Egypt Maps & Destinations

Egyptian Food, Drinks & Restaurants

Shopping in Egypt

Egypt Sightseeing by City

Frequently Asked Questions

Independent Travel Tips

Request Information

Transportation in Egypt:
 

Egypt's transportation system is well developed, with 64,000 km (39,770 mi) of roads in 2002, of which about 50,000 km (31,070 mi) were paved. In 2000, 758,500 passenger cars and 514,100 commercial vehicles were registered.

Distances between major Cities and places in Egypt in KM

Railways and Trains

Highways

Ports

Airports and Flights

Public Buses in Egypt

Egypt Taxi

Old Egypt Transportation Article

Camels, Donkeys and Horses

Private Transportation in Egypt

High Speed Ferry Boat - Red Sea

Cairo Metro

Distances between major Cities and places in Egypt in KM

Top

Railways and Trains

Egypt has approximately 8600 km (about 5300 mi) of railroads.  The principal railway line links Aswan and points north in the Nile Valley to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast.  The inland waterways of Egypt including the Nile, navigable throughout its course in the country.

Trains in Egypt are very good indeed and basically they are split into 2 types. Day trains and overnight trains. For long journeys like Cairo to Aswan (or Luxor) and vice versa then overnight train are definitely a good thing to look at. There are 2 types ¬ 1st class, which are like reclining airline seats or Private Sleeper Cabins which give you a bed, an evening meal and breakfast. Some people do alternatively choose day trains, but in my opinion these are long trips (12 hours) and there is relatively not much to see.

The state-owned Egyptian Railways had more than 4,800 kilometers of track running through the populated areas of the Nile Valley and the coastal regions. Most of the track was 1.435-meter standard gauge, although 347 kilometers were 0.750-meter narrow gauge. Portions of the main route connecting Luxor with Cairo and Alexandria were double tracked and a commuter line linking Cairo with the suburb of Hulwan was electrified. Built primarily to transport people, the passenger service along the Nile was heavily used.

Top

Highways

Two highways connect Cairo with Alexandria. Other highways connect Cairo to Port Said, Suez and Al Fayoum. The total length of highways and roads is about 38,000 km (about 23,600 mi), of which about 18,000 km (about 11,200 mi) are highways.  International airlines provide regular services between Cairo and Alexandria and major world centres.  Egypt-Air, the government-owned airline, also provides domestic and foreign services; the country has about 80 airfields.  The major port is Alexandria, followed by Port Said and Suez, all of which are served by numerous shipping companies.  The Suez Canal, which was closed from 1967 until mid 1975, produces substantial annual toll revenues.  In the early 1990s about 16,600 vessels used the canal each year.

In early 1990, Egypt had more than 49,000 kilometers of roads, of which about 15,000 kilometers were paved, 2,500 kilometers were gravel, and the remaining 31,500 kilometers were earthen. The highway system was concentrated in the Nile Valley north of Aswan and throughout the Delta; paved roads also extended along the Mediterranean coast from the Libyan border in the west to the border with Israel. In the east, a surfaced road ran south from Suez along the Red Sea, and another connected areas along the southern coast of Sinai from Suez to the Israeli town of Elat. A well maintained route circled through several western oases and tied into the main Nile corridor of highways at Cairo in the north and Asyut in the south. Large areas of the Western Desert, the mountainous areas near the Red Sea, and the interior of the Sinai Peninsula remained without any permanent-surface roads, however.

Less heavily traveled routes provided connections to outlying areas. A coastal route west from Alexandria to the Libyan border was being upgraded to allow for increased passenger travel. Tracks along the Mediterranean coast of Sinai, destroyed during the June 1967 War, had been repaired, and service was restored between Al Qantarah on the Suez Canal and the Israeli railroad system in the Gaza Strip

Top

Ports

Alexandria and Port Sa'id are the principal ports. Egypt's oceangoing merchant fleet of 175 ships totaled 1,331,186 GRT in 2002.

Attempts to link the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea date back at least 4,000 years. The modern Suez Canal, about 193.5 km (120 mi) long (including approaches), was constructed between 1859 and 1869 under the supervision of the French engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps. Great Britain became the canal's leading shareholder in 1875. Under the Constantinople Convention (1888), Britain became the guarantor of the canal's neutrality; management of the canal was entrusted to the privately owned Suez Canal Co. British rights over the canal were reaffirmed in the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936, and then repudiated by Egypt in 1951. In 1956, at Egypt's insistence, the British withdrew from the area, and Egypt nationalized the canal and placed it under the management of the Suez Canal Authority, which had paid former stockholders $64 million by 1963. The canal was closed during the 1967 war with Israel and remained closed until 5 June 1975, when it resumed operations after having been cleared of mines and debris by teams of US, UK, and Egyptian engineers. During its first six months after resuming operations, the canal provided passage for a substantial number of dry-cargo ships but was used by only a comparatively small number of oil tankers, since the newer supertankers could not navigate the canal's 38-ft depth. The first phase of a project to widen and deepen the canal was completed in 1980, permitting ships of 53-ft draft (up to 150,000 tons) to pass through. The second phase includes increasing the navigable depth to 67 ft (up to 270,000 tons). Egypt also announced plans to build five tunnels under the canal and dig a second channel to permit the two-way passage of convoys; the first tunnel at the southern end of the canal was opened to traffic in 1980. In 1990/91, the Suez Canal Authority earned about $1.8 billion in revenue, more than in any other year.

