Sleeper Trains to Aswan and Luxor
Aside from cruising along the Nile, the Sleeper train is the next most pleasant way to travel between Cairo and Upper Egypt. See here for Train Schedules
Boarding the train at Giza, travellers are shown to their two berth/one berth compartments and presented with dinner. Shortly afterwards the steward will change your seated compartment into a cosy sleeper cabin for lights out.
There are currently no sleeper trains open to tourists between Alexandria and Upper Egypt. If you want to make this journey by train, first you will need to travel from Alex to Cairo by train, and then change.
The journey to Aswan takes approximately twelve hours (Luxor 9 hours). The steward will wake you with breakfast about an hour before arrival, and one glance from the window at the palm trees and sand banks will confirm that you are a long way from Cairo. You then disembark refreshed and revitalised ready to absorb all that the Nubian capital has to offer.
Tickets for the sleeper train can be purchased at Cairo Ramses station from the Abela offices under the large sign, “SLEEPING TRAIN”. A two birth cabin costs $60 per person or $80 for a single (of course local currency is accepted).
Reservations for sleeper trains in Egypt can be made by contacting Abela (the provider of all the country’s sleeper carriages) directly via phone or email
Telephone:
+2 (0) 2 2574 94 74 - 2574 92
or by email: reservation @ sleepingtrains.com
Currently there are two trains on which tourists are permitted to travel (for safety reasons of course). Both these trains leave from the platform at Giza station at 8pm and 8.30pm.
To reach Giza you have three options. You can take a train from Ramses Station in downtown Cairo (15 minutes), take the metro line, or alternatively take a taxi (10-15LE and 30 minutes drive depending on traffic from central Cairo).
On arrival at the station Tourist police will want to see your passports and tickets, and take a brief and inadequate look through your luggage. Then you are free to wait at the station or at the café on the platform.
It is not uncommon for trains to be late, and with announcements given in Arabic only, little effort is made to keep tourists in the loop. Patience, as always when travelling in Egypt, is a virtue. There is a tourist authority office on the platform where you can ask for updates.
There are usually tour group travelling south in this way along with their tour guides, who know better than anyone when the train is about to arrive. Keep an eye on the groups for an early indication.
Dinner onboard consists of rice, chicken, fish, fruit and dessert. Vegetarians are advised to bring some snacks to see them through. Crisps, chocolates, bread, water and soft drinks among other things are available from the kiosks on the platform.
Alcohol is served on board and your wagon steward will give you a menu with dinner. It costs 100LE for a bottle of wine and 25LE for a beer.
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