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Buy Egyptian train tickets at Bookaway.com. Booking opens 17 days ahead.
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© OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the creative commons licence. See larger map |
See Egypt by train
Egypt is fabulous, Cairo one of the world's most fascinating cities. There's no need to book a tour, it's easy to travel round Egypt independently by train, seeing what you want. Egyptian Railways are the most comfortable way to travel between Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria, Port Said & Suez. The views from the train along the Nile give you a real insight into the country. This page will give you the knowledge & confidence to travel around Egypt independently, by train.
Important: New train fares for foreigners: Since 15 December 2022, non-Egyptians must pay special 'foreigner prices' for train tickets, a 350% increase. The new foreigner fares are in US dollars, but can be paid in USD, Euros or (at least in Cairo) credit cards. Feedback appreciated.
Train travel information
What are Egyptian trains like?
Useful country
information - visas, currency, etc
Recommended hotels in Cairo, Alex & Luxor
Travel insurance, mobile data
packages & other tips
Train times & fares for key routes
Cairo
to Luxor, Isna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan
Cairo/Alexandria
to El Alamein & Mersa Matruh
Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada, Siwa
Oasis (bus)
International travel to/from Egypt
Cairo-Amman-Damascus-Istanbul by bus/train
Cairo-Khartoum (Sudan) by train & ferry
Route map: Click for larger map
Useful country information
How to check train times
Timetables for Cairo-Alexandria & Cairo-Luxor-Aswan and several other routes are shown further down this page. But here's how to check train times online:
Check train times at enr.gov.eg
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The most reliable way to check train times & fares for air-con express trains between major cities is using the Egyptian National Railways website enr.gov.eg.
But be aware of its limitations: You can only look 2 weeks ahead (check times and assume they'll be the same or similar for the next few months), it only shows air-conditioned express trains and only between major stations. It doesn't show slower ordinary trains, and won't show trains to or from smaller stations such as Kom Ombo or El Alamein.
AC1, AC2, AC3 = Air-Conditioned 1st, 2nd, 3rd class. GA2 = Good Air 2nd, meaning pressure-ventilated, non-air-con.
The ENR website was offline for some weeks from late 2022 into 2023, but it came back up with a Beta version of a completely new website. It went down again in summer 2023, but in September 2023 it came back up. It says booking is for Egyptian nationals only, booking for foreigners is under construction, but you can still use it to check train times, they will be more accurate than most other websites.
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ENR app |
Or download the ENR app
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You can also download the ENR app for your phone, using this link for iPhone or this link for Android.
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The app has the same limitations as their website!
Or download a third-party app
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Egypt Trains |
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You can also check Egyptian train times using a third-party app on your phone, both for planning and when in Egypt. Unlike the ENR website, these show all stations and all trains, air-con & non-air-con. And when you get to Egypt, using an app on your phone is easier than asking at the station.
The apps show train times & train types, but they don't quote fares or show availability or sell tickets. Also note that unlike the official ENR app, these apps show a standard daily timetable which they appear to only update periodically, so you may not see recent changes to the timetable - the ENR website/app will be more accurate!
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Egypt Trains by Ahmed Mokhtar, use this link for iPhone or this link for Android. This has a nicer interface than Train Trip, uses more usual spellings & shows the trains which for some reason the Train Trip app omits. On this app, VIP special express trains are shown as VIP, Spanish express trains are shown as Air-Conditioned, ordinary non-air-con trains are shown (confusingly) as Special, trains using the new Russian cars are shown as Russian. I still have no idea what Viva Egypt trains are!
Option 1, buy at the station
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Are tickets usually available on the day?
Many people end up buying tickets at the station, as options for booking Egyptian trains online are limited, although www.bookaway.com works for many daytime trains and the sleeper trains between Cairo, Luxor & Aswan can be booked online easily enough.
Between Cairo & Alexandria it's normally easy to buy 1st class tickets on the day of travel or the day before. If you find a particular train or class fully-booked, there will almost always be seats available on another train or in another class. Availability is not normally a problem.
Between Cairo & Luxor or Aswan it's better to book a few days ahead, although you may well find seats available at least on some trains if you book on the day or the day before.
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How to check availability
You can use the ENR website or (if it's down) the ENR app to check seat availability, even if they won't let you buy online. Run an enquiry for today or tomorrow and see how many seats remain available on each train. That should give you the confidence to buy in person at the station a day or two ahead, even if you're normally obsessed with booking everything months in advance.
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Foreigners Reservation Office, Cairo Ramses station
In Cairo there's a special Foreigner's Reservation Office, you can buy all your tickets here. As from 15 December 2022, foreigners need to pay special higher fares, so you can't use the normal ticket windows.
Walk into the main hall at Cairo Ramses station (passing through security at the station entrance) and head up the escalators to the mezzanine floor with the foodcourt. Head for the left-hand side of the mezzanine floor and enter a corridor. Walk along that corridor, following the signs to the Foreigner's Reservation Office.
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Payment for train tickets
You can pay in USD, Euros or (only at the Foreigner's Reservation Office in Cairo) by credit card.
I recommend carrying crisp clean USD or Euro notes. Egyptian Pounds might be accepted, but usually not. It may depend who you talk to!
You're given a hand-written receipt with car & seat number to show you have paid the foreigner price. You may or may not also be given the normal computer-printed ticket which they generate from the ticketing system to make the booking - but you could try asking for it if you want a souvenir! Feedback appreciated.
You'll now also find designated ticket windows for foreigners at Luxor & Aswan.
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Self-service ticket machines
Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan stations have self-service ticket machines with a touch screen and an English language facility. If & when working (some or all may be out of action as this is Egypt!), these are quicker & easier than going to the staffed ticket counters. The machines can sell train tickets complete with reservation for all main routes & trains and on a good day they accept overseas credit cards (remember I said 'only on a good day'!). Many machines have fallen into disrepair, by all means look for one that works, some still do and if so, should accept overseas cards. However, it's not clear if these can cope with the new foreigner prices, I bet they can't. If you try these machines, let me know!
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Tickets for the Cairo-Luxor-Aswan sleeper
The Cairo-Luxor-Aswan deluxe sleeper can be booked online or booked in person at the separate Abela Trains Reservation Office at Cairo Ramses station, located on the outside of the western facade of the station building, next to Station Entrance 1, an archway or two to the right of the impressive locked-shut main door. The office location is marked on this satellite view of Cairo station. Tickets must be paid for foreign currency, either US dollars, euros or pounds sterling. Originally you had to pay in cash, but in 2022 it was reported that credit cards are now accepted. There are also Abela offices at Luxor & Aswan stations.
The sleeper usually has berths available if you book a day or two in advance, but at peak tourist times such as Easter it gets fully-booked by tour groups, so pre-booking is recommended.
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Buy Egyptian train tickets online at www.bookaway.com |
Option 2, buy online at Bookaway.com
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Why use Bookaway?
