Getting about

This is a good time of year to visit Upper Egypt and the Western Desert oases. Here is the lowdown on getting from A to B.

Buses

Super Jet, East Delta and West Delta buses operate throughout Egypt. All are air-conditioned.

Super Jet

Super Jet stations are located in Almaza (Heliopolis), Turguman Square (Tahrir), Giza, and Cairo Airport. Tel: 266 0212.

Cairo-Alexandria

Services almost every half hour from 5am to 11pm. Tickets LE20 mornings; LE22 thereafter.

Tickets for the VIP bus leaving only at 10am are LE29.

Cairo-Hurghada

Services at 7am, 8am, 2pm and 11pm. Tickets LE55. There is a service from Alexandria to Hurghada at 8pm for LE75.

Cairo-Sharm El-Sheikh

Services at 8am and 11pm. Tickets LE55.

West Delta

West Delta stations are located in Almaza, Turguman and Giza. Tel: 576 5582.

Cairo-Alexandria

Services almost every hour from 4am to 1am. Tickets LE25.

Cairo-Marsa Matrouh

Three services daily at 7am, 8.30am and 6pm. Tickets LE35.

East Delta

East Delta stations are located in Almaza and Turguman. Tel: 576 2293.

Cairo-Sharm El-Sheikh

Services are at 6.30am, 7.30am, 10am, 1pm, 5pm, 7pm, 11pm, 11.30pm, 12am and 12.15am. Tickets for morning services LE45 for Egyptians and LE55 for foreigners; LE55 for night services for Egyptians and LE60 for foreigners.

Cairo-Ras Sudr

Two services daily at 7.15am and 8.15am. Tickets LE14 for both Egyptians and foreigners.

Upper Egypt Bus Company

Upper Egypt Bus Company stations are located at Turguman and Giza. Tel: 576 0261.

Cairo-Bahariya

Services daily at 7am, 8am and 6pm. Tickets LE14 mornings, LE16 evenings.

Cairo -Farafra

Services daily at 7am and 6pm. Tickets LE30 mornings, LE32 evenings.

Cairo-Dakhla

Services daily at 7am and 8pm. Tickets LE33 mornings, LE43 evenings.

Cairo-Kharga

Services daily at 9am, 9.15pm and 10.30pm. Tickets LE30 mornings, LE33 at 9.15pm and LE38 at 10.30.

Trains

Trains to Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan run from Ramses Station. Tel: 575 3555.

Cairo-Luxor-Aswan

"Spanish" deluxe trains without sleeper cars. Services to Luxor and Aswan 6.45pm, 8.45pm (Luxor only) and 10pm. Tickets to Luxor: first class LE70; second class LE40. Tickets to Aswan: first class LE73; second class LE42.

Cairo-Alexandria

"French" train service departs during Ramadan at 8.30am, 9.30am, 11am, 1.10pm, 2.10pm, 3.10pm, 4pm and 8pm. Tickets: first class LE26; second class LE16.

"Spanish" train service departs at 9am, 12 noon, 2.05pm and 6pm. Tickets: first class LE34; second class LE25.

EgyptAir

There are between two and five domestic flights daily each to Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh. Check with EgyptAir Tel: (Abbasiya) 682 3271, (Zamalek) 347 5193.

Cairo-Aswan

Round trip tickets: LE370 for Egyptians; LE1,510 for foreigners.

Cairo-Luxor

Round trip tickets: LE278 for Egyptians; LE1,102 for foreigners.

Cairo-Hurghada

Round trip tickets: LE298 for Egyptians ; LE1,038 for foreigners.

Cairo-Sharm El-Sheikh

Round trip tickets: LE306 for Egyptians; LE1,038 for foreigners.

Cairo-New Valley

Sundays and Wednesdays. Tickets: LE298 for Egyptians, $298 for foreigners.

International Buses

Bus services run to Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf and Libya.

East Delta

From Sinai Bus Terminal. Tel: 392 3027.

Cairo-Kuwait

Daily service at 8pm. Tickets LE318.

Cairo-Benghazi

Service at 10am daily except Fri.; Fri. 8pm. Tickets LE100.

Book through Hebton Misr Travel. Tel: 590 0962.

Cairo-Tripoli

Service at 10am daily except Fri. Tickets LE180.

Arab Union Bus Company

Tel: 290 9017.

From Almaza Square, Heliopolis

Cairo-Amman

Services at 7am on Mon., Tues. and Thurs., 10pm Sat. Tickets $66 (includes ferry crossing).

Cairo-Damascus

Service at 10pm Thurs. Tickets $90.

Cairo-Tripoli

Daily service at 7.30am. Tickets $130.

Cairo-Tripoli (via Benghazi)

Daily service at 7.30am. Tickets $68.