Getting There

By Air

Egypt is served by international airports in Alexandria, Cairo, Luxor, and Hurghada on the mainland, and at Sharm el Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula. The largest and most active airport is in Cairo. Alexandria has 2 airports: Borg El Arab Airport and El Nozha Airport. El Nozha Airport is currently under renovation.

There are non-stop flights from most major African, Asian, North American and European cities. Airline tickets must be confirmed before departure. Check with a travel agent in your hotel or contact the airlines office in Cairo. Most major airlines have offices at the Cairo International Airport and downtown in and around Midan Tahrir.

In recent years Cairo International Airport has expanded into a first-class facility. Despite the fact that it is located to the north of the city, most airlines from Europe approach the airfield from the south. In daylight passengers are offered a spectacular view of Cairo, the Nile, and the Giza pyramids.

English language information, tel: 3291-4255, 3291-2266.

Quarantine: tel: 666-688

All airports are served by EgyptAir. In addition, Alexandria airport is served by Olympic Airlines; Luxor Airport now has direct flights from several European cities via Air France and Lufthansa. Hurghada Airport is also serviced by Lufthansa while Sharm el Shaykh Airport receives charter flights from Germany and France.

Other airports in Egypt are Marsa Alam, Asyut, Aswan, and Abu Simbel.

There is another small airline, Air Sinai, which flies from Cairo to Tel Aviv, Israel.

Domestic Airlines

EgyptAir is Egypts sole national carrier for domestic flights. EgyptAir flies daily from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Marsa Alam, and Alexandria.

By Land

With some restrictions all borders are now open.

From Israel: Private vehicles are not permitted to enter Egypt from Israel; most tourists travel to Egypt via the Eilat crossing in Sinai, which takes them to Taba. The border passengers disembark from the Israeli vehicle, go through customs, and take an Egyptian bus or taxi. In Eilat, Israeli buses are permitted to enter Egypt and travel as far as Sharm el Sheikh at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula.

From Sudan: There is a twice-weekly steamer that ferries cars the length of Lake Nasser, from Wadi Halfa in Sudan to Aswan in Egypt (not very tourist friendly). Information is available from the Nile Navigation Company Limited, Ramses Square ( in the train station), and Nile Maritime Agency, 8 Quasr el Nil, both in Cairo; and the Nile Company for River Transport, 7 Atlas Building, Aswan. All arrangements to enter Sudan, including visas, must be made in Cairo. You must have a valid passport and either a transit or tourist visa to Sudan. If you plan to pass through Sudan you must have a valid visa for your next destination.

Motoring to Egypt

All private vehicles entering Egypt must have a triptyque or carnet de passage en douane from an automobile club in the country of registration or pay customs duty which can be as high as 250 percent. Emergency triptyques are available at the port of entry via the Automobile and Touring Club of Egypt. This permits a car to enter Egypt for three months with one extension. The extension is available from the Automobile and Touring Club of Egypt, Qasr el Nil, Cairo. All persons traveling in the vehicle must have a valid passport and the driver must have an International Drivers License. The latter is also available via an automobile club in the country or registration. ( See Getting Around, Private Transport for additional details on driving in Egypt.)

By Sea

Alexandria and Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea, and Suez and Nuweiba on the Red Sea are ports of entry for visitors, but sailings have been reduced of late. Check with your travel agent or the following operators:

Adriatic Lines, Castro and Company, 12 Talaat Harb. Tel: 25743-213, 25743-144 (passengers and shipping).

The Egyptian Navigation Company, 26 Sherif. Tel: 2393-8278; 1 Huria, Alexandria. Tel: 2472-0824.

Favia Shipping Lines, 18 Adli. Tel: 2393-8983.

Federal Arab Maritime, 27 Gazirah el Wosta, Zamalek. Tel: 2341-5823, 2340-6351.

The International Agency for Tourism, Navigation and Trading Services, 13 Midan Tahrir. Tel: 62-892, 25779-452.

International Transport & Maritime Service Co., 6A Asma Fahmi, Kulliet el Banat, Heliopolis. Tel: 22661-783.

Misr Edco Shipping Company,Menatours, 14 Talaat Harb. Tel: 25776-951.

North African Tourist Shipping, 171 Muhammad Farid. Tel: 2391-3081, 2391-4682, or el Takkadom, Madinat Nasr. Tel: 22608-417 ( only from Port Said to Cyprus and Haifia).

Last Updated: May 23rd, 2011