With flights, buses and boats connecting Egypt to almost all parts of the world, getting to the country is easy. However, the country is not connected to international destinations by train. The only railhead connecting Wadi Halfa in Sudan and Aswan in Egypt is connected by a ferry across Lake Nasser.
There are several entry points in Egypt, including airports, marine harbours and other overland entry posts. Cairo International, Luxor (Upper Egypt), Aswan (Upper Egypt), Hurghada (Red Sea), El Nozha (Alexandria) and Sharm El-Sheikh (South Sinai) are the main airports in Egypt.
Other entry points include marine harbours like Alexandria (Mediterranean), Port Said (Mediterranean), Damietta (Mediterranean), Suez (Gulf of Suez) and Nuweiba (Gulf of Aqaba). The Red Sea also has a few marine harbours that serve as entry points, including Hurghada, Safaga and Sharm El-Sheikh.
Overland entry posts include Salloum on the Northwest border (to and from Libya) and Rafah on the Northeast border (to and from Gaza strip, the Occupied Territories and Israel). Tourists can also enter the country from Israel through Taba, bordering the East.
Flights coming from all across the world usually land at the Cairo International Airport, in the capital city. Apart from Cairo, international flights also arrive at airports in other cities like Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan. Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh on the other hand, receive international chartered flights only.
The major airlines operating flights to Egypt include Lufthansa, Emirates, British Airways, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways and Thai Airways. Other carriers operating flights are Brussels Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Air Arabia, Air France, Oman Air and Condor, to name a few.
Ferry boats are also a convenient means to travel to Egypt. On all days, ferries operated by ABMaritime run from Aqaba (Jordan) across to Nuweiba (Sinai Peninsula), bypassing Israel. Once a week, ferries also run between Wadi Halfa (Sudan) and Aswan (Upper Egypt). Other ferry boats connect Egypt to Saudi Arabia and Jordan, via Red Sea.
From the neighbouring country of Israel, tourists can enter into Egypt by bus. Commencing from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in Israel, these buses take passengers to Eilat. From there, one can cross the border into Taba and continue the journey by bus to travel to Cairo or to Sinai. Buses from Taba are available twice or thrice a day.
Another direct bus is available from Jordan to Egypt. Operated by the Jordan Express Tourist Transport (JETT), a state-owned bus company, this bus leaves from Amman and takes about 19 hours to reach Cairo. From there, various public or private transport modes are available to travel to different parts of the country.
Domestic flights are operated by EgyptAir, which connects major cities within Egypt, including Cairo and Alexandria. The major railway stations serving cross-country trains include Ramses Station (Cairo) and Misr Station (Alexandria). The major bus stations of the country include Midan Ramses and Turgoman in Cairo.
Best way of reaching Egypt
For travelling from India to Egypt, the best and the only means available is by air. The two countries are directly linked by EgyptAir flights, which operate from Mumbai to Cairo. Arriving at the Cairo International Airport (CIA), this flight departs from the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) in Mumbai.
Apart from EgyptAir, which is the national carrier, many other international carriers like Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways, Emirates and Air France also connect the two countries.
Unlike Mumbai, other Indian cities like Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata are linked to Egypt by indirect flights. Operated by EgyptAir as well as international carriers like Condor, Jet Airways and Lufthansa, these flights land at Cairo, Luxor, Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Aswan Daraw, Alexandria El Nohza and other major airports. The major connecting destinations for these flights include Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Dubai.
From Cairo, travellers can take a train or bus to Aswan, Alexandria, Hurghada (no trains), Luxor and Sharm el-Sheikh. Apart from these, tourists can also travel to different parts of the country by taxis or rented cars.
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