This is by far the easiest way to book the air-conditioned express trains between Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan, and they can book the sleeper trains too. www.bookaway.com is a reliable agency, you obviously pay an agency mark-up but it's the hassle-free way to get your train tickets booked in advance from outside Egypt. You can see prices in various currencies including £, €, $, Au$, overseas payment cards no problem. Feedback would be appreciated.
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What can they sell?
www.bookaway.com can book 1st & 2nd class seats on the most popular air-conditioned express trains between Cairo, Giza, Luxor & Aswan, and between Cairo & Alexandria. It can also sell tickets for the Cairo-Luxor/Aswan sleeper trains.
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When does booking open?
Booking normally opens 17 days before departure. You must normally book at least 2 days ahead.
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How are tickets delivered?
The Cairo-Luxor/Aswan sleeper trains are e-ticketed so can be emailed. However, all other Egyptian trains have hard-copy tickets. Bookaway will give you details of how to contact their agent at least 10 hours before departure to arrange local ticket delivery to your hotel.
When taking delivery of tickets, make sure you are given the correct handwritten ticket/receipt showing the foreigners fare, not the actual ticket printed by the computerised ticketing system which has the local fare on it.
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Buy daytime train tickets online at enr.gov.eg (if working!) |
Option 3, buy online at enr.gov.eg
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Egyptian National Railways (ENR) relaunched its website in January 2023
enr.gov.eg is the official Egyptian National Railways website. After being offline for some weeks over Christmas 2022, it came back again with a Beta version of an all-new website. However, it doesn't appear to show the new higher foreigner fares, and it only shows a handful of 'selected' trains.
Update 2025: The website says that booking is for Egyptian nationals only, booking for foreigners is under construction. You can still use it to check train times, they will be more accurate than most other websites, but until it's sorted you'll have to buy using Bookaway as shown above or buy in person at the station.
In fact, I have had several people use it to book trains as an Egyptian national, then go to the foreigners reservation office in Cairo, show the booking and pay the extra for foreigners. That seems to work!
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It may adjust train times to your own time zone
Which isn't terribly helpful! In other words, when you use the site on a laptop located in the UK 2 hours behind Egyptian time, it says train 980 leaves Cairo at 06:00 meaning 06:00 UK time, when the train actually leaves at 08:00 Egyptian time. If you used the website on a computer in New York, it'd say the train left at 01:00! It may or may not still be doing this, but keep your wits about you.
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What can it book?
It can currently only book tickets for a handful of selected air-conditioned express trains between Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan. At the current soft-launch stage, that's it.
It won't book the Cairo-Luxor-Aswan deluxe sleeper trains, see the next section for sleepers. It won't book 2nd & 3rd class non-air-con tickets for slower ordinary or Russian trains. It won't sell tickets to smaller stations such as Edfu, Kom Ombo or El Alamein.
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When does booking open?
Booking opens 2 weeks before departure, and closes 2 days before departure. If you try to book more than 2 weeks before you want to go, it says there's no availability. So wait until booking opens. If you need tickets for today or tomorrow, you must buy at the station.
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Can foreign tourists use this system?
Sort of! It currently doesn't show the new higher foreigner fares, only the normal Egyptian fare. So go ahead and pay the normal rate, then either (a) see if anyone charges you extra on the train, or (b) go to the foreigners ticket office, show your online ticket and offer to pay the extra. But if you book online you know you're safely booked on the train! The old ENR website happily accepted most non-Egyptian credit cards, and I've had at least one person confirm that they successfully used the revamped post-January-2023 ENR website to buy tickets.
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4 people per booking maximum
You can only book 4 people at a time. If you want to book more, you'll have to make two bookings and if necessary open two accounts.
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How to use it
Go to enr.gov.eg, it opens in Arabic (eventually, it's slow!), change ar to en top left for English.
Click Sign up and enter your email. They send you a code to enter to verify your email. When your account has been set up, log in again. Run an enquiry on a date within the next 2 weeks, remember you can't book further ahead than this.
AC1, AC2, AC3 = Air-Conditioned 1st, 2nd, 3rd class. GA2 = Good Air 2nd, meaning pressure-ventilated, non-air-con.
You are sent an email with reservation details with date, time, train number, car & seat number. You print this out and can board the train with this printout and the credit card used to make the booking, as long as the main named traveller is the owner of the credit card. If you've used someone else's card, then you'll need a photocopy of the front of the credit card, passport, and reservation details.
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Feedback would be welcome if you use this system, successfully or unsuccessfully. If you have problems or if it's down, try the app.
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ENR app |
Option 4, buy using the ENR app
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An official Egyptian National Railways (ENR) mobile phone app is available for iPhone and for Android and you can use it to buy tickets. Or more accurately, you may be able to use it to buy tickets, because it works for some people and doesn't for others.
Update 2025: The app now says it's for Egyptians online. It's not currently working for non-Egyptians.
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The app works like the website, it now accepts foreigner's passport numbers and on a good day it will accept overseas credit cards. Several travellers have reported using the app to buy tickets successfully - even when the ENR website was down. However. one or two others report that it wouldn't accept their credit card. So give it a go and see.
You can at least use the app to check train times and availability, even if you then have to buy in person at the station.
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Be warned, like the website it unhelpfully shows train times transmogrified to your own local time zone, not in Egyptian time, although when you get the email confirmation after buying tickets this will show the correct departure time in Egyptian local time.
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The sleeper from Cairo to Luxor, arrived at Luxor. Courtesy of Neil Bastock.
Download the Abela app for iPhone or Android |
Option 5, buy sleeper tickets at Abelatrains.com
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The deluxe sleeper train between Cairo & Luxor/Aswan is privately-run and has a separate booking system. From 2 August 2023 it's operated by a company called Abela Trains, the contract was previously held by a company called Ernst and branded Watania Sleeping Trains.
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Use the Abela website
You can buy tickets online at Abelatrains.com.
Booking opens 4 to 5 months ahead, this may vary.
Tip: For Cairo, select Upper Egypt, the new station in Cairo also known as Bashtil. Or select Giza if you prefer to board there.
Tip: When completing the online booking form, it won't work if you leave any of the fields blank. For example, if you don't have a middle name, enter a dot.
Tip: If booking 2 people in a 2-berth sleeper, at the point where you enter your passenger data, make sure you select Yes under Family. That ensures you are given 2 beds in the same compartment. Otherwise you may get berths in separate compartments each shared with another passenger of the same gender.
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Or use the Abela app
Their website does work, but if you have any problems, download the Abela app for iPhone or Abela app for Android. The app usually works even if the website doesn't. For English, click the language button top left, labelled with an 'A' for Arabic.
You print your own ticket and can board the train with that printout. Feedback appreciated.
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If neither website nor app work for you
Reliable agency www.bookaway.com can book these sleeper trains for you with a small mark-up.
