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Transportation
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Getting There By Air
Most flights to Egypt land in Cairo, at the Cairo International Airport (CAI), 23 kilometers (14 miles) northeast of the city at Heliopolis. Traveling to Cairo takes about 30 minutes (longer during rush hours—9–11 AM and 3–5 PM). Taxis, buses, hotel cars, and even limousines are available to take visitors into the city (buses are found mostly in the older part of the airport terminal). Airport facilities include an incoming and outgoing 24-hour duty-free shop selling a wide range of goods (and supposedly offering some worthwhile deals), several 24-hour car rental firms, a post office, a hotel reservation service, a 24-hour bank/bureau de change, souvenir shops, travel insurance services, restaurants, and a bar.
Egypt's other airports include El Nouzha, which is 7 kilometers (4 miles) southeast of Alexandria, and the Luxor Airport, which is 6 kilometers (under 4 miles) from Luxor. They both have regular bus services to their respective city centers; special limousines and local taxis are also available.
From Australia
By Air: EgyptAir and Middle East Airlines fly from Sydney to Cairo. A Cairo to Sydney flight takes 21 hours 30 minutes.
From Canada
By Air: EgyptAir, Air Liberté, and Swissair all have flights from Montréal to Cairo. American Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air Canada, and EgyptAir all have flights from Toronto to Cairo.
From France
By Air: Air France and EgyptAir both serve Cairo from Paris.
From Germany
By Air: EgyptAir flies from Munich and Berlin to Cairo; EgyptAir, Lufthansa, and United Airlines fly from Frankfurt to Cairo.
From Japan
By Air: British Airways and EgyptAir both fly to Cairo from Osaka and Tokyo. You may find that tickets to Egypt are cheaper through Singapore or Hong Kong. Cairo to Singapore is 11 hours 45 minutes.
From the United Kingdom
By Air: British Airways, EgyptAir, Royal Jordanian, Air Malta, and Austrian Airlines all fly from various cities in the UK (including London) to Cairo. From Cairo to London is 4 hours 45 minutes; from Luxor to London is 5 hours 35 minutes.
From the U.S.
By Air: Most major American airlines have flights from larger U.S. cities to Cairo. EgyptAir also flies from U.S. cities like Los Angeles and New York City to Cairo. Lufthansa can take travelers from 12 U.S. cities to Cairo through Frankfurt. Cairo to Los Angeles is 16 hours 40 minutes, to New York is 14 hours 35 minutes.
Getting There By Land
Travelers from Europe can take the train to Egypt, which is probably cheaper and more fun than flying. Those under 26 can use B.I.J. tickets, available from Eurotrain (represented in the U.S. by CIEE); Eurailpasses can also get you there. Although these passes can cover certain ferry connections, you will have to pay for sleeping accommodations on ferries and night trains.
Getting There By Sea
The car ferries from Europe to Egypt are run by Adriatic Lines. They link Venice and Bari, Italy; Piraeus (Athens), Greece; and Iraklion, Crete, to Alexandria. The boats run several times a month, and the trip takes three days from Venice (one from Athens or Crete). Prices vary but are cheaper during the summer; discounts are available to students, youths, families, and Eurailpass holders.
An alternative to taking a ferry is taking a luxury liner. Cruise lines that include Alexandria as a port of call include Cunard, Epirotiki, Paquet, Royal Viking Line, Sea Goddess Cruises, and Sun Line Cruises.
Getting Around
Driving: Although Egyptians drive on the right, no other common rule seems to apply—except perhaps that buses always have (and take) the right-of-way. Roads can be bad, lanes are meaningless, and drivers must watch out for everything from donkey carts to open utility holes. The trick in Egypt is to always look ahead; you're responsible for those in front of you. On rural roads, trucks and cars routinely pass in the face of oncoming traffic; the vehicles simply convert a two-lane road into three, the two outside cars pulling onto the shoulders of the road if necessary.
Don't drive at night if you can avoid it; Egyptian drivers don't use their lights (so that they won't blind oncoming cars). They simply flash their lights on and off when they see an approaching car. If you are going to be driving through the desert, carry water (for both overheated radiators and humans), tools, spare parts, and plenty of gas; cars have a way of breaking down in the desert climate. If you get in an accident, get an immediate written report from the police as well as a statement from the doctor who first treats any injuries; otherwise your car insurance (which you're required to buy) may not cover the costs.
Rental Cars:
International rental companies such as Hertz, Avis, Budget, and Max have offices in Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada, and Sinai. You must be at least 25 years old and have an international driver's license; you may also need a credit card for a deposit. Campers that sleep six and have facilities for cooking food can be rented.