Alexandria was Egypt's principal port and in the early 1990s was capable of handling 13 million metric tons of cargo yearly. Egypt's two other main ports, Port Said (Bur Said) and Suez, reopened in 1975, after an eight-year hiatus following the June 1967 War. Realizing the importance of shipping to the economy, the government embarked on an ambitious plan in the late 1980s to build new ports and increase capacity at existing facilities, including constructing a facility capable of handling up to 20 million metric tons of cargo just west of Alexandria. Bur Safajah on the Red Sea was being developed to handle phosphate exports, and the first stage of a new port at the mouth of the Nile's eastern Damietta (Damyat) tributary opened in 1986.

The Suez Canal was Egypt's most important waterway and one of the world's strategic links, being the shortest maritime route between Europe and the Middle East, South Asia, and the Orient. Serious proposals for a canal between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea had been made as early as the fifteenth century by the Venetians, and Napoleon ordered the first survey of the region to assess a canal's feasibility in 1799. After several subsequent studies in the early nineteenth century, construction began in 1859. After ten years of construction and numerous unforeseen difficulties, the canal finally opened in 1869 

The canal extends 160 kilometers from Port Said on the Mediterranean to a point just south of Suez on the Red Sea. It can handle ships with up to sixteen meters draught; transit times through the length of the canal averaged fifteen hours. Passing occurs in convoys with large passing bays every twenty-five kilometers to accommodate traffic from opposite directions. Traffic patterns have changed considerably over the last century, reflecting different global priorities: passenger transit has dropped while the movement of goods, especially petroleum, has increased dramatically. It was estimated that before the 1967 ArabIsraeli War, 15 percent of the world's total sea traffic passed through the canal.

Suez Canal: About 160 kilometers for international shipping between Red and Mediterranean seas. Reopened in 1975. Capable of handling ships of 150,000 deadweight tons laden and 16 meters draft. In 1987 17,541 ships transited canal with 257,000 tons of cargo, earning Egypt US$1.22 billion.

Ports: Alexandria main port. Port Said and Suez other two large ports. Phosphates shipped from Bur Safajah on the Red Sea. Port near Alexandria remained under construction in 1990.

Top

Airports and Flights:

Cairo International Airport is used by numerous international airlines, including Egypt's own Egypt Air; in 2001, 4,389,200 passengers were carried on scheduled domestic and international flights. In 2001, Egypt had a total of 92 airports, 71 of which had paved runways.

Domestic Flights in Egypt : Egypt Air is the primary passenger airline that provides domestic flights in Egypt. They provide services to all major cities; Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Alexandria, Luxor, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh. They also offer services to many international destinations.

Note: Private jet charter services are available in Egypt. Advanced reservations and full payment are required for all private jet services.

Cairo International airport: is where most inbound international flights come in and out of Egypt. This airport is located in Heliopolis which is about 23 kilometers northeast of Cairo. Getting to and from the airport takes about 1 to 1 1.5 hours - sometimes longer during rush hours; 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.). Taxis, buses, hotel cars and limousines are available at the airport to take travelers to the hotels or destinations in and around Cairo metropolitan areas.

Airport facilities include an incoming and outgoing 24-hour duty-free shop selling a wide range of goods, 24-hour car rental firms, post office, hotel reservation service, 24-hour bank/bureau de change, souvenir shops, travel insurance services, restaurants and coffee shops.

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

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

Other airports in Egypt : include Hurghada International (about 5 kilometers from Hurghada), El Nouzha (about 7 kilometers from Alexandria) and the Luxor Airport (about 6 kilometers from Luxor) and Marsa Alam Airport. All airports have transfer services to their respective city centers.

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

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

Top

Public Buses in Egypt

Transportation by bus in Egypt is the most economical way to travel and there are many bus companies servicing nearly all cities throughout Egypt as well as some neighboring countries. One of the better bus systems are operated by Super Jet and we use this company for our clients. Super Jet provides transfers between all major cities. Their buses are modern full sized coaches with air condition, video system, have toilets onboard and offer drinks and snacks during the journey.

Top

Egypt Taxi:

Among all Egypt's transportations, taxis are the best. They are fairly cheap in comparison to the international standards. There are two types of taxis in Egypt-Shared or service-uncomfortable one and the private taxis-expensive but safer.

Meter taxis are available in all of Egypt’s large cities. Long-distance taxis are available to all destinations for reasonable prices. It is suggested that passengers discuss the fare in advance for the black and white style in Cairo, as for the one colored taxis either white or yellow you do need to discuss the fare as it is counted automatically, but in all cases you have to pay in cash and preferably in Egyptian pounds as credit card machines not available inside taxis

Alexandria taxis are orange and black. These are noticeably larger than normal taxis and also cost more.

