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.

---

PHOTOGRAPHER Farid Atiya captured this diver exploring the reef in the crystal clear water of Mersa Bareka near Ras Mohamed. The Ras Mohamed National Park at the southern tip of Sinai boasts some of the richest and most spectacular diving in the world. Under the park's management philosophy, visitors and dive-boat operators must follow clear environmental rules to minimise their impact on the environment. Humans put serious stress on such fragile eco- systems as coral reefs, whether from offshore pollution in the form of oil spills and dumped garbage, from harvesting fish and corals or from harmful diving practices. Practices such as dynamiting for fish, shell collecting, and anchoring boats to the reef, though universally outlawed, are sadly still continued. At Ras Mohamed the reefs are protected so that both the marine residents and their human visitors can enjoy the splendours of the reef in their natural state. The only war that is being waged at Ras Mohamed is against the crown of thorns starfish, which has the potential to decimate corals. An outbreak in the Egyptian Red Sea a few years ago led to measures being set up to counteract the population increase. Travel to Sinai, as to the rest of Egypt, is regarded as safe and unrestricted, and there are currently many bargains to be found in hotel accommodation, dive courses and dive-boat charters in Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada and other resorts.

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: 290 9017.

Cairo-Alexandria

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

Tickets for the VIP bus leaving only at 8am, 4pm are LE29.

Cairo-Hurghada

Services at 8.15am, 2.15pm, 11.30pm and 12am. Tickets for morning services LE50; LE55 for night services. There is a service from Alexandria to Hurghada at 8pm for LE80.

Cairo-Sharm El-Sheikh

Services at 8am, 4pm, 11.30pm and 12am. Tickets LE55.

West Delta

West Delta stations are located in Almaza, Turguman and Giza.

Tel: 576 5582.

Cairo-Alexandria

Services almost every half hour from 4am to 1.30am.

Tickets LE16-LE25.

Cairo-Marsa Matrouh

Three services daily at 7am, 8.30am, 2.30pm, 8.30pm and 10.30pm.

Tickets LE30-LE36.

East Delta

East Delta stations are located in Almaza and Turguman.

Tel: 574 2814.

Cairo-Sharm El-Sheikh

Services are at 6.30am, 7.15am, 10am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, 7pm, 11pm, 11.30pm, 12am and 12.15 am. Tickets for morning services LE45 for Egyptians and LE55 for foreigners; LE55 for night services for Egyptians and LE65 for foreigners.

Cairo-Ras Sudr

Two services daily at 7.15am and 8.15am. Tickets LE15 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 and 8am. Tickets LE14 mornings, LE16 evenings.

Cairo-Farafra

Services daily at 7am and 6pm. Tickets LE27 mornings, LE30 evenings.

Cairo-Dakhla

Services daily at 7am (through Farafra) and 8pm. Tickets LE35 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.

Prices for foreigners: add LE10.

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, 7.30pm, 9pm, 10pm, 12am. Tickets to Luxor: first class LE67; second class LE40. Tickets to Aswan: first class LE81; second class LE48.

Cairo-Alexandria

"French" train departs every hour from 6am to 10pm. Tickets: first class LE26; second class LE17.

"Spanish" train service departs at 9am, 12 noon, 2pm 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: (Adly St) 390 3506, (Hilton Hotel) 577 2410.

Cairo-Aswan

Round trip tickets: LE449 for Egyptians; LE1,343 for foreigners.

Cairo-Luxor

Round trip tickets: LE339 for Egyptians; LE984 for foreigners.

Cairo-Hurghada

Round trip tickets: LE369 for Egyptians; LE1,019 for foreigners.

Cairo-Sharm El-Sheikh

Round trip tickets: LE373 for Egyptians; LE1,019 for foreigners.

Cairo-New Valley

Sundays and Wednesdays. Round trip tickets: LE321 for Egyptians; LE1,514 for foreigners.

Prices for foreigners apply to round trips within one week.

International Buses

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

East Delta

From Sinai Bus Terminal.

Cairo-Kuwait

Service at 8pm on Sun. and Thurs. Tickets LE260.

Cairo-Benghazi

Service at 8am on Sun., Tues. and Wedn. Tickets LE100.

Cairo-Tripoli

Service at 8am on Mon. and Thurs. Tickets LE180.

Arab Union Bus Company

Tel: 290 9013.

From Almaza Square, Heliopolis.

Cairo-Amman

Services at 5am on Sun. and Tues. Tickets LE178 for Egyptians; $68 for foreigners (includes ferry crossing).

Cairo-Damascus

Service at 10pm Thurs. Tickets LE268 for Egyptians; $92 for foreigners.

Cairo-Tripoli

Daily service at 7am. Tickets LE205 for Egyptians; $130 for foreigners.

Compiled by Rasha Sadeq