Alternatively, contact Abela by phone or fax, fax your booking request to + 202 37 489 680 quoting your email address or phone their reservation office on + 202 374 893 88 or + 202 374 894 88 (lines open 09:00 to 15:00 Egyptian time, daily except Fridays, English spoken, feedback appreciated!).
They will email you a booking reference and you can pick up the tickets and pay for them in Egyptian pounds, US Dollars or euros at the Abela reservation office.
What are Egyptian trains like?
Overview
There are two broad categories of train in Egypt, express trains and ordinary trains.
Express trains are air-conditioned with 1st & 2nd class seats and refreshments, they are all-reserved and tickets come with a specific assigned seat.
Ordinary trains are generally slower, are unreserved (so can be crowded) with non-air-con 2nd & 3rd class, although a few trains convey an air-con 2nd class car with reserved seats and some trains with the new Russian-built carriages have air-conditioned 3rd class which is perfectly acceptable.
The air-conditioned expresses further divide into two main groups, VIP with more modern carriages and Spanish with much older (but still comfortable) carriages.
Most visitors understandably stick with the air-conditioned expresses, although I've used a 2nd & 3rd class slow train between Aswan & Luxor, the advantages are opening windows and lots of local colour. A fleet of new Russian-designed carriages is slowly coming into service from 2020/2021 onwards, initially replacing older cars on slow trains, but in due course will also operate some air-con express services. If you travel on one of these, let me know!
Lastly we have the 'deluxe' sleeper train which provides time-effective travel between Cairo and Upper Egypt. This has been outsourced to a private company.
Talgo trains
These are being introduced in 2023, and now work several Cairo-Alexandria services in each direction. They are modern air-conditioned articulated trains built by the Talgo company, each car is much shorter and smaller than a conventional carriage and there is just one axle under each articulation. These are now Egypt's premier expresses, with 1st & 2nd class and a buffer counter. On some departures you may be offered a meal served at your seat, veg or non-veg, typical cost around LE 150, about £4 or $5. They may give you a meal and come back for payment later, it is not included in the fare. See video of a Cairo to Alexandria journey by Talgo.
VIP special express trains
These are the best trains (or were, until the first Talgo trains entered service), running on both the Cairo-Alexandria and Cairo-Luxor-Aswan routes. They're shown as Special Service OD on the Egyptian Railways website enr.gov.eg, and as VIP trains on most other apps & websites. It will say Special on your ticket. They are fully air-conditioned with 1st & 2nd class (AC1 & AC2) and a cafe counter, all tickets come with a specific reserved seat. A refreshment trolley comes down the train selling tea, coffee & soft drinks. Seats can be rotated to face either way - or to create a bay of 4 for families - by pressing a foot pedal. These trains consist of stainless-steel cars with bodyshells built in China, assembled in Egypt, over 200 of which were delivered 2015-16. On some departures you may be offered a meal served at your seat, veg or non-veg, typical cost around £4 or $5. They may give you a meal and come back for payment later, it is not included in the fare.
Express trains
These mostly use older air-conditioned cars built in Spain, as shown in the photos below. They are shown as Speed AC Spanish on the Egyptian Railways website enr.gov.eg and as just AC or Air-Conditioned on most other apps & websites. They have comfortable 1st & 2nd class (AC1 & AC2) seating, all tickets come with a specific reserved seat. A refreshment trolley usually comes down the train selling tea, coffee & soft drinks. Seats can be rotated to face either way - or to create a bay of 4 for families - by pressing a foot pedal. These trains also operate on both the Cairo-Alexandria and Cairo-Luxor-Aswan routes.
Several Cairo-Alexandria expresses use stainless-steel cars built in France in the 1980s, remarkably similar in design to the Chinese/Egyptian VIP cars but much older, with an almost-identical window arrangement including the venetian blinds between panes of double-glazing. Such trains include Cairo-Alex train 911, 915, 919 & 923 and Alex-Cairo train 922. Notices posted at stations may (correctly) refer to these as French trains, but the Egyptian Railways website lists both Spanish and French trains as Speed AC Spanish, just to confuse you.
Ordinary trains
Ordinary trains are much slower, with non-air-conditioned 2nd & 3rd class seats. They are unreserved, you sit where you like, which means at busy times they may be crowded. Few visitors bother with these trains, although there's no reason why you shouldn't use them if you like. One advantage is that without air-con the windows open, which is better for seeing and photographing the Nile Valley. I once took one from Aswan to Luxor as that's only a short hop, my train wasn't crowded, a breeze blew through the open windows, and I met some interesting Egyptian people on board.
A few trains - shown as Ord+ in the timetables on this page - convey one or two air-conditioned 2nd class cars with reserved seats, of the same sort as the 2nd class air-con cars on the Spanish express trains. These air-con 2nd class cars are a good way to travel between Cairo and Port Said, Suez or Mersa Matruh, or even Alexandria if the express trains are fully-booked.
Latest reports (2024) suggest foreigners are being refused tickets for non-air-con cars on these trains, at least at the main stations, unacceptable discrimination. You could try buying an air-con ticket, then board one of these trains for the experience and the open-window photographic opportunities. On the other hand, it's reported that the ticket offices at small local stations are often unaware of the existence of 'foreigner fares' and will sell tickets for local trains at local prices, no problem. It's the main stations such as Luxor, Aswan, Cairo and Alex where difficulties arise.
New Russian trains
The first batch of new carriages built in Russia & Hungary were delivered in 2020-2021. This huge order includes 500 pressure-ventilated 3rd class cars (shown as GA3 class, GA = Good Air), 500 air-conditioned 3rd class cars (the first air-conditioned 3rd class cars in Egypt, shown as AC3), 210 air-conditioned 2nd class cars (AC2) and 90 air-conditioned 1st class cars (AC1). The first batch of these cars has now replaced older 2nd & 3rd class non-air-con cars on many Alexandria-Cairo & Cairo-Asyut-Luxor ordinary trains and they may turn up on air-con expresses in due course. If you travel on one and get any better interior photos, please let me know.
Deluxe sleeper trains
One or two comfortable sleeper trains link Cairo & Giza with Luxor & Aswan in each direction, with air-conditioned sleeping-cars and a lounge car, see the photos below. Often referred to as 'deluxe' sleeper trains, they're comfortable with fresh clean bedding and on-board catering. However, this is Egypt and the carpet may be a bit dusty or frayed so don't let the term 'deluxe' give you unreasonable expectations! Foreigners are charged higher fares than Egyptian nationals.
Egyptian National Railways have outsourced the operation of these sleeper trains, from 2 August 2023 they're operated by a company called Abela Trains. Abela took over from former contractor Ernst, who branded the service Watania Sleeping Trains. You may still see this brand in odd places online.
Trains 86 (southbound) & 87 (northbound) run every day all year, trains 82/83 run at peak periods. It's the most time-effective way to travel between Cairo & Luxor or Aswan and it's also a genuine Egyptian experience in its own right.