Top

Old Egypt Transportation Means article:

Chariots:

Egyptians only needed chariots if they were in a hurry.  We know so much about chariots because Howard Carter found a chariot in King Tut's tomb.

Chariots are still used in some Egyptian cities specially luxor and Upper Egypt in General ,you can find them also in cairo but along the nile but it is only for tourist use not for real transfers ,  here is a picture of nowadays chariots :

Top

Camels Donkeys and Horses:

The animal that most Egyptians owned or rented was a camel.  The Egyptians wanted camels because they could go a long way without water, food, and rests.  Plus they could carry heavy loads on their backs.  It was so important that camels could go a long way without water, because there was not a lot of water or food in the deserts where the Egyptians lived.

Now donkeys, on the other hand, need to be fed every single day.  They also could not go a long way on journeys like camels could.  You usually wouldn’t take donkeys on long journeys because they would need to get water and food.  A few Egyptians wanted donkeys because they could go in town and the person would get their monthly supplies and put them on the donkey’s back because they were not that heavy.

Horses were brought to Egypt by the army of the Hyksos invaders at the end of the Middle Kingdom. Horses were generally used to pull two-wheeled chariots rather than ridden. By the New Kingdom, Egyptians began horse breeding and horses belonged to the military elite and ruling class.

Boats:

According to the found monuments and to the nature of the country boats were one of the main means of transportation in old Egypt , it is even used to transfer the giant obelisks from the South or the huge stones which to build the pyramids

The Nile River provided a natural highway for transporting large quantities of goods in Ancient Egypt. The trip from Memphis to Thebes took about two weeks during the flood season, while it could have taken up to two months in the dry season. Travel by boat was done only during the day due to shifting sand deposits in the river. Boats were made with shallow hulls to limit the chances of getting hung up in the shallow parts of the river. To the south of Aswan, sets of impassable rapids forced people to leave the river and travel by land to the other side of the rapids. These impassable rapids were called cataracts. There were six different sets of cataracts one would encounter while traveling south from Aswan. The Nile’s current helped the Egyptians to move downriver, but they had to raise sails to capture the wind as they traveled upriver.

Because the river Nile flows the length of the country, boats and ships were the most important means of transportation in Egypt from ancient times to the Muslim era. Ships are shown in paintings as early as the Naqada Period (about 4000 – 3100 BC) and by the end of the Old Kingdom, wooden models of ships were frequently placed in tombs. These models reflect the many types of boats the ancient Egyptians designed for different purposes. Reed rafts were made for hunting in the marshes. Boats made of papyrus were used by the royalty for either daily activities or religious ceremonies. Large wooden boats were used to transport heavy cargo and for military purposes.

During the Greco-Roman era, the Ptolemies built a great navy. Ptolemaic ships were made in a variety of styles known all over the Hellenistic world. The Barides formed one important type of naval ship. Ships called Kerkuros were used both for naval and trade purposes, while a smaller type of naval ship was called Lembos. These Lembos were closer to a boat and were used for launching quick strikes. The most important of the merchant ship types was the larger ship called the Korbita that sailed the Mediterranean in the first and second centuries BC until the Kybaea became more common.

Shipbuilding was also important to the Muslims during the Muslim era. They established many shipbuilding centers along the Nile, among them Al-Fustat, Qalzim, Alexandria, and Tanis. Alexandria was a great port and its ships brought goods from Ethiopia, India, China, and all the ports of the Mediterranean Sea. In the Fatimid era, Egypt became one of the most powerful naval countries.

For much shorter distances than would be traveled by boat, sedan chairs were the preferred mode of transportation in the Old and Middle Kingdom for the royal class. Sedan chairs seem to have disappeared after these periods. The high official would sit with knees drawn up to the chest, holding a fan. The chairs would usually have a thick cushion for comfort and a backrest for support. The chairs rested on two long poles, which two or more servants lifted to carry the chair.

Top

Private Transportation in Egypt

We can help in giving data and reserve both tourist class and VIP private transfers. We use modern A/C cars, mini-buses up to full size coaches for transfers to comfortably accommodate any group size.

Top

High Speed Ferry Boat - Red Sea

For travelers in the Red Sea region (Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada) the high speed ferry boat, also called the 'fast ferry boat' is an excellent time and money saving option to transfer between Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada. It takes only about 90 minutes each way.

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

Timetable:

Top

Cairo Metro:

In 1982, in an attempt to alleviate Cairo's notorious traffic congestion, work began on a city subway system. The first phase, 5 km (3 mi) long, was completed in 1987 at a cost of some $370 million; Cairo Metro, modeled after the Paris Metro, is the first subway to be built in Africa.

The southern leg of the forty-two-kilometer Cairo Metro, the first subway system in Africa or the Middle East, opened in 1987. This line, built with the cooperation of France, linked Hulwan in the south with three main downtown stations, named Sadat, Nasser, and Mubarak. In 1989 the northeast line opened, extending from downtown to the suburbs. The city planned to build an east-west route across the Nile to Giza (Al Jizah). The government hoped that the subway construction would relieve the extremely jammed streets, buses, streetcars, and trains.

Top