Transportation
Schedules and fares are subject to change.
Airport to City Access
Train, bus, taxi, and other options to the city center
From Cairo International Airport (CAI), use ride-hailing apps (Uber/Careem) or prepaid/official taxis rather than touts.
- Main airport
- Cairo International Airport (CAI)
- Best option
- Ride-hailing (Uber/Careem) or prepaid/official taxi
- Fares
- Agree fare or use the app before departing
- Avoid unofficial touts inside the terminal and instead use a ride-hailing app or an official prepaid taxi counter.
- Allow plenty of time for heavy Cairo traffic, which can make transfers much slower than the distance suggests.
Public Transportation
Metro, bus, tram, and how to use them
Cairo has a fast, cheap Metro (with women-only carriages) plus buses and microbuses; the metro is easiest for visitors.
- Metro
- Fast, cheap, has women-only carriages
- Also
- Buses and microbuses
- Note
- Can be very crowded at peak hours
- The Cairo Metro is the easiest option for visitors, being fast and inexpensive with dedicated women-only carriages.
- Buses and microbuses cover more of the city but can be confusing, and services get extremely crowded during peak hours.
IC Cards & Travel Passes
Discount passes and rechargeable transit cards
The Cairo Metro uses rechargeable smart cards or tickets bought at stations; keep small change handy.
- System
- Rechargeable smart cards / tickets
- Where
- Bought at metro stations
- Tip
- Keep small change; simpler than buses
- Buy a rechargeable smart card or single ticket at station counters or machines and top it up as needed.
- Using the metro card is simpler than navigating the bus network, so keep small change to top up smoothly.
Car Rental & Driving
License requirements and traffic rules
Egypt drives on the right; city traffic is chaotic and intense with hard parking, so many visitors prefer drivers or tours.
- Drives on
- The right
- City traffic
- Chaotic and intense, parking hard
- Documents
- Carry licence and IDP where required
- Driving is on the right, but city traffic is chaotic and intense and parking can be difficult, so many visitors prefer hiring a driver or joining tours.
- If you do rent, carry your driving licence and an International Driving Permit where required.
Intercity Travel
Long-distance buses, trains, and ferries
Trains run along the Nile (Cairo-Luxor-Aswan), including sleeper trains; long-distance buses connect cities and Red Sea resorts.
- Trains
- Along the Nile, Cairo-Luxor-Aswan, sleeper trains
- Buses
- Long-distance (e.g., Go Bus) to cities and Red Sea
- Tip
- Book ahead in peak season
- Trains run along the Nile linking Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, including sleeper services for overnight journeys.
- Long-distance buses such as Go Bus connect major cities and Red Sea resorts; book ahead during peak season.
Domestic Flights
Budget airlines and booking tips
Domestic flights (EgyptAir and others) save time over long distances, e.g., Cairo to Luxor, Aswan, Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada.
- Airlines
- EgyptAir and others
- Routes
- Cairo to Luxor, Aswan, Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada
- Tip
- Book early for the best fares
- Domestic flights with EgyptAir and other carriers save time over long distances such as Cairo to Luxor, Aswan, Sharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada.
- Book early to secure the best fares, especially in peak travel periods.
Transportation Tips
Advice for safe and efficient travel
Agree taxi fares in advance or use apps; traffic is heavy and crossing roads needs care; keep the police number (122) handy.
- Fares
- Agree in advance or use apps
- Roads
- Heavy traffic; cross with care
- Emergency
- Police 122
- Agree taxi fares in advance or use ride-hailing apps, and take care when crossing busy roads.
- Keep the emergency police number (122) handy and be firm with persistent touts at stations and sights.