Egypt transportation travel

Egyptian Transportation

by peterpecksen

December 22, 2022

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I decided to wrap up our glimpse of Egypt with a post about our transportation there. There are many options when travelling and though we are fairly conventional with our travel, we do try to do some interesting things as well. If you are curious about travel I hope you find this interesting.

Of the three airports we used in Egypt it was easy to see which location was tuned in to dealing with tourists. Sharm el Sheikh was easy to navigate and had quite a welcoming feel to it. Even when we were departing the security staff were friendly and professional. One difference in Egypt is the body pat downs. Our luggage was x-rayed three times and we walked through three metal detectors getting to our departure gate. Each metal detector also came with a physical pat down by staff. This happened in Sharm el Sheikh, Cairo, and Luxor airports. Even with all that they were still quicker than any North American airport security we have experienced.

From the moment you got off the plane the tourism factor was high, and this was a welcome feeling. Unlike our arrival in Cairo which had no such welcoming feeling and just consisted of dozens of strangers trying to get your bags and get you into their cab.

The economy carrier Nile Air took us from Cairo to Sharm el Sheikh. Though crammed into seats with little leg room it was still one of the nicest flights. Only being an hour long helped, but the staff were friendly and they were significantly more organized than Egypt Air.

The only negative thing about the airport at Sharm el Sheikh was their lounge. It was difficult to find and it was poorly stocked with refreshments. On top of that they stick you with an unannounced and ridiculous fee for a third rate room. Partially our own fault for not asking more questions, but honestly the most expensive cup of coffee I have ever had. Ah well, live and learn. At least it was quiet and comfortable.

For me, the most interesting transportation was our night train from Cairo to Luxor. Karen may have a different feeling about this as a solid nights sleep certainly is not guaranteed.

Our home for 11+ hours. The steward was excellent and transformed the room into basic but functional sleeping quarters. The buff and draft of the train cars ensured that you were knocked awake at irregular intervals. That and the rough rails certainly were not a plus for a good nights sleep. Even with all that I still quite enjoyed it.

The dinner that was served to us on the train was simple but tasty and hot so I had no complaints with it.

As I mentioned before, our Cairo hotel was not much to see but turned out to be fine. The best part was the driver who picked us up and drove us to all our sights in Cairo and Giza. Islam was a great driver and an excellent source of information. He was the one who explained the free form traffic and lack of insurance. Even when we were forced to drive over a bumper from someone else’s accident he never lost his cool or control of his vehicle. It made for a great adventure.

Our hotel in Luxor had a much higher curb appeal. The view across the Nile with the Valley of the Kings in the distance was pretty easy to take. Finding a beer was an adventure requiring a trip down a back alley and up two floors of a nondescript building. I honestly felt like I was heading to an opium den instead of a bar.

In the end we were able to enjoy our cold beers as the sun set across the Nile.

Our time in Egypt was memorable and enlightening. I would recommend it to anyone who is curious and has a sense of adventure. The one tip I would give is get a good private driver who speaks a bit of English. They are worth their weight in gold and will make your trip an enjoyable one.

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