Egypt Transport

Air
Egypt has 87 airports, most of which are used for military purposes. The main commercial airport is Cairo International Airport (CAI). The primary airlines servicing Cairo International are British Airways, Gulf Air, Singapore Airlines and EgyptAir.

Cairo International Airport is the primary hub for EgyptAir. It is the second busiest airport in Africa, following Johannesburg International Airport. Located approximately 13 miles from downtown Cairo, CAI has two main terminals and a variety of facilities. A third terminal is soon to open.

Facilities in the airport include a bank, bureaux de change, ATMs, post offices, food and beverage facilities and numerous shopping outlets. A pharmacy can be found in both terminals’ departure areas. Left luggage, baggage trolleys and porters are also available in both terminals.

Transport into the city is regular and reliable, with options of buses, taxis or the airport shuttle service. Some hotels provide their own limousine upon arrival. Several reputable car rental companies are represented at the airport.

Borg El Arab (HBE) is the main international airport for Alexandria, 37 miles southwest of the city centre. Facilities at the airport include a duty free shop, exchange services, a bank, post office, VIP lounge and a restaurant

Luxor Airport is located 3 miles outside of Luxor and has a regular bus and taxi services available for transfers to and from the city. Facilities at Luxor Airport include car hire, exchange services, food and beverage facilities and a bank.

Rail
None of Egypt’s north western neighbours are connected via international rail links. The nearest railway station is located in Sudan and connects via a ferry crossing Lake Nasser.

Bus 
Daily coaches leave from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to Cairo via El Arish and Rafiah. They are a cheaper alternative to air travel, but are a lot longer and less comfortable. They can get very hot and crowded.

Car 
The main highway connecting Libya and Egypt is a popular route to get from one end of the country to another. The Route 1 that links Egypt to Israel is also very popular and can get very congested at times. Driving in Egypt can be very dangerous as roads are not always up to international standards and local drivers to not seem to be aware of other cars. Egypt has one of the highest numbers of accidents per mile of road than anywhere else in the world.

Sea
Egypt’s main coastal ports are located in Alexandria, Port Said, Suez and Nuweiba. A scheduled car ferry runs between Suez and Jeddah. A bi-weekly service sails between Sudan and Suez and a twice daily service sails between South Sinai and Jordan. Cruise ships often stop over in Egypt as part of their African package.

Air
EgyptAir operates flights between Abu Simbel, Aswan, Luxor, Hurghada, Alexandria and Cairo. Air Sinai provides services from Cairo to El Arish, Hurghada, Luxor, Ras El Nakab, St. Catherine, and Sharm el-Sheikh.

Sea
There are both fast and slow ferry services available linking Hurghada with Sharm el-Sheikh in Sinai. Fast ferries run on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The fast ferries take approximately an hour and a half, while the slow ferries tend to take up to six hours. Slow ferries operate from Hurghada to Sharm el-Sheikh on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Rail
The Egyptian State Railway runs an extensive rail network offering a comprehensive service. Trains run from the Libyan border of Sallom to Cairo and Alexandria. Another route runs along the Nile to Aswan and Luxor. Railway links to Suez and Port Said are also available. Children under the age of four travel for free on Egyptian railways and children between the ages of four and nine only have to pay half price. Youth hostel cardholders are known to get discounts as well as those over the age of 60. Bookings for the overnight train should be made a week in advance via a travel agent or through any train station.

Bus
A national bus company services the Nile and the coastal road. The main routes run from Cairo to Dahab, Ras Sudr, Taba, Rafah, Sharm el-Sheikh and St. Catherine.

Car
Major car companies are represented in Egypt. These include Avis, Budget, Hertz and Europcar. Driving is Egypt may be a pleasant way to enjoy the country, though it is suggested that the driver have excellent driving skills and a lot of experience. Traffic is very busy in the major cities and many road rules are disregarded. The road quality throughout the country varies immensely. Petrol stations may be difficult to come by, so make sure you fill up whenever possible. Certain areas of Egypt cannot be accessed without authorisation, such as south Aswan (which borders Sudan) and most of the Western desert.

Taxi
Meter taxis are available in all of Egypt’s large cities. Long-distance taxis are available to all destinations for reasonable prices. It is suggested that passengers discuss the fare in advance. Taxis are black and white in Cairo, while taxis in Alexandria are orange and black. The Peugeot 504 is also commonly used as a taxi. These are noticeably larger than normal taxis and also cost more.