Getting Around

"The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends."

- Shirley MacLaine

The majority of Egyptians get around by bus. Bus and train tickets can be purchased at the stations, but it can be time consuming because of traffic congestion in big cities and it is customary to book your ticket in advance. Overbooking has been known to happen, leaving it to you to sort it out. In Cairo the Turgoman bus station services all destinations in Egypt and most trains leave from the main downtown station in Ramsis square.

That said, participating in traffic in Egypt is risky with over 12.000 people dying on the roads in Egypt every year, according to the World Health Organisation. That gives our country a road traffic fatality rate of 42 deaths a year per 100.000 population. One fifth of those killed are pedestrians.

High-volume destinations such as Dahab, Sharm el Sheikh, Luxor and Cairo are served by Go Bus (El Gouna), Highjet, Super Jet and Delta VIB busses. Go Bus offers online tickets other bus tickets are booked at the bus station or at some bus stops there are small offices.

These bus services make less stops, so they are faster and only slightly more expensive. As in many places in Egypt, music or video is played at a high volume in the bus and the air-conditioning is also usually turned up too high, but just ask the driver to adjust it, if it bothers you.

Micro buses are widely used by locals inside cities and on set routes beween places. It is the cheapest way to get around, but they try to stuff as many people inside as they can and some drive like lunatics. They are used by Egyptian workers so ensure you are properly dressed if you choose to take a micro bus.

Taxis are a good alternative for getting around but more expensive. In touristic areas like f.e. Sharm el Sheikh, there are signs posted at various places with the general carriage fees. Taxi's should use a taxi meter. If they don't, make sure you know what you approximately ought to pay for the ride and make a deal on the rate before you get in or simply wait for another taxi. Not all taxis will go everywhere in a city, so it's possible they will refuse to take you somewhere for reasons like time, money, permits, etc.

You can hire a car with a driver or hire a car and drive yourself. We recommend the first option, because it's the low hassle option.

Driving yourself is a viable option if you have quick reflexes and nerves of steel considering that the standard of driving in Egypt, particularly on highways, is appallingly bad.

There are a few toll roads in Egypt, costing you a only a few Egyptian pounds.

The speed limit is 50 km (31 miles) per hour inside towns but traffic congestion in big cities rarely get you over 20 km (12 miles) per hour. The speed limit on highways is 90 km (56 miles) per hour but these are widely ignored.

More of a hassle are the security checkpoints, specially scattered all over the Sinai, where you may be asked to hand over your documents and answer some questions. Depending on the attitude of the police officers at work, it can be a hassle or not.

Although petrol and diesel are more expensive these days (and more hard to obtain) it is still cheap by Western standards. Gas stations are easy to find, though they can be widely spaced out in the desert so it's wise to fill up at every opportunity, also because you never know when any particular gas station is going to run out.