The sleeping-cars have secure & lockable compartments each of which can be sold as a single with only the lower berth folded out, or as a double with both upper & lower berths in use. The berths fold away to reveal a sofa for evening and morning use, the middle of the three sofa seats folds down to form a table as you can see in the photos.
Each compartment has a washbasin, soap, towel & clean bedding are provided. There's a 2-pin shaver socket near the sink which can be used to recharge cameras & mobiles with a suitable adaptor. Luggage goes in your compartment with you, there's a recess over the door for large bags so they don't have to go on the floor.
The fare includes a basic airline-style tray-meal in the evening and a simple breakfast, although tea & coffee are charged for. Room service can serve drinks in your compartment at extra cost. The sleeping-cars are non-smoking, but you can smoke if you need to in the vestibules at each end of the carriage. There is a connecting door between adjacent pairs of compartments which can be opened if 3 or 4 of you occupy both compartments.
Passengers travelling alone who don't want to pay the single-berth fare can book one bed in a 2-berth and share with another passenger of the same sex.
There is a lounge car roughly in the centre of the train serving drinks & snacks, see the photos below.
The sleeping-cars used on these trains were built in East Germany in the 1980s, a few cars retain their original classy German interiors (if your washbasin has a flat top, that's a give-away) but most have been refurbished with shiny fibreglass panels and a half-sphere washbasin cover as shown in the photos below. Similarly, the photos below show a lounge car which has been refurbished to look old-fashioned, I believe there is at least one lounge car which retains its original 1980s interior with free-standing tables & chairs which ironically looks more modern. Plans to build new sleeper trains were announced in 2020, but any new trains are still some years away.
For more information see Abelatrains.com. Watch the sleeper video. Sleeper train times & fares. How to book the sleeper.
Cairo Ramses station Location map
Most mainline trains use Cairo's impressive main station, often called Ramses station (see the news about the new Bashtil station below). The first station opened here in 1856, the current building dates from 1892. It was extended in 1955 and modernised in the 2010s with marble flooring and air-conditioning. The station is both a through station and a terminus, the main station building sits next to seven terminus platforms, with four through platforms running alongside, see Google Maps satellite view station plan.
Express trains to Alexandria normally leave from the terminus platforms, numbered 1-7 from right to left (1-4 are under the impressive trainshed, 5-7 alongside). The VIP express trains to Alex typically leave from platform 4.
Trains to Luxor & Aswan leave from the four through platforms, numbered 8, 9, 10 & 11. A passageway leads from the main concourse to platform 8. A subway leads under the tracks to platforms 9, 10 & 11. Sleeper train 86 and VIP train 980 to Luxor & Aswan both usually leave from platform 8, easily accessible from the main concourse.
There are more terminus platforms on the far side of the station, numbered 12 upwards, used by northbound ordinary trains. You are unlikely to need these. There is also a separate station, known as Cairo Pont Limon (and shown on apps as Cairo Allimon or El-Qahira El-Liamoon), just southeast of the main station. This handles local trains into the Delta, again you're unlikely to need this.
Security on entry: All bags are X-rayed as you enter the station, although anecdotally it seems they aren't interested in what you have on you when you walk through the metal detector, it's bags they really want to check. Once inside, the station has a ticket office, left luggage office, tourist office, ATMs, and a food court. The Abela sleeper office is at the front of the station next to the main entrance, before you go through security.
Foreigners Reservation Office: See the how to buy tickets section.
Deluxe sleeper ticket office: See the how to buy tickets section.
Access to the platforms: Automatic ticket gates were installed at the entrance to platforms in 2022. You now need a valid ticket to access the platforms.
Cairo Ramses station in 2021, western side. The impressive central doorway is kept locked shut, but there are entrances either side, along with the Abela sleeper reservation office which is an archway or two to the right of the locked-shut central doorway. As with all main stations in Egypt, your bags are X-rayed when you enter the station. Courtesy of Paliparan.com.
The air-conditioned main hall at Cairo Ramses station, taken from the mezzanine floor with platforms 1-4 behind the camera. You can just make out the X-ray baggage scanners at each of the entrances. The passageway to platform 8 is out of shot to the right. Courtesy of Paliparan.com.
The main hall at Cairo station, looking the other way, towards terminus platforms 1-4 used by express trains to Alexandria. The passageway to platform 8 is out of shot to the left. To reach the Foreigners Reservation Office, go up the escalators & turn left. Courtesy of Paliparan.com.
There's a food court up the escalators on the mezzanine floor, overlooking platforms 1-4. A good place for a coffee, snack or meal before your train. Photos courtesy of Paliparan.com.
Platforms 1-4 are terminus platforms located under this impressive roof, with terminus platforms 5-7 out of shot to the left, alongside the trainshed. The platforms are numbered right to left. The main concourse is behind the camera. Here, a Spanish train to Alexandria waits to leave platform 2. The II next to the door indicates 2nd class air-con. Courtesy of Paliparan.com.
Cairo Upper Egypt/Bashtil station - opened October 2024, see location map
A vast new station called Bashtil or sometimes Upper Egypt station opened in October 2024, roughly 7 km west of Cairo Ramses station. The sleeper trains to/from Luxor & Aswan are already using this, no longer using Cairo Ramses station. Other trains to Upper Egypt may follow in 2025, check carefully which station your train uses.
Entrance to the modern Bashtil station. Photos courtesy of Katie Mead.
Booking hall with ticket windows either side. Courtesy of Katie Mead.
Above left, ticket windows. Above right, ticket gates to access the platforms. Photos courtesy of Katie Mead.
Cairo Bashtil platforms. Courtesy of Katie Mead.
Travel tips
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Download a train timetable app! Download an Egyptian train times app as shown here, using this on your phone will be much easier than asking at the station every time. It also means you'll already known which train you want (and perhaps have a second choice train if your first choice is fully-booked) when you go to buy tickets at the station.
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Learn Arabic numbers. A tip for train travel in Egypt is to learn Arabic numbers. The departure boards at stations often use Arabic numerals to show train numbers, departure times & platform numbers, only the principal departure boards show 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. 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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How to find your train & seat. The main departure boards at major stations such as Cairo or Alexandria show train number, platform, destination. They switch between Arabic and Western script/numerals every few seconds. Each platform at Cairo Ramses station has an LED display showing the departure time, train number & destination of the train at that platform.
There's no check in, you just go and get on your train any time before departure, but remember there's a baggage X-ray check at the entrance to the station. I'd be at the station half an hour before.
Your ticket will show your train number, train type, class, car number and seat number, in both Arabic and Western script. When you reach your train, car numbers will be shown in both Arabic & Western numerals on a small metal plate next to each car's entrance door.
Automatic ticket gates have been installed at the entrance to the platforms in Cairo, you'll need your ticket to open the gates.
