Train travel in Egypt . . .

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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, and www.safariegypt.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 3464146.  Feedback 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 Egypt Legend.

How to buy tickets for the Cairo-Luxor-Aswan sleeper:  call + 20 2 574 94 74 or fax +20 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 + 20 2 574 90 74 or phone their reservation office on + 20 2 574 94 74 or + 20 2 574 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'.

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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 and Aswan, allegedly so that the government can assure tourists' safety.  Details are difficult to confirm, but tourists are definitely 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.  Insist on the specific train and class you want, and be prepared to argue your case if necessary.  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.

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Cairo to Alexandria

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

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

An air-conditioned express...		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 40 (£4 / $8)	LE 25 (£2.50 / $4)	-
Cairo - Alexandria (Express train)	LE 35 (£3.50 / $7)	LE 21 (£2 / $3)	-
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.

Cairo to Luxor & Aswan

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	-