With Cairo and Luxor being the 2 must-visit cities when in Egypt, selecting your technique of journey between each locations gives some fascinating choices.
Over 650 kilometers separate Cairo and Luxor, and whereas some go for an unforgettable cruise down the Nile, this could be a moderately costly few days.
And though catching a flight is fast, it’s not a really sustainable journey possibility. However there’s one other alternative to contemplate: to journey by practice.
As a practice experience fanatic when overseas, I jumped on the probability to spend a day on Egyptian Nationwide Railways after I visited the nation again in January 2024 and was moderately 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 possibility or not.
Why Journey To Luxor From Cairo By Practice?
Nicely, 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 probably chew the bullet and bounce on a aircraft as a substitute or take a Sleeper Practice moderately than touring by day.
However I’d advocate the practice journey if you wish to uncover what Egypt is actually like away from the most important vacationer locations – it’s fairly an eye-opening expertise, to say the least.
Additionally it is the most cost effective journey possibility and the very best sustainable possibility, however as talked about, count on 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 sort 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 give you the results you want then I’d advise shopping for a ticket instantly 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 need to pay an additional price 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 price as a foreigner (which value round 40 Euros) after which was given a handwritten ticket.
Discovering your platform at Cairo station
So after paying the additional price 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 straightforward!
There are many show boards on the station however after all I couldn’t discover any information 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 a bit of additional away from the principle corridor within the station.
Having headed by way of 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.
On reflection, 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? Nicely, I discovered the state of my carriage to be fairly enough – I’ve actually 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 perhaps not the cleanest or most trendy you’ll ever see. My carriage was pretty quiet to start out with, however there’s a fixed circulate of individuals boarding and getting off on the numerous stops all through the day.
As for the practice journey itself, at instances it was tediously gradual, with a number of situations when the practice stopped for 10 or quarter-hour with no reason why, however that’s no large deal actually.
The practice stops at quite a few stations and passes by way of small cities and villages in addition to the Egyptian countryside.
Essentially the most shocking side of the journey for me nevertheless was witnessing the alarming quantity of poverty in these backwater, middle-of-nowhere locations which is sort of saddening to see.
It jogged my memory quite a lot of the identical type of poverty that you just see when touring through practice in India, and I actually wasn’t anticipating to see the identical stage 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 instances however the abandoned cities and poor villages are far too frequent all through the journey. You see quite a lot 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 possibility?
So I caught a practice from Cairo to Luxor through the day as I wished to truly see as a lot of Egypt as potential from my practice window, moderately than sleeping by way of 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.
You could find flights for across the identical value 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 well-liked possibility with vacationers, with loads of tour corporations providing costlier sleeper practice experience tickets to Luxor.
The advantage of 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 moderately expertise the practice views through the daytime, nevertheless it’s all a query of private choice.
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 will be fairly an awesome expertise.
It’s not straightforward to search out your bearings and you might be quickly approached by a number of native taxi drivers providing their providers.
I used to be approached by an Egyptian as quickly as I left the practice, and I maybe naively accepted his supply (I simply wished to succeed in 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 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 monitor – not what I wished after the practice journey!
Because it turned out, I may 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 essential to analysis your vacation spot earlier than setting off.
Is Cairo To Luxor By Practice Value It?
So all in all, would I like to recommend touring to Luxor through practice from Cairo? All of it is determined by your preferences.
In the event you get pleasure from practice journeys in unique lands and have a way of journey then certain, it may be an enriching expertise and also you undoubtedly see quite a lot of Egypt you by no means usually would.
Nonetheless, for those who’re quick on time and simply wish to get from Cairo to Luxor as rapidly as potential, then no, that is undoubtedly not the proper possibility for you. Travelling by aircraft is the quickest possibility if not the very best sustainable possibility.
Touring by sleeper practice is an effective possibility too for those who don’t thoughts sleeping on public transport and doubtlessly sharing a cabin with strangers.
Cairo To Luxor By Practice FAQs
Nonetheless unsure about touring to Luxor from Cairo by practice? Let’s reply among the mostly requested questions on this matter:
How lengthy is the practice from Cairo to Luxor?
The practice experience itself takes round 10 hours. Whenever you think about journey instances out of your resort to every practice station at each Cairo and Luxor, then you’ll be able to see why it’s such a protracted, tiring journey.
I’d undoubtedly advocate having e book 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 way of 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 may 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 filled with desserts!
There was a muffin, a croissant, and another primary muffins, which wasn’t precisely what I requested, nevertheless it wasn’t a difficulty.
There are quite a lot 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 fill up on snacks for the journey.
Is it protected to journey by practice from Cairo to Luxor?
Sure, I’ve to say I felt fully protected all through my practice experience to Luxor. Egyptians are identified to be very pleasant and I obtained a number of smiles from fellow passengers and other people 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 probably the most chaotic cities I’ve visited, with loopy drivers on the roads (I nonetheless have nightmares about airport taxis to my resort), dangerous air air pollution and locals continuously attempting to promote you belongings you don’t want.
Sure, undoubtedly go to Cairo to see the Pyramids that are for sure an incredible sight, and perhaps keep for an additional day or two most to go to among the prime museums, however that’s all I’d advocate.
Luxor however was a way more peaceable and aesthetically pleasing expertise. With town being divided on both facet of the River Nile, the ambiance is extra tranquil.
Locals nonetheless attempt to promote you belongings you don’t want (I had a horrible expertise with a store proprietor who compelled 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, resembling occurring a sizzling air balloon experience at dawn or stress-free on the Nile on a Felucca boat experience.
Conclusion: Cairo To Luxor By Practice
In order that’s the whole lot I skilled on my practice experience from Cairo to Luxor. It’s a type of practice journeys that convey out a mixture of feelings – it’s bewildering, saddening, and complicated however fulfilling all on the identical 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 isn’t typical for many vacationers is a privileged expertise and one which I can promise you gained’t neglect in a rush!
–
Mark (Wolverhampton, England) runs Solotravelman. He has visited over 40 nations, largely as a solo traveler. Comply with his adventures on Instagram @mj_travelman and Twitter @MJ_TravelMan.
Hold studying: From Pyramids to Pharaohs: A First-Timer’s Information to Egypt