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Do Egyptian trains run on time? Of course not, this is Egypt! However, Express trains get priority, so are more likely to run on time than slower ordinary trains. An express train from Cairo to Alexandria might arrive on time or maybe 10 or 20 minutes late. An express between Cairo and Upper Egypt might leave on time or 20 minutes late and arrive on time or maybe an hour or two late. Just take it in your stride, make sure you have supplies with you, and enjoy the ride. Avoid booking trains due to arrive at midnight, so you don't end up arriving at silly o'clock.
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Cafe at Cairo Ramses station. If you arrive early, there's a cafe upstairs in the food court on the mezzanine floor at Cairo Ramses station, a good place for an inexpensive coffee and bite to eat before your train. Go up the escalators from the main concourse. It overlooks platforms 1-4 through a large glass wall.
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Taxis in Cairo & Alexandria. Always use a white taxi as these are metered, and are a fairly cheap way to get from anywhere in central Cairo to the station, typically LE10-LE15 (£1-£2 or $2-$3) a trip. Make sure the meter is switched on. Cairo's black & white taxis and Alexandria's black & yellow taxis do not have meters and you will need to agree a price before you get in, so they usually work out much more expensive.
Cairo to Alexandria
The best way to travel between Alexandria and Cairo is by train. There are two broad categories of train, air-conditioned expresses with comfortable 1st & 2nd class reserved seats, and slower ordinary trains with basic non-air-con unreserved 2nd & 3rd class seats, many now composed of new Russian-built carriages. Most visitors stick with the air-conditioned expresses, which are highlighted below in bold type.
The air-conditioned expresses further divide into three types, the new premier Talgo trains, the second-rank VIP express trains (shown on the ENR website as Special and on most other apps & websites as VIP), and the older Spanish or French express trains, shown on the ENR website as Speed and on most other apps & websites as just AC. All are comfortable and can be recommended, the Talgo trains are easily the best (as good as anything in western Europe), the VIP trains are good but not quite as modern, and the Spanish trains much more worn.
Timetable northbound
Timetable southbound
Notes for the timetable
Bold type = Air-conditioned express trains. Most visitors will want one of these.
Talgo = new articulated train made by the Talgo company, being introduced from January 2023. 1st & 2nd class, air-conditioned, higher fares.
VIP = VIP special express train, extra-fast air-conditioned express with 1st & 2nd class reserved seats & refreshments, using stainless-steel carriages built in China/Egypt in 2015-16. Most only stop at Tanta & Sidi Gaber, or just Sidi Gaber. These are the best trains, higher fares apply than for the Spanish trains. Shown on enr.gov.eg as Special Service OD, and on most other apps & websites as VIP, see the photos above.
Exp = Express train, fast air-conditioned express with 1st & 2nd class reserved seats & refreshments, using either red & white Spanish carriages or French stainless-steel carriages. Comfortable & recommended, but older than the VIP trains. They are all shown on enr.gov.eg as Speed AC Spanish and on other apps & websites as AC, see photos above, although notices posted at stations may correctly identify which are Spanish trains and which French trains.
* Tip: Train 89 is an overnight through service from Aswan & Luxor to Alexandria, best avoided for Cairo-Alexandria journeys as it may be delayed.
Ru = Russian train. Composed of new Russian-built carriages, 2nd & 3rd class anon-air-con, may have some 2nd & 3rd class air-con carriages.
Ord = Ordinary train, 2nd & 3rd class unreserved seats, non-air-con, not normally used by tourists, see the photo above.
Ord+ = Ordinary train, 2nd & 3rd class unreserved seats, non-air-con, also conveys one or more cars of air-conditioned 2nd class reserved seats.
How to buy tickets. Check these times & fares online or using an app as shown above.
Hotels in Alexandria: The two classic hotels right on the Corniche are the famous Cecil Hotel & the Metropole Hotel. Both hotels are a 19-minute 1.4 km walk or 11 minute taxi ride from Alexandria station.
Cairo-Alexandria is 208 km (129 miles). All these trains call at Sidi Gaber, a local station 3 km from Alexandria's main station.
Children aged 0 to 3 travel free, children 4 to 9 travel at half fare, children 10 and over pay full fare.
Higher prices for foreigners were introduced in December 2022, these are 2024 prices. If you get a photo of the latest 2025 foreigner fares list, please get in touch!
How to buy tickets
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Option 1, buy tickets online at www.bookaway.com.
This is by far the easiest option, and the least hassle. www.bookaway.com is a reliable agency, you pay a reasonable agency mark-up but it's a painless way to get your train tickets booked in advance from outside Egypt.
Booking normally opens 17 days before departure, you must normally book at least 2 days ahead.
www.bookaway.com can book seats on all the most popular air-conditioned express trains between Cairo and Alexandria, although it can't book every possible train or book to/from smaller stations.
Bookaway will give you details of how to contact their agent at least 10 hours before departure to arrange local ticket delivery to your hotel.
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Option 2, you may (or may not) be able to book the VIP special express & express trains using the ENR website or app, see the How to buy tickets section.
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Tickets for ordinary trains can't be booked online, see the advice for buying tickets at the station.
Alexandria station
Cairo to Luxor & Aswan
The deluxe sleeper is the most comfortable & time-effective way to travel between Cairo & Luxor or Aswan, in effect as fast as flying, but far more of a genuine Egyptian experience and better for the environment, too. It's more expensive than normal trains, but it saves a hotel bill. You'll still see Nile Valley scenery in the morning, at least going southbound to Aswan.
If time is tight, go sleeper both ways, but personally I'd go one way by sleeper and the other by daytime train, to experience the train ride along the Nile Valley. Incidentally, travelling overnight in a seat saves time and is cheap, but not comfortable, I'd either splurge on a sleeper or take a daytime train.
I have highlighted the deluxe sleeper train and the best air-conditioned daytime train in bold type. I recommend that particular daytime train (980/981) as it's the best VIP type, it'll show you most of the route in daylight, and an hour or two delay won't mean arriving at silly o'clock. By all means take another train if you prefer, for example train 2010 southbound or trains 2011 or 983 northbound, all Spanish trains. Most visitors stick with the air-conditioned expresses (marked VIP or Exp below) but even ordinary non-air-con trains can be fine for short hops, for example when travelling between Qena, Luxor, Kom Ombo, Edfu & Aswan.
Important: Cairo Bashtil station is now open: An impressive new station called Bashtil opened in Cairo in October 2024 and the deluxe sleeper trains to/from Upper Egypt have already been switched to Bashtil instead of using Cairo Ramses. It's not yet clear what other trains (if any) are using Bashtil. More about Bashtil station.
Timetable southbound
Timetable northbound
Notes for timetable
* = sleeper train 82/83 only runs at peak periods with tickets for it typically released a month in advance. 86/87 runs every day.
** = New Talgo train, 1st & 2nd class air-conditioned with premium fares, only runs every second night.
Bold type = recommended daytime train & sleeper train for journeys between Cairo & Upper Egypt. But by all means take one of the others.
