Getting Around Egypt

Key takeaways

Overview

Egypt's main tourist corridor runs between Cairo and Aswan — roughly 1,000 kilometres of Nile. Three primary routes connect the cities: air, rail and the river itself. Within cities, the options are Cairo's Metro, Uber, licensed taxis and, for longer intercity legs, private transfers arranged by your tour operator.

Domestic flights

EgyptAir is the main domestic carrier, with flights from Cairo to Luxor (55 min), Aswan (1 hr 15 min), Hurghada (55 min) and Sharm el-Sheikh (1 hr). Budget carriers Nile Air and Air Arabia Egypt also serve key routes. Fares vary considerably — booking in advance saves money, and prices spike sharply over Christmas and New Year.

Cairo International has three terminals. Domestic flights typically depart from Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 depending on the carrier. Allow 90 minutes before departure.

High-speed trains

Egypt's Spanish-built Talgo trains on the Cairo–Luxor–Aswan corridor are one of the country's great travel options. Air-conditioned, comfortable and reliable, they reduce the Cairo-to-Luxor journey to around four and a half hours and Cairo-to-Aswan to around six. First-class service includes meal options and is very reasonably priced by international standards.

The overnight sleeper between Cairo and Luxor or Aswan is a legitimate itinerary piece: board in the evening, wake up in Upper Egypt. The Watania Wattrains wagons-lits service caters primarily to foreign visitors and includes dinner and breakfast. Book well in advance during peak months.

Tip: Train booking is available online via Egyptian National Railways, but the booking interface is inconsistent. Your tour operator or a specialist booking service can confirm reservations more reliably.

Nile cruise

Cruising the Nile between Luxor and Aswan covers approximately 200 kilometres and passes through some of the most dramatic temple landscapes in Egypt: Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan. Cruises typically run three nights (Aswan to Luxor) or four nights (Luxor to Aswan), with guided temple visits at each stop.

Vessels range from large motor cruisers (often used for group packages) to private dahabiyas — traditional wooden sailing boats carrying six to twelve passengers at a slower, more contemplative pace. Dahabiyas can stop anywhere along the bank, access less-visited sites and offer an entirely different atmosphere from motor cruisers. They represent the most authentic form of Nile travel.

Cairo Metro

Cairo's Metro is clean, inexpensive and efficient for navigating the city on north–south axes. Three lines cover 61 stations, connecting Heliopolis, downtown, Tahrir Square, Giza and suburbs to the south. A single journey costs around EGP 10–15 depending on distance. Women-only carriages operate at the front and back of each train.

The Metro does not reach the Pyramids directly. The nearest station (Giza on Line 2) leaves a 5-kilometre gap to the plateau — a taxi or Uber completes the journey in 10–15 minutes.

Taxis and Uber

Uber operates throughout greater Cairo and is the most predictable transport option for tourists: prices are fixed before the journey, language barriers are removed and the route is tracked. The app accepts international cards and local payment methods.

Cairo's white licensed taxis should have a meter, but metered fares are rarely used in practice — negotiate a price before getting in, or use Uber. Airport taxis are fixed-price (displayed on a board at arrivals) and somewhat more expensive than city taxis, but they save negotiation on arrival.

Private transfers

For intercity journeys that are not convenient by train or air — the two-hour drive from Luxor to Qena, or the road south from Aswan to Abu Simbel — a private vehicle with a driver is the standard arrangement on guided tours. This gives full flexibility on timing, stops and route, and is typically included in private tour packages.

Getting to Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel, Ramesses II's colossal rock-cut temple 280 kilometres south of Aswan, is reached by a 45-minute flight with EgyptAir (limited schedule) or a 3.5-hour road journey by private vehicle through the desert. Most visitors make it an early-start day trip from Aswan, departing before 4 a.m. to arrive at opening and avoid the midday heat.