By Air: The airlines EgyptAir, Air Sinai, and Zas all fly between various cities in Egypt. EgyptAir's offices can be found throughout Egypt; Air Sinai's main office is in the Nile Hilton, and EgyptAir can also handle Air Sinai information. Zas has offices in the airports of Cairo, Hurghada, and Sharm al-Sheikh and also works through Spring Tours and South Sinai Travel agents. Domestic tickets can be bought with Egyptian pounds and are cheaper when bought in Egypt. Buy your tickets plenty of time ahead, and make sure you reconfirm your reservations.
By Train: Cities and villages in Egypt are linked by a frequent if aging train service, which offers four classes of seating. First class has reserved seating, air-conditioning, food service, and no passengers standing in the aisles. Second class is similar to first, but with passengers in the aisleways. Second standard class has padded bench seating and open windows instead of air-conditioning, and third class has wooden benches and open doors. Most foreigners in Egypt travel first or second class; below that, the trains becomes crowded, noisy, and unreliable. The only exceptions to this are the sleeper trains run by the French Wagon-Lits Company, which are a comfortable way to get to Luxor or Aswan and save a night's room cost. A note about traveling on Egypt's trains: Unless you're traveling to a major city, all stations are marked in Arabic, so you'll have to ask where to get off.
By Bus: Buses are the main mode of transportation for Egyptians, and they are cheap, but most of the intercity buses are uncomfortable, old, dirty, and break down with incredible regularity. But if you have the time and don't mind the hassles, they do connect places that are otherwise inaccessible. Bus lines like Super Jet and East Delta run more plush buses: clean and air-conditioned, with a video and onboard catering. These types of buses run between Cairo and Alexandria, and to Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Sinai, and the Red Sea coast.
By Boat: The Nile in Egypt is dominated by motorized cruise ships that cater to tourists, and they can be one of the nicest ways to see Egypt. The most popular trips are between Aswan and Abydos, and between Luxor and Cairo. Most also offer three- to five-night cruises between Luxor and Aswan; some include Abydos and Dendera—a worthwhile addition, as these are two of the most interesting and beautiful temples in Egypt. These cruise ships are run by most major hotels or by private companies like Naggar and Club Med, but not all are of a five-star class—try to see the boat before you buy a ticket. Ticket prices will be higher during the high season from October through April; prices are lowest from June through August.
A cheaper way to travel the waters is to hire a felucca and sail the Nile. Most trips run from Aswan to Luxor (four to five days) or Luxor to Aswan (an additional day); it's best to sail with the current (south to north) in case the wind dies and leaves you becalmed. Most boatmen will also supply you with food for your trip. The only drawback to a felucca is that its low decks coupled with the Nile's high banks will hide some of the shore from view. On the bank at night, watch your gear; robberies do occur.
By Taxi: Of all of Egypt's transportation systems, the taxis are perhaps the best value—they're fairly cheap by international standards, and you don't have to deal with the traffic in the major cities. Egypt's cabs all operate out of large stands throughout the cities, but don't let their extensive presence lull you into thinking that you'll always be able to hail one—they're virtually impossible to find during rush-hour traffic. If you're feeling unsafe about a particular area you're venturing into, you can ask your cabbie to wait for you, or if you trust him, ask to be accompanied. If he agrees, be sure to tip him for the extra effort. If you run into a problem with a cab, take down its number and report the problem to the police or tourist authority.
There are two kinds of taxis in Egypt: private and service (or shared). The service taxis are monochrome Peugots that run from a central stand, leave when crammed full (supposedly only seven passengers, but often more), and run along given routes for a fixed fee. Luggage goes on top of the taxi. These taxis are cheap; the drawbacks are that they're uncomfortable, and the intercity service bus drivers can be quite reckless. City service taxi drivers, in contrast, are relatively careful.
Private taxis are more expensive, but they take you exactly where you want to go and with greater comfort. The meters in them are usually "broken," so find out what the fare should be from your hotel or local tourist office. If you know what it is, hand the amount to the driver as you get out. He may try to get more out of you, but ignore his protests and walk away. If you can't find out the fare, bargain with the driver before you get into the cab. Some cities, especially Cairo, have cab drivers who have banded together and set prices for certain routes. You can recognize them because they will tell you the fare before you get into the cab or before they start off. They may cost more than other cabs, but the drivers usually speak English, drive well, know the city, and do not pick up additional passengers. These advantages make the few extra pounds worthwhile.
A few notes about taxis:
the fares include tips, unless the service has been especially good, and you should have exact change ready, as most drivers will not willingly make change. Taxis can be hired by the day for less than the cost of renting a car. Most tourist offices maintain a list of suggested prices for specific trips; often the drivers feel they're too low, so you may have to bargain.
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