Sleeper = Deluxe sleeper train, sleeping-cars & lounge car. Special fares apply. Can be used between Luxor & Aswan, sitting in empty sleepers in seats mode. Run by Abela Trains, Abelatrains.com. Uses Bashtil station in Cairo, also known as Upper Egypt station.
VIP = VIP special express train with air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class reserved seats & refreshments, using modern stainless-steel carriages built in China/Egypt in 2015-16. These are the best trains, higher fares apply. Shown on enr.gov.eg as Special Service OD and on most other apps & websites as VIP, see the photos above.
Exp = Express train with air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class reserved seats & refreshments, using Spanish-built carriages. Also comfortable, but older than the VIP trains. Shown on enr.gov.eg as Speed AC Spanish and on other apps & websites as just AC, see the photos above.
Ru = Russian train. Composed of new Russian-built carriages, 2nd & 3rd class anon-air-con, may have some 2nd & 3rd class air-con carriages.
Ord = Ordinary train, 2nd & 3rd class seats, unreserved, slower, not air-conditioned, not normally used by tourists (fine for short hops).
Giza station is a fair way from the Giza Pyramids, but if you're staying out that way it can be better than going into Cairo city centre. You can travel between Cairo & Giza on the Cairo Metro, www.cairometro.gov.eg.
Al Balyana is the station for the Great Temple of Abydos, a 22-minute 9.8 km taxi ride from the station.
Qena is the station for the Dendera temple complex, a 22-minute 9.3 km taxi ride from the station.
Recommended hotel in Luxor: The famous & fabulous Old Winter Palace Hotel is a Luxor highlight in its own right, request a room in the old part of the hotel, not in the 1970s extension. The hotel is a 14 minute 1.1 km walk or 4 minute taxi ride from Luxor station.
Cairo to Luxor is 671km (419 miles). Cairo to Aswan is 879 km (549 miles).
How to buy tickets. Check these times & fares online or using an app as shown above. See the section on tourist restrictions.
Fares are one-way, a return is simply two one-ways. Add 2.5% credit card fee if paid by card.
Children aged 0 to 3 travel free, children 4 to 9 travel at two-thirds fare, children 10 and over pay full fare.
On the deluxe sleeper train, children aged 4 to 9 pay $70 one-way, children under 4 go free but without a berth - you pay child rate if you want them to have a bed.
Higher prices for foreigners were introduced in December 2022, these are 2024 prices. If you get a photo of the latest 2025 foreigner fares list, please get in touch!
Although foreigners have always had to pay higher prices for the sleeper trains.
How to buy tickets
Tickets for seats:
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Option 1, buy tickets online at www.bookaway.com.
This is by far the easiest option, and the least hassle. www.bookaway.com is a reliable agency, you pay a reasonable agency mark-up but it's a painless way to get your train tickets booked in advance from outside Egypt.
Booking normally opens 17 days before departure, you must normally book at least 2 days ahead.
www.bookaway.com can book seats on all the most popular air-conditioned express trains between Cairo/Giza and Luxor/Aswan, although it can't book every possible train or book to/from smaller stations.
Bookaway will give you details of how to contact their agent at least 10 hours before departure to arrange local ticket delivery to your hotel.
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Option 2, you may (or may not) be able to book the VIP special express & express trains using the ENR website or app, see the How to buy tickets section.
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Option 3, buy tickets in person at the station, see the advice here.
Tickets for sleepers
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Option 1, book the sleeper trains at the Abela website or use the Abela app, see the how to buy tickets section.
Tip: For Cairo, select Bashtil. You can also select Giza if you prefer to board there.
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Option 2, you can also buy sleeper tickets online at www.bookaway.com and receive an e-ticket.
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Option 3, buy tickets at the station at the special Abela sleeper ticket office, see the how to buy tickets section.
Travelling by day on an air-con express
They're not as time-effective as the overnight sleeper of course, but the daytime air-conditioned express trains are safe, comfortable and incredibly cheap - and best of all, the journey is an insight into Egyptian life. It's a pleasant ride along the Nile Valley, past palm trees, feluccas, camels and fellahin working in the fields. You will see how the Nile makes a small strip of land green either side of the river before the desert resumes. See the traveller's report below about a journey on these daytime Upper Egypt trains.
Travelling overnight in air-con seats
If you don't mind sleeping in a seat, which not a very nice or comfortable experience, these overnight trains save time compared with daytime trains but cost much less than the deluxe sleeper. Take a fleece or jumper as the air-con can be powerful.
Travellers' reports: The sleeper
Traveller Sean Sickinger reports: "On the ticket you're advised to be on the platform at least 30 minutes before departure, although this doesn't mean the train will be on time! On my trip, the train was 30 minutes late leaving and nearly 2 hours late into Luxor, so factor a possible delay into your plans. Giza mainline station is right next to Giza metro station and there are a few small shops selling snacks or water, plus a small restaurant. At the station there are small numbers hanging from the platform canopy, these indicate the approximate location of the carriages so if you're booked in car 6, stand next to sign number 6. Don't expect to find any Abela staff on the platform, just wait for the sleeper train on the main platform with everyone else. You may be approached by people with official looking notebooks offering to help you who ask you for your ticket, but don't show it to them - they write down your name and destination as if they were verifying your ticket, then call their buddies in Luxor who will approach using your name and claiming they are there to pick you up, a basic taxi and hotel scam. Once the train arrives at the platform, Abela staff will step out in front of each carriage to check your ticket and make sure you get into the right car & compartment. The onboard staff are generally very friendly and helpful. Car numbers are posted just inside each entrance door, but not outside the train. After the train leaves and people have settled into their compartments, the staff bring you your dinner, as selected when you book your ticket. The meals are similar to what you would get on an airline, although fairly heavy on breads & starches! Breakfast is served about one hour prior to arrival at your destination, again, heavy on the bread. Don't expect the same level of smoothness as a European overnight train, as there's a certain amount of jostling and vibration from the tracks, but overall this is not a bad option to get from Cairo to Luxor or Aswan."
