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Travel - Internal
AIR: Egypt Air operates daily flights between Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Hurghada. For information on schedules, contact local offices or their website (www.egyptair.com.eg). Air Sinai operates services from Cairo to El Arish, St Catherine, Hurghada, Taba, Eilat, Ras El Nakab, Luxor and Sharm el-Sheikh.
SEA/RIVER: There are slow and fast ferry services linking Hurghada with Sharm el-Sheikh in Sinai. Slow ferries operate daily on Mon, Wed, Fri (travel time – 5-6 hours). Fast ferries operate daily on Mon, Tues and Sat (travel time – 1 hour 30 minutes). The traditional Nile sailing boats, feluccas, can be hired by the hour for relaxed sailing on the Nile. Regular Nile cruises operate between Luxor and Aswan, and sometimes between Cairo and Aswan usually for the following periods: four nights, five days (standard tour); six nights, seven days (extended tour), and 14 nights, 15 days (full Nile cruise). There are over 160 individually-owned boats of all categories operating on the Nile.
RAIL: A comprehensive rail network offering a high standard of service is operated along an east–west axis from Sallom on the Libyan border to Alexandria and Cairo, and along the Nile to Luxor and Aswan. There are also links to Port Said and Suez. There are frequent trains from Cairo to Alexandria, and also several luxury air-conditioned day and night trains with sleeping and restaurant cars from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan for the Nile Valley tourist trade. For the overnight train, bookings should be made one week in advance through a travel agent or through Abela Egypt, Ramses Station, Ramses Square, Cairo (tel: (2) 574 9274 or 574 9474; fax: (2) 574 9074; e-mail: reservation@sleepingtrains.com; website: www.sleepingtrains.com). On Egyptian state railways, children under four years travel free. Children aged four to nine years pay half fare. Holders of Youth Hostel cards can get reductions. For details of other possible reductions, contact the Tourist Office.
ROAD: Traffic drives on the right. Besides the Nile Valley and Delta, which hold an extensive road network, there are paved roads along the Mediterranean and African Red Sea coasts. The road looping through the Western Desert oases from Asyut to Giza is now fully paved. The speed limit is usually 90kph (56mph) on motorways and 100kph (62mph) on the desert motorway from Cairo to Alexandria (there are substantial fines for speeding). Private motoring in the desert regions is not recommended without suitable vehicles and a guide. For more details, contact the Egyptian Automobile Club in Cairo. Bus: The national bus system serves the Nile Valley and the coastal road. Main routes are from Cairo to St Catherine, Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab, Ras Sudr, El-Tour, Taba and Rafah; from Suez to El-Tour and Sharm el-Sheikh; and from Sharm el-Sheikh to Taba, Neweiba, El-Tour, Dahab and St Catherine. Coach services operate between Cairo and Agami, Marakia-Mrabila, Marina-Aidda Sidy Abd El Rahman, Matrouh, Ma’amoura Beach and Hurghada. Taxi: These are available in all the larger cities and are metered (see also Urban below). Long-distance group taxis for all destinations are cheap. Fares should be agreed in advance. Car hire: This is available through Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Budget, Thrifty and local companies. Documentation: Visitor’s own insurance and an International Driving Permit are required to drive any motor vehicle. Carnet de Passage or a suitable deposit is necessary for the temporary import of visitor’s own vehicle. All vehicles (including motorcycles) are required by law to carry a fire extinguisher and a red hazard triangle.
URBAN: The government-owned Cairo Transport Authority runs buses and tram services in Cairo and also operates cross-Nile ferries. There is a central area flat fare. In addition, there are other buses and fixed-route shared taxi and minibus services run by private operators. Vehicles normally wait at city terminals to obtain a full load, but there are frequent departures. Fares are three to four times higher than on the buses. Cairo’s suburban railways have been upgraded to provide a rapid transit network, including Africa’s first underground railway. Alexandria also has buses and tramways, with first- and second-class accommodation and distance-regulated fares.
TRAVEL TIMES: The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Cairo to other major cities/towns in Egypt.
| Air | Road | Rail | | Alexandria | 0.30 | 3.00 | 2.30 | | Luxor | 1.00 | 12.00 | 17.00 | | Aswan | 2.00 | 16.00 | 19.00a | | *Port Said | 0.45 | 3.00 | 3.00 | | St Catherine | 0.30 | 4.00 | - | | Hurghada | 1.00 | 8.00 | - | | Sharm el-Sh’k | 1.30 | 7.00 | - | | Marsa Matr’h | 1.30 | 5.00 | 9.00 | | Arish | 1.00 | 5.00 | 9.00 | | Ismailia | - | 2.00 | 2.30 | | Suez | - | 4.00 | 4.00 | | New Valley | 2.00 | 12.00 | - |
NOTE: *Overnight journey.
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