Egypt - General Information: Difference between revisions
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There are two major categories of trains in Egypt: main line trains and sleepers that foreigners might be expected to use and which require (often) reservations; these can typically be booked online through ENR itself or various agencies see https://www.seat61.com/Egypt.htm#cairo-to-alexandria-by-train for an excellent and up to date discussion on this and many other related topics. | There are two major categories of trains in Egypt: main line trains and sleepers that foreigners might be expected to use and which require (often) reservations; these can typically be booked online through ENR itself or various agencies see https://www.seat61.com/Egypt.htm#cairo-to-alexandria-by-train for an excellent and up to date discussion on this and many other related topics. | ||
The deluxe sleeper trains from Cairo to Luxor & Aswan: are privately operated, see:- www.wataniasleepingtrains.com | |||
All the rest the (generally semi-derelict) ordinary services tickets can be bought either at ticket offices at stations or on the trains; this is part of Egypt where foreigners are NOT expected, your presence will be viewed with suspicion but this should not prevent travel. These train most definitely don't require reservations and can be very crowded. They are however by UK standards absurdly cheap so loose change and small notes are useful especially if paying on train. | All the rest the (generally semi-derelict) ordinary services tickets can be bought either at ticket offices at stations or on the trains; this is part of Egypt where foreigners are NOT expected, your presence will be viewed with suspicion but this should not prevent travel. These train most definitely don't require reservations and can be very crowded. They are however by UK standards absurdly cheap so loose change and small notes are useful especially if paying on train. | ||
Revision as of 01:56, 5 December 2020
Country Name
Egypt, Misr مصر
National railway system
National Railway Operator
Egyptian National Railways (Al-Sikak al-Ḥadīdiyyah al-Miṣriyyah السكك الحديدية المصرية)
Language
Arabic, some English written and spoken in what might be considered tourist areas.
Currency
Egyptian Pound as of 12/20 approximate value £1 = E£20
UIC code
90
Timetable
Journey Planner
Downloadable Timetable
www.completegypt.com/train-timetable offers some key intercity journeys
Printed Timetable
None known that are current.
The only comprehensive timetable of ENR translated into English was that produced by Hassoun Media (Gary Goldfinch) in 2004!!
It contained a geographical map of the whole ENR system and a schematic of the web of lines in the Delta.
This is of course very out of date and no longer available.
Mentioning Gary Goldfinch, he also authored Steel in the Sand The history of Egypt and its Railways (2003) that is still available, but contains no really useful maps.
Engineering Information
None.
Bus Information
A useful site is www.completegypt.com/bus-timetable
This lists a selection of main inter-city routes and to tourists destinations many of which are far from any railway line.
Often mini-buses or similar (pick up trucks) ply in an apparently random (to the foreign observer) pattern often travelling once full (or full enough to accommodate the driver) from wherever you are to where you wish to go so long as you can clearly impart where you wish to go! These might just be within larger towns/cities or in some cases over long distances taking many hours.
Maps
Printed Maps
World Railway Atlas Vol. 7 North, East and Central Africa, First Edition 2009, by Neil Robinson.
Web-based Maps
has a lot of variable maps in various forms and histories; but that entitled
ALEXANDRIA - GIZA | Phase 1 of High-speed Rail Network is in fact a very clear schematic of railways in the Delta; in fact south of this map now the only PASSENGER railway runs to Aswan via Luxor, the "branches" having closed to passenger traffic if they ever carried.
Ticketing
There are two major categories of trains in Egypt: main line trains and sleepers that foreigners might be expected to use and which require (often) reservations; these can typically be booked online through ENR itself or various agencies see https://www.seat61.com/Egypt.htm#cairo-to-alexandria-by-train for an excellent and up to date discussion on this and many other related topics.
The deluxe sleeper trains from Cairo to Luxor & Aswan: are privately operated, see:- www.wataniasleepingtrains.com
All the rest the (generally semi-derelict) ordinary services tickets can be bought either at ticket offices at stations or on the trains; this is part of Egypt where foreigners are NOT expected, your presence will be viewed with suspicion but this should not prevent travel. These train most definitely don't require reservations and can be very crowded. They are however by UK standards absurdly cheap so loose change and small notes are useful especially if paying on train.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure Authority
ENR
Network Statement
None as such known... various statements mostly involving major infrastructure projects occasionally emerge
Gauge
Standard. Cairo Trams were metre gauge.
Electrification
Cairo Metro Line 1 - 1,500 Volts DC overhead, Lines 2 & 3 - 750 Volts DC 3rd rail
Rule of the road
The bulk of the network is single track but from observation where double track exists the rule appears to be left hand running which also reflects is origins in British operational practice.
Distances
Distances including most intermediate stations were published in the 2004 Gary Goldfinch English Translation of the contemporary ENR timetable; otherwise all but summary and sample distances are unknown.
Other Railways
Sugar Cane railways 610mm gauge exist mainly on the West bank (numerous ferries for tourists visiting Valley of the Kings etc etc) but some on East bank of the Nile around Luxor; some can be seen from the main line south towards Luxor; these lines can be readily observed and photographed from public places without difficulty.
Tourist Lines
None.
Metro
Cairo has a three line metro with a system map at Cairo Metro Map.
General info on passenger service, including opening times and line lengths, is given in English at Cairo Metro info.
Coaches only for women, and their families, are provided in all trains with fines for men entering them.
Trams
Cairo: this system which once spanned the whole city, including suburbs like Heliopolis, to extend 120 km but shrank with both metro expansion and demands for road space over several decades. Events surrounding the Arab Spring in Cairo caused it to be severely damaged; parts did persist in the suburbs but it is understood the most extensive tram system in Africa finally succumbed around 2015. The system was metre gauge.
Alexandria: Split operationally between Blue and Yellow trams Alexandria tramway network serves the city of Alexandria, Egypt. It began operating in 1863 and consists of 32 kilometers (20 mi) of track, serving 140 stops. It is one of only three tram systems in the world that uses double-deck cars; others being Blackpool and Hong Kong! The system is 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge. It was recently announced the system will be modernised so should persist into the foreseeable future but in probably a less "quaint" format see https://www.railwaygazette.com/light-rail-and-tram/alexandria-tramway-to-be-modernised/57777.article
