Past the Vacationer Path: A Day’s Journey from Cairo to Luxor by Prepare

With Cairo and Luxor being the 2 must-visit cities when in Egypt, selecting your technique of journey between each locations affords some attention-grabbing choices. 

Over 650 kilometers separate Cairo and Luxor, and whereas some go for an unforgettable cruise down the Nile, this generally is a fairly costly few days. 

And though catching a flight is fast, it’s not a really sustainable journey choice. However there’s one other selection to think about: to journey by practice. 

As a practice experience fanatic when overseas, I jumped on the likelihood to spend a day on Egyptian Nationwide Railways after I visited the nation again in January 2024 and was fairly stunned with how my day unfolded. 

On this weblog put up, I’ll recount the whole lot that I skilled touring from Cairo to Luxor, together with what stunned me most and whether or not it’s actually journey choice or not. 

Why Journey To Luxor From Cairo By Prepare?

Effectively, let me be completely sincere from the get-go right here: this practice journey was a very lengthy day of journey and if I had the selection once more I’d most definitely chew the bullet and bounce on a aircraft as an alternative or take a Sleeper Prepare fairly than touring by day.  

However I’d advocate the practice journey if you wish to uncover what Egypt is actually like away from the foremost vacationer locations – it’s fairly an eye-opening expertise, to say the least. 

Additionally it is the most affordable journey choice and the very best sustainable choice, however as talked about, anticipate a really lengthy, very tiring day!

Shopping for a practice ticket from Cairo to Luxor

Shopping for your practice ticket upfront and/or at Cairo practice station is kind of a complicated affair, to say the least. 

I attempted and succeeded in shopping for a ticket on the Egyptian Nationwide Railways (ENR) app previous to my journey to Egypt. Nonetheless, this doesn’t at all times work and is a little bit of a lottery. 

If this selection doesn’t be just right for you then I’d advise shopping for a ticket straight from the station a number of days earlier than your journey. 

Whether or not you’ve got luck shopping for a ticket on the app or not, you continue to should pay an additional payment as a foreigner. To do that you must head to the Foreigners Reservation Workplace at Cairo station. 

The Foreigners Reservation Workplace isn’t precisely properly signposted on the station, however from the principle corridor head up the escalators, take a left right into a hall and you must see indicators to the workplace from there. 

I headed to the workplace and confirmed the ticket I had bought on the Egyptian Railways app. I then paid the additional payment as a foreigner (which price round 40 Euros) after which was given a handwritten ticket. 

Discovering your platform at Cairo station

So after paying the additional payment as a foreigner on the Foreigners Reservation Workplace, all you must do is use your platform, get in your practice, sit again, and chill out – if solely it was that simple!

There are many show boards on the station however after all I couldn’t discover any data for my practice to Luxor that was scheduled at about 8 am that morning. 

I requested at an data desk and confirmed my ticket and it was defined to me that I wanted to go to platform 11, which was somewhat additional away from the principle corridor within the station. 

Having headed by an underpass I discovered platform 11 and was kindly greeted by a practice conductor, who took me aboard my practice and confirmed me to my seat. 

Looking back, this was fairly lucky, however most Egyptians are very pleasant and are all too keen that will help you out, even when their English isn’t all that nice. 

My Expertise of touring from Cairo to Luxor by practice

So what’s the Cairo to Luxor practice journey truly like? Effectively, I discovered the state of my carriage to be fairly sufficient – I’ve definitely traveled on loads worse trains in my time (India instantly springs to thoughts!). 

The seats are nearly cozy sufficient and the carriages are spacious, though possibly not the cleanest or most trendy you’ll ever see. My carriage was pretty quiet to start out with, however there’s a fixed circulation of individuals boarding and getting off on the numerous stops all through the day. 

As for the practice journey itself, at occasions it was tediously sluggish, with a number of cases when the practice stopped for 10 or quarter-hour with no reason why, however that’s no huge deal actually.

The practice stops at quite a few stations and passes by small cities and villages in addition to the Egyptian countryside.

Essentially the most stunning side of the journey for me nevertheless was witnessing the alarming quantity of poverty in these backwater, middle-of-nowhere locations which is kind of saddening to see. 

It jogged my memory lots of the identical form of poverty that you just see when touring through practice in India, and I truthfully wasn’t anticipating to see the identical degree of poverty right here. 

It’s fairly an eye-opener to see how poor of a rustic Egypt actually is, and I don’t assume I’d have had the identical perspective if I had traveled between Cairo and Luxor through aircraft or on a cruise. 

Aside from that it was good to see the Egyptian countryside; it’s scenic at occasions however the abandoned cities and poor villages are far too frequent all through the journey. You see lots of deserted buildings that by no means accomplished building, which is a mirrored image of Egypt’s poor financial system. 

Is the sleeper practice the higher choice?

So I caught a practice from Cairo to Luxor throughout the day as I needed to really see as a lot of Egypt as potential from my practice window, fairly than sleeping by the journey. 

I’m not the very best at sleeping on any mode of transport and the sleeper trains are a bit costlier, with a mattress in a twin cabin costing round 80 Euros and a single cabin costing about 120 Euros. 

Yow will discover flights for across the similar worth or cheaper between the 2 cities, so it’s all a query of if that’s definitely worth the problem or not. 

Sleeper trains are by far the extra widespread choice with vacationers, with loads of tour corporations providing costlier sleeper practice experience tickets to Luxor. 

The good thing about touring on the sleeper practice is that you just don’t waste any of your vacation day touring by practice, so in that respect it is a bonus. I’d fairly expertise the practice views throughout the daytime, nevertheless it’s all a query of non-public desire. 

