are usually air conditioned and comfortable. Again, all pricing and other information is for departure from Cairo, and is only for one-way. Prices are in U.S. dollars.

Buses to Luxor depart daily from Mahattit Aboud (Aboud Station) in Cairo-Shubra at 8:30 pm. The trip takes about 9 hours. Buses to Aswan depart from the same station at 5:30 pm. This trip takes about 12 hours. For either, the cost is $14.39. You definitely want to get reservations at least a day ahead of time; I am told that one need only make such arrangements within an hour and a half of departure, but caveat emptor. For more information, call 202 43 16 723 in Egypt.

Buses to Alexandria depart from a different terminal in Cairo, the Mahattit Tourguman (Tourguman Station) in downtown Cairo, behind the publishing house, Al-Ahram. Buses to Alexandria depart on the hour or more frequently. Reservations should be made at least one day in advance, though one might be able to arrange tickets as little as an hour prior to departure. One-way tickets cost between $4.32 and $7.20 depending on the bus.

Be aware, there's a little "pot luck" involved, as some of the buses are more comfortable than others. For additional information, call 202 75 60 261 in Egypt.
Before concluding this "Travel in Egypt" web page, I also want to mention El-Gouna Transport Company. They run a fleet of quite modern, air-conditioned buses between Cairo and El-Gouna and Hurghada. They leave from, and arrive in front of, the Maspero Mall, which is near the Ramesses Hilton. The tickets currently cost about 50 Egyptian pounds, and include treats such as coffee and tea while traveling.

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