Traveller Jess Painter took the sleeper from Cairo to Luxor and back: "When boarding from Cairo to Luxor, no-one asked for a marriage certificate, although they checked our tickets as we boarded - onto the wrong carriage, telling us it was the right one, of course! They serve dinner within an hour which was a piece of breaded chicken, rice, vegetables, potato wedges and some sort of cake. I preferred to eat my tuna sandwiches but my friend ate the train food happily enough. An hour later, just after 10pm, they come around to turn the seats into beds. Next time I'll ask for this to be done straight away as the beds are much more comfortable than the seats, two people can sit on the bottom bunk playing cards very comfortably. The rooms have a sink so you can brush your teeth, with bottled water if you have some, and there's a power socket so you can keep everything charged in the case of a delay. There is a lounge car on the train but it didn't appear to be open, no drinks were available so people must take their own, alcohol included if you want to sleep better! Breakfast was very basic, something claiming to be a croissant, a bread roll and a selection of jam, butter and cheese spread. They also serve tea and coffee, which I don't drink but my friend said they were disgusting! The toilets are cleaned at regular intervals but you have to time it right. There are two toilets per carriage. You might go in one time and have a horrendous greeting and decide to wait you might go in another time and feel comfortable enough to use the facilities! They permit smoking on the trains but not in the cabins, only at either end of the carriage. So it's best to leave your door shut so the wafting smoke doesn't enter your cabin, even though this can feel a little claustrophobic at times! Very easy to pick up a taxi from outside the station once in Luxor, it's LE20 (£2) to any hotel (don't pay any extra), but if you can use some broken Arabic you will get them down to LE10, begrudgingly. The return journey was much the same except that tickets weren't checked on the platform, again no marriage certificate check. Tickets were not even checked on board. We asked for our beds to be made up immediately, passed on dinner as it was already 10.30pm when we boarded, and we slept right through until 8am. I had slept badly on the outward trip, thinking that the bunk bed was going to fall due to the rockiness of the train, but knowing what to expect made the return journey easier and we were so sleepy after a 5am hot air balloon ride that it was a very comfortable ride. We were then delayed three hours and the 'carriage host' couldn't say where we were, how far we were from Cairo or anything so we had GPS out on the iPhone trying to locate ourselves. It was a very successful journey and one I would recommend to anyone and definitely do again!"
Traveller's reports: Day trains
Traveller Jerome Wise reports: "We took the daytime air-conditioned express train from Cairo to Luxor, which took 10 hours or so. It was great fun, a bit of an adventure and a great way to see the real Egypt. The children (8 and 6) even enjoyed it. The great thing about the first class seats is that, whilst they are in an airline configuration, you can swivel them so you have facing and back - great for four people travelling together."
Traveller Ian Green took a Cairo to Luxor then Aswan to Cairo daytime trains: "We bought our train tickets online at the Egyptian National Railways website having followed your instructions and signed up. We caught train 980 from Cairo to Luxor in first class leaving at 8am (platform 8) and the 983 train from Aswan to Cairo first class, leaving at 7am. The tea was lovely, service pretty good, seats comfy. Toilets passable. Both trains left on time, both were in the station half an hour early, but both were about 3 hours delayed getting to the final stop. Take supplies!"
Travellers' report: Visiting the temples at Abydos & Dendera
Traveller Krys Garnett reports: "Visiting the temples of Abydos and Dendera from Luxor is easy by train, and much more convenient than the convoy or bus. For Dendera, take a train to Qena, where the station master will arrange a taxi and inform the tourist police. A policeman will accompany you in the taxi, but you won't get a convoy. Visiting the Abydos, take the train to Al Balyana, then a taxi."
* Alexandria Mu. Bek = Muharam Bek New station, 4km from Alexandria's main station, see location map. The station is near a major bus station, ignore taxi drivers who tell you there are no trains and want to take you there instead!
Ord = Ordinary train with 2nd & 3rd class unreserved non-air-con seats.
Ord+ = Ordinary train with 2nd & 3rd class unreserved non-air-con seats plus one or more air-conditioned cars with 2nd class reserved seats.
Note A = Express train with air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class seats, runs June-September only.
Note B = Sleeper, Abelatrains.com. Runs on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday from mid-June to mid-September.
Note C = Sleeper, Abelatrains.com. Runs on Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday from mid-June to mid-September.
Fares: Cairo to Mersa Matruh foreigner fare not known.
By summer-only sleeper, Cairo to Mersa Matruh is $43 per person in a 2-berth sleeper, $60 in a single-berth sleeper.
Buy tickets at the station, see the advice here.
Or you can tickets for 2nd class air-con reserved seats on trains marked Ord+ at the ENR website, see the advice in the How to buy tickets section above.
Cairo & Alexandria to Port Said
Ord = Ordinary train with 2nd & 3rd class unreserved non-air-con seats.
Ord+ = Ordinary train with 2nd & 3rd class unreserved non-air-con seats plus one or more air-conditioned cars with 2nd class reserved seats.
Exp = Spanish express with air-con 1st & 2nd class.
Fare: ?? each way in 2nd class air-con.
Buy tickets at the station, see the advice here.
Or you can tickets for 2nd class air-con reserved seats on trains marked Ord+ at the ENR website, see the advice in the How to buy tickets section above.
Ord = Ordinary train with 2nd & 3rd class unreserved non-air-con seats.
Ord+ = Ordinary train with 2nd & 3rd class unreserved non-air-con seats plus one or more air-conditioned cars with 2nd class reserved seats.
Exp = Air-conditioned express with 1st & 2nd class seats.
Adly Mansour station is a modern station located northeast of downtown Cairo, see location map. It's around 11km further out than the Ain Shams station which is replaces as terminus for the direct line to Suez.
Fare: Not known.
Buy tickets at the station, see the advice here.
Or you can tickets for 2nd class air-con reserved seats on trains marked Ord+ at the ENR website, see the advice in the How to buy tickets section above.
There are no trains to Abu Simbel, but a bus service operates from Aswan (275 km). It departs Aswan at 07:00, arriving Abu Simbel at 10:00. It leaves Abu Simbel at 13:00 arriving back in Aswan at 16:00. There are also many tourist day tours, most leaving Aswan very early - for example, 04:00 - for about LE55 (£5 or $9).
Sharm el Sheik, Hurghada, Siwa
Sharm el Sheik
To/from Cairo: There are no trains to Sharm el Sheik, but there are buses to/from Cairo. The 485 km journey takes about 7 or 8 hours by bus.
Go Bus Egypt run a dozen or more buses a day between Sharm el Sheik and Cairo. The cost varies depending on the class of bus.
Buses can be booked online from reliable booking agencies 12go.com or www.bookaway.com.
If you use this route, feedback & any photos would be appreciated. There are also buses run by the East Delta Bus Co and the Super Jet Bus Co. although currently neither company has a website.
To/from Luxor: Sharm El Sheik is the far side of the Gulf of Suez from the Nile Valley, so for Luxor you need to return to Cairo by bus, then travel by train from Cairo to Luxor, There are no longer any ferries between Sharm El Sheik & Hurghada on the other side of the gulf.
Hurghada
To/from Cairo: There are no trains to Hurghada, but there are buses to & from Cairo. The 500 km bus journey takes about 7 hours, the fare ranges depending on the class of bus. Go Bus Egypt run a dozen or more buses a day between Hurghada and Cairo, they can easily be booked online at reliable booking agencies 12go.com or www.bookaway.com. If you use this route, feedback & any photos would be appreciated.
To/from Luxor: Luxor to Hurghada (255 km) takes 4 hours by bus, with 2 or 3 departures daily. The buses can easily be booked online at reliable booking agencies 12go.com or www.bookaway.com.
Siwa Oasis
To/from Alexandria: 3 daily buses link Alexandria with Siwa taking 6 hours for the 590 km, check at www.bookaway.com.
