Country Information

The country is well served by international airlines that fly direct from around the world. British Airways (www.ba.com), Air France (www.airfrance.com) and KLM (www.klm.com), along with low cost carrier easyJet (www.easyjet.com) are among the companies that provide flights to Egypt. The main international airports are in Cairo, Alexandria, Sharm el Sheikh, Luxor, Marsa Alam and Aswan. Charter flights depart mainly from Europe and the Middle East into the Red Sea coast airports. The national airline is EgyptAir (MS) (www.egyptair.com), which has a busy network linking the country with, among other destinations, New York in the US, Kuala Lumpar in Malaysia, Bangkok in Thailand and Mumbai in India. Rome, Paris, Berlin and London are among the European cities with direct flights into Cairo, while EgyptAir serves Africa via Casablanca in Morocco, Johannesburg and Nairobi. The company has regular direct flights between Cairo and the Middle East, serving cities such as Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, and between the Egyptian capital and Moscow. EgyptAir’s domestic network links all the main Egyptian towns and cities. The most expensive time to fly is spring and autumn, with the cheapest time of year being during the months of July and August.

The Star Alliance Middle East Airpass (www.staralliance.com) allows travellers to take up to ten flights around the Middle Eastern region, which comprises 16 countries, including Egypt.

The departure tax of Euro10 is included in the air fare.

Sharm El Sheikh airport, the second busiest in Egypt after Cairo, is set to have a third terminal and a new runway. Work is due for completion in 2013.

Cairo International Airport (CAI). (www.cairo-airport.com) Cairo International Airport is located 22km (13.5 miles) northeast of Cairo in Heliopolis. Tel: <p>(02) 265 5000/1.</p>.

Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport (SSH). (www.eac-airports.com) Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport is located 18km (11 miles) northeast of Sharm el-Sheikh. Tel: <p>(069) 360 1140.</p>.

Hurghada International Airport (HRG). (www.eac-airports.com) Hurghada International Airport is located inland, 6km (4 miles) southwest of Hurghada. Tel: <p>(65) 446 772.</p>.

Luxor International Airport (LXR)The airport is 5.5km (3.5 miles) from Luxor. To/from the airport: There is a regular bus service to the city centre (journey time - 15 minutes). Special limousine and local taxi services are available.

There are currently no ferry routes linking Egypt with mainland Europe. Daily ferries ply the route between Nuweiba and Taba on Egypt's Sinai Peninsula and Aqaba in Jordan. There is an intermittent ferry service along the Nile between Wadi Halfa in Sudan and Egypt's High Dam, and a car ferry service from Jeddah to Suez via the Suez canal.

The ferry service operating between Nuweiba and Taba in South Sinai and Aqaba is run by the Bridge Maritime Company (www.abmaritime.com.jo) and Sindbad Xpress (www.sindbadjo.com) respectively. The Saudi Sea Transport Company runs the car ferry service between Suez and Jeddah. For information on the ferry service along the Nile, which only operates occasionally, contact the Nile Valley Association (tel: (02) 2578 9256).

Many cruise ships stop over in Egypt as part of their African itinerary, usually disembarking at Alexandria or Port Said.

Ferry times can vary according to the time of year and weather.

Ferries arrive and depart from the seafront ferry terminal building in Nuweiba and the Taba Heights marina in Taba for the daily trips to Jordan.

There are no international rail links to any of Egypt's northwestern neighbours. The railheads at Aswan and Wadi Halfa, in Sudan, are connected by a ferry across Lake Nasser.

Egypt, which is bordered by Sudan in the south, Libya to the west, Israel and the Gaza strip to the east and the Mediterranean sea to the north, is not easily accessed by road and bureaucracy at border points can prevent entry by both car drivers and coaches.