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Travel in Cairo, Egypt
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I highly recommend that you buy the American University in Cairo's map if you want to get around Cairo on your own. In addition, CAIRO A-Z from The Palm Press gives you a 300-page detailed city map.Travel in Cairo by Metro
Cairo
has the only metro system on the African continent. Modern and efficient, it nonetheless has just two lines, making its coverage limited. Where it travels, however, you'll get easy transportation to. In addition, it'll cost you a fare of just a pound per trip. Key interchanges are at Midan Ramses, Sadat, below Midan Tahrir, and Mubarak.
You can get to Giza easily to see the Pyramids with it. However, you'll need to complete your trip by taking a microbus from al-Haram to Giza.
The first car is reserved for women. It stops running at approximately 12 a.m. and starts again at 6 a.m. There are no particular routes run, but it departs frequently. New routes are planned, but with little progress so far.
Travel in Cairo by Taxi
There are black and white taxis commonly available on Cairo streets, but they can be a hassle for tourists because of the language barrier, and meters are not often used. Prices are generally pretty constant, however, and Cairo frequenters know how much the driver expects to be paid. It depends on the time the trip takes and distance covered. Gas has recently gone up 20% and therefore, prices have followed suit. However, it's still pretty cheap for most tourists today. In addition, you should have exact change before you enter a cab, because drivers don't like to give change. They will more likely accept your payment without haggling or complaining with exact payment.Ordinarily, Egyptians don't set prices before hand. Instead, you pay the correct sum when you leave the car. Even though some drivers might protest because they expect tourists to pay more than the standard rates, avoid negotiating with them. It takes time and because you're not used to it, you might end up with a higher price than you like. Inside, simply walk away if they don't agree to a reasonable price. If the driver does not leave the car to follow you, you're okay. However, if the driver does, you should ask someone nearby for help.
As a tourist, you might want to set a price beforehand. This might prevent getting ripped off, but you'll need to quote slightly higher than the local price if you want to get a quick acceptance.
If possible, get one of the taxis you see wandering the streets instead of those parked outside the five-star hotels and restaurants. Those particular taxis generally inflate price. If you use a big hotel as your destination, you may also see a price rise. Choose your taxi; don't let the taxi choose you.
Some price examples for the summer of 2007 are:
Taxi drivers usually expect you to pay a little bit more (1 or 2 LE) if they are carrying more people from place to place. Negotiate beforehand, but if you don't, be ready to jump ship or bargain if the cabby brings up the fare after everyone is in the car. Most drivers will not accept more than four people to a taxi. You should also add 2-3 EP to the fare for a late-night cab ride.
In March 2006, 500 new yellow taxis went into operation. These vehicles run on natural gas and will soon total 1500 cars, all equipped with air-conditioning and meters that actually work. They also have credit card readers. The main price will start at 3.50 LE; add 1 LE for every additional kilometer. Drivers are not allowed to smoke in cars. These taxes are referred to as "city" or "Cairo" cabs and can be a bit more expensive than the black-and-white cabs for short trips. However, they are also less of a hassle and less "adventurous." For long distance travel, they are simply the way to go. To schedule a ride within Cairo, call 0104343438 - 19155.Travel in Cairo by Bus
Public buses are red, white and blue. These cover the entire city and are much cheaper than a ride by taxi, but they are also usually very crowded. Similar, air-conditioned buses charge 2 LE per trip and don't allow you to stand on the bus. These can be found in the main squares of Cairo. There are also smaller minibuses that are usually orange and white or red, white and blue. Because of some difficulties with sexual harassment, women travelers should only take the small microbuses and buses that prohibit standing.
There are also buses available at street level. They're usually not marked with their destination and instead, passengers shout out their desired stops. If a bus has this particular place on its route, it will stop when a passenger requests it. On microbuses, the fare begins at 25 piastre and rises to 1 EP. Travelers who are not familiar with Cairo can ask bus drivers or passengers to let them know where their stop is. It's relatively easy and you don't need to be shy. Simply say your destination politely to the bus driver or to someone who looks friendly and he or she will help you out.
There are many major bus stations or mawqaf scattered throughout the city. One of the largest is right behind the Egyptian Museum in Midan Tahrir. You should note that there are actually two stations. The main bus station is for the city buses and a microbus station is behind it. For travelers who want to visit the Pyramids, they can catch a seat in a microbus for the approximate price of 2 pounds. Those in the last lane to the right go all the way to the Pyramids. Just ask for "haram."
There are also bus stations in Midan Ramses, which are located under the overpass. They run from Ramses to Heliopolis, and also go to other stations that buses from the Tahrir bus station don't.From the airport
The airport sits on the northeastern outskirts of the city at Heliopolis. From here, you can go to
downtown Cairo
by hiring a limousine at 60-80 EP, or you can negotiate a lower price with one of the small black taxis, perhaps as low as 50 EP. Expect to pay about 40-50 EP to come back from the city, depending on traffic flow and volume.
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