How to Book Train Travel From Cairo to El Alamein, Egypt

Egypt is a land that boasts endless amounts of history, culture and natural beauty for travelers to enjoy. Train travel from Cairo to El Alamein offers the adventurous traveler a lot to see and explore. Follow these steps to start planning your trip.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Book Train Travel From Cairo to El Alamein

1. Use the Internet to reserve your tickets by booking them via the Egyptian National Railways Web site (see Resources below).

2. Book by phone by calling Egyptian National Railways at 011 ([phone].

3. Reserve your tickets in advance using an Egyptian travel agency. Tickets may be booked via email or fax. Travelers have reported faster service when booking by fax.

4. The sole train traveling from Cairo to El Alamein is the daytime air-conditioned express train. First and second-class accommodations are available. Travel first class to arrive in comfort.

5. Travel between Cairo and El Alamein takes about eight hours.

6. Arrive early if you choose to buy your tickets at the Cairo station. Lines can be long. You may be faced with a wait. There are many ticket windows. Be sure to ask around to be certain you're waiting in the right line.

7. One train leaves the Cairo station for El Alamein each day, only between June and September.

Prepare for Train Travel From Cairo to El Alamein

8. Obtain your Egyptian visa before you land in Egypt. You may do so by applying via your country's Egyptian embassy. All visitors to Egypt need a visa for entry except those from Malta, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

9. Last-minute travelers can get a visa at the Egyptian airport when they land. However, only nationals from certain countries have this privilege: the United States, Canada, the European Union, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Tips & Warnings

• All phone numbers include the U.S. international prefix "011." When calling internationally outside the United States, substitute that "011" with "00."
• All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
• It's possible to navigate Egypt without being fluent in Arabic, the country's official language. Most Egyptians can hold a conversation in English and French.
• To have an easier time at the train station, learn how to read Arabic numbers. At main stations, arrival and departure times are shown in Arabic.
• Skirt hassles and disappointment by not traveling on an Egyptian national holiday. These holidays are January 7, April 25, May 1, July 23 and October 6. All businesses are closed on these days; and trains run fewer routes.

[Akiallam]

on 6/21/2007 The best way to travel to Alexandria or El Alamein is by taking the bus from down town Cairo, it leaves every hour and it cost around $7 and then from Aleaxandria take a aanother bus or even a cab for another hour. in the summer time you can take the bus directly to El Alamein . I do not recommand the train , it will take forever and it is not of a western standard. Thank you