To/from Cairo: There's a daily overnight bus from Cairo at 21:15 to Siwa, arriving around 08:15 next morning, run by the West Delta Bus co. You can also book a shred minivan or tourist car. You can book all of these www.bookaway.com.
International buses & ferries
There are no international trains from Egypt, but buses will get you to Libya, there's a ferry to Jordan and a Nile steamer from Aswan to Sudan. There are now NO Mediterranean ferries to Egypt, from anywhere in Europe, at all.
Cairo - Amman (Jordan) - Damascus (Syria) - Istanbul (Turkey)
You can travel from Egypt to Jordan without going via Israel, using a ferry. Here are details northbound - for the southbound journey see the Jordan page.
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Day 1, take a bus from Cairo to Nuweiba on the Red Sea.
A bus usually leaves Cairo main bus station at around 08:00, taking about 6 hours to reach Nuweiba. It's run by the Shark el Delta Bus Co.
Stay overnight in Nuweiba.
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Day 2, take a ferry from Nuweiba to Aqaba in Jordan.
A ferry sails leaves Nuweiba every day at 12:00, arriving Aqaba 15:00, see www.abmaritime.com.jo.
The fare is US$80. You must check in at least 2 hours before departure, and pay your fare in US$ cash. There may also be an Egyptian exit tax to pay, about $10.
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Step 3, take a bus from Aqaba to Amman.
There are regular buses and service taxis from Aqaba to Petra and Amman, journey time around 4.5 hours, cost around 3 or 4 JD, see the Jordan page. You'll find buses waiting for the ferry arrival to take you to Amman.
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For obvious reasons, travel from Jordan through Syria to Turkey is currently not possible.
Cairo - Tripoli (Libya) - Tunis (Tunisia) - Morocco
IF you have a Libyan visa, there are buses from Egypt into Libya. However, at present the Libyan government will not grant visas for independent travel to Libya, only for people on tours organised by a recognised Libyan travel agency. There are buses from Libya into Tunisia, but it's not possible to travel on to Morocco overland, as the Algerian/Moroccan border is closed and Algeria has security problems which make it a no-go zone for westerners.
Cairo - Aswan - Wadi Halfa - Khartoum (Sudan): See the Sudan page
A weekly Nile steamer used to link Aswan with Wadi Halfa in the Sudan, from where a twice-monthly train used to run,) to Khartoum, see the Sudan page for details.
It's now ridiculously difficult to get to Egypt without flying.
Option 1: London to Egypt by train & ferry
This used to be easy, but is currently tricky. The Med is now full of cruise liners going round in circles, but remarkably short on actual ferries doing anything useful. Until 1995, Adriatica Line's Espresso Egitto used to sail weekly from Venice and Piraeus to Alexandria. Michael Palin used it in 1989 and I used it in 1990 to travel from London to Cairo, Luxor & Aswan and back without flying - Michael gets everywhere a year or two before I do, and he doesn't have to pay for his own ticket. Sadly, the terrorist problems in Egypt ended this service.
Until 2001, Salamis Lines sailed weekly from Greece to Egypt via Cyprus, but their services were suspended because of the problems in Israel, the ship's ultimate destination. Then a new weekly ferry service started in May 2010 linking Venice in Italy with Alexandria in Egypt, www.visemarline.com. However, sorry as I am to be proved right, this service didn't last more than a year - it ran in a circle via Syria, and fell victim both to the problems in Egypt reducing tourist numbers and the current strife in Syria. It was cancelled in May 2011.
But yet another ferry then started up, the only ferry across the Med to Egypt, running twice a week from Iskenderun in southern Turkey to Port Said in Egypt, www.sisashipping.com. But this ended in 2013. There are currently no passenger ferries to Egypt, your only hope is a cruise liner or freighter.
Grimaldi Lines run weekly or so freighters to Alexandria from various European ports including Southampton, Salerno (Italy) and Piraeus (Greece), www.grimaldi-freightercruises.com. However, it's reported that they don't allow embarkation or disembarkation at Alexandria.
One option that may still work, if they allow disembarkation in Egypt, is this: thecruisepeople.wordpress.com offer voyages with French freighter line CMA-CGM from Le Havre and Fos sur Mer (west of Marseille) to Suez/Damietta in Egypt, Le Havre to Egypt taking 10 days at around €120 per day including food and cabin accommodation.
Option 2: London to Egypt overland via Paris, Vienna, Istanbul, Syria & Jordan
Obviously, the situation in Syria has now scotched this route too, as all travel to or through Syria is currently inadvisable.
Guidebooks
Paying
for a guidebook may seem an unnecessary expense, but it's a
tiny fraction of what you're spending on your whole trip.
You will see so much more, and know so much more about what
you're looking at, if you have a decent guidebook. For
independent travel, easily the best guidebook is either the
Lonely Planet or Rough Guide. Both books provide an
excellent level of practical information and historical and
cultural background. You won't regret buying either of
them..!
Click the images to buy at Amazon.co.uk
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Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website, from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.
Hotels in Egypt
In Cairo, the famous Shepheards Hotel, beloved of British officers in two world wars was burned down in 1952, although the name is now (mis)used by a modern hotel. The Windsor Hotel had old-world charm and character, a traveller's favourite, but has sadly closed. On a budget, try the Hotel Carlton for comfort with character, 1.3km from Cairo station. For something more upmarket, the Steigenberger el Tahrir is also in the city centre, in an excellent location overlooking Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum.
In Luxor, easily the most classic place to stay is the famous and fabulous Old Winter Palace Hotel, from $109 or £55 a night. At least have a drink in the bar! Tip: Request a room in the old part of the hotel, not in the 1970s extension.
In Alexandria, the most famous & historic hotel is the Cecil Hotel (from about $153 or £100 a room), now part of the Steigenberger chain, right on the corniche. Also try the Metropole Hotel across the square, slightly cheaper with great art deco features and a lift dating from 1932, from $80 or £55 a night.
Backpacker
hostels
www.hostelworld.com: If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels. Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.
Travel insurance & other tips
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Always take out travel insurance
Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover. It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit. An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself. Here are some suggested insurers. Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.
www.staysure.co.uk
offers enhanced Covid-19 protection & gets 4.7 out of 5 on
Trustpilot.
www.columbusdirect.com
is also a well-know brand.
If you live in the USA try
Travel Guard USA.
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Get an eSIM with mobile data package
Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected. Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list. Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data.
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Get a Curve card for foreign travel
Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top. A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing. The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.
How it works: 1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android. 2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses. 3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card. 4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app. You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.
I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader. The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out). I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great. See details, download the app and get a Curve card, they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.
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Get a VPN for safe browsing. Why you need a VPN
When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure. A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi. It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply. See VPNs & why you need one explained. ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription. I get a small commission to help support this site.
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Carry an Anker powerbank
Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged. I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet. Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from buy from Amazon.com.