How to Travel in Egypt
Air. Train. Bus.

Fortunately for its many visitors, traveling in Egypt has become convenient and affordable. 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.

• 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.

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.)

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. The regular trains to Aswan are $21.00 for first class and $12.09 for second class. 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.

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

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; we are 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 beyween 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.

Egypt Travel • Guide • Tours • Vacations • Hotels • Information

Cairo Travel Guide • Luxor Travel Guide • Aswan Travel Guide
Sharm El Sheikh Travel Guide • Hurghada Travel Guide

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Luxury Tours • Private Tours • Nile Cruises