Middle East - Anthony Ham [119]
BUS
Long-distance buses all leave from the Moharrem Bey bus station Al-Mo’af al-Gedid (New Garage). It’s several kilometres south of Midan Saad Zaghloul, reachable by microbus from Misr train station (50pt), or by taxi (E£10 to E£15 from the city centre).
West Delta ( 362 9685) and the slightly fancier Superjet ( 363 3552) both operate from here, as well as a few East Delta and Upper Egypt buses. West Delta has a convenient city centre booking office ( 480 9685; Midan Saad Zaghloul; 9am-10pm). Superjet’s booking office ( 543 5222; Sidi Gaber train station; 8am-11pm) is opposite the Sidi Gaber train station.
Superjet has buses to Cairo (also stopping at Cairo airport) about every hour from 5am to 1am (2½ hours, E£25 to Cairo, E£35 to Cairo airport). West Delta has buses to Cairo every 30 minutes between 5am and 2am and charges E£23 to E£25, and E£35 to the airport.
For the North Coast and Siwa, West Delta has around 20 daily buses to Marsa Matruh (E£17 to E£30, four hours) between 6am and 1.30am. Many of these continue on to Sallum (E£28, nine hours) on the border with Libya. Four services go to Siwa (E£27 to E£30, eight hours) at 8.30am, 11am, 2pm and 10pm. Otherwise just take any Marsa Matruh bus and change there.
If you’re heading to Sinai, Superjet has a daily 9pm service to Sharm el-Sheikh (E£100, nine hours) while West Delta has one at 9pm (E£80).
For the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, Superjet has a daily service to Hurghada (E£85, nine hours) at 8pm. West Delta has several services a day to Port Said (E£22 to E£25, four hours), four services to Suez (E£25 to E£30, 3½ hours) and buses to Hurghada at 9am and 6.30pm (E£80, nine hours). The Upper Egypt Bus Co runs three daily Hurghada buses (E£80).
SERVICE TAXI
Many service taxis in Alexandria are minivans, all departing from the main bus station in Moharrem Bey. From here taxis travel to Cairo (E£15 to E£18, three hours).
TRAIN
There are two train stations in Alexandria. The main terminal is Misr Train Station ( 426 3207), about one mile south of Midan Ramla. Sidi Gaber Station ( 426 3953) serves the eastern suburbs.
At Misr Train Station, 1st- and 2nd-class air-con tickets must be bought from the ticket office next to the tourist information booth; 2nd-class ordinary and 3rd-class tickets are purchased from the front hall. Cairo-bound trains leave from here at least hourly, from 4.30am to 10pm. The best trains, the Turbini and Espani, don’t stop again until 2½ hours later when they arrive in Cairo. There are seven of these trains between 7am and 10.15pm (E£46/29 in 1st-/2nd-class air-con).
The next-best trains, the Faransawi, make a few extra stops and take three hours to get to Cairo. There are seven trains between 6am and 8pm (E£35/19 in 1st/2nd class).
Getting Around
TO/FROM THE AIRPORT
To get to the international airport, take bus 555 (E£6 plus E£1 per bag, one hour) from near the Cecil Hotel. A taxi should cost no more than E£100.
EgyptAir flights sometimes land at the smaller Nouzha airport, 10km from the city centre. To get there, catch minibus 711 or 703 (50pt) from Midan Orabi or Ramla. A taxi should cost around E£15.
BUS & MINIBUS
As a visitor to Alexandria, you won’t use the buses much – the trams are a much better way of getting around. There are no real set departure points or stops for microbuses, but most whizz by Midan Saad Zaghloul or Midan Ramla and cost about 50pt for short trips. Just point yourself in the right direction, wave to flag one down, and yell out your destination.
TAXI
A short trip within town (eg Midan Ramla to Misr train station) will cost E£5. Midan Ramla to Sidi Gaber or Fort Quaitbey costs around E£10, to San Stefano E£15, and to the eastern beaches around E£25.
TRAM
Midan Ramla is the