Arriving in Luxor

Having left Cairo at 8 within the morning, it was darkish by the point my practice lastly arrived in Luxor. Getting off the practice at Luxor with so many different vacationers could be fairly an awesome expertise. 

It’s not simple to search out your bearings and you’re quickly approached by a number of native taxi drivers providing their companies. 

I used to be approached by an Egyptian as quickly as I left the practice, and I maybe naively accepted his supply (I simply needed to achieve my resort ASAP after such a protracted day!).

My resort was based mostly on the West Financial institution of the River Nile, with Luxor practice station being located on the East Financial institution, which is the principle central half of the town. 

My taxi driver insisted that the experience to the East Financial institution would take over 40 minutes and it was one other lengthy journey off the crushed observe – not what I needed after the practice journey!

Because it turned out, I might have simply caught a public ferry on the Nile and cross over to the West Financial institution which might have been loads faster and cheaper. One other lesson why it’s vital to analysis your vacation spot earlier than setting off. 

Is Cairo To Luxor By Prepare Value It?

So all in all, would I like to recommend touring to Luxor through practice from Cairo? All of it depends upon your preferences. 

In the event you take pleasure in practice journeys in unique lands and have a way of journey then certain, it may be an enriching expertise and also you undoubtedly see lots of Egypt you by no means usually would. 

Nonetheless, in the event you’re quick on time and simply wish to get from Cairo to Luxor as shortly as potential, then no, that is undoubtedly not the appropriate choice for you. Travelling by aircraft is the quickest choice if not the very best sustainable choice. 

Touring by sleeper practice is an effective choice too in the event you don’t thoughts sleeping on public transport and probably sharing a cabin with strangers. 

Cairo To Luxor By Prepare FAQs

Nonetheless unsure about touring to Luxor from Cairo by practice? Let’s reply a number of the mostly requested questions on this matter:

How lengthy is the practice from Cairo to Luxor?

The practice experience itself takes round 10 hours. While you think about journey occasions out of your resort to every practice station at each Cairo and Luxor, then you may see why it’s such a protracted, tiring journey. 

I’d undoubtedly advocate having guide to maintain you occupied all through the day as there’s no wifi sign on the practice. 

Are there meals choices on the practice from Cairo to Luxor?

Sure, however good luck when selecting from the menu! Round lunchtime on my practice journey, a practice crew member handed by my carriage handing out menus and taking lunch orders. 

I had a take a look at one of many menus and naturally, it was all in Arabic. I might make out a number of meat choices, however as a vegetarian, there didn’t actually appear to be something appropriate. 

I attempted to speak with the crew member that I’d like a cheese sandwich and I believed he understood what I meant. He then returned 10 minutes later with a tray stuffed with desserts! 

There was a muffin, a croissant, and another fundamental muffins, which wasn’t precisely what I requested, nevertheless it wasn’t a difficulty. 

There are lots of meals stalls promoting snacks like crisps and so forth at Cairo station and on the numerous stations you go all through the practice experience. My recommendation could be to have a hearty breakfast you probably have time and replenish on snacks for the journey. 

Is it secure to journey by practice from Cairo to Luxor?

Sure, I’ve to say I felt utterly secure all through my practice experience to Luxor. Egyptians are identified to be very pleasant and I acquired a number of smiles from fellow passengers and folks asking the place I used to be from of their damaged English. 

Which is the higher metropolis: Cairo or Luxor?

Personally, I a lot most well-liked Luxor to Cairo. Sure, Cairo is a must-visit metropolis due to course the Giza Pyramids are shut by, nevertheless it actually doesn’t have a lot to supply other than that. 

In my expertise, I discovered Cairo to be one of the vital chaotic cities I’ve visited, with loopy drivers on the roads (I nonetheless have nightmares about airport taxis to my resort), unhealthy air air pollution and locals always attempting to promote you stuff you don’t want. 

Sure, undoubtedly go to Cairo to see the Pyramids that are indisputably an incredible sight, and possibly keep for an additional day or two most to go to a number of the prime museums, however that’s all I’d advocate. 

Luxor then again was a way more peaceable and aesthetically pleasing expertise. With the town being divided on both facet of the River Nile, the environment is extra tranquil. 

Locals nonetheless attempt to promote you stuff you don’t want (I had a horrible expertise with a store proprietor who pressured me to purchase some tat within the El-Souk market), however there’s a lot fascinating historical past to see in Luxor. 

There are a number of superb temples (Karnak Temple was my favourite) and naturally, the Valley of the Kings is a should to discover some amazingly preserved tombs.

There are additionally some actually top-rated actions to do right here, corresponding to occurring a scorching air balloon experience at dawn or enjoyable on the Nile on a Felucca boat experience. 

Conclusion: Cairo To Luxor By Prepare

In order that’s the whole lot I skilled on my practice experience from Cairo to Luxor. It’s a kind of practice journeys that convey out a mixture of feelings – it’s bewildering, saddening, and complicated however satisfying all on the similar time!

It’s an journey for certain, however would I actually advocate it? I must say most likely not, it’s a protracted, exhausting day that eats up your trip time, however a novel journey all the identical. 

Attending to see a facet of Egypt that’s not typical for many vacationers is a privileged expertise and one which I can promise you received’t overlook in a rush! 

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Mark (Wolverhampton, England) runs MJ Journey Guides. He has visited over 40 nations, principally as a solo traveler. Comply with his adventures on Instagram @mj_travelman and Twitter @MJ_TravelMan.

Preserve studying: From Pyramids to Pharaohs: A First-Timer’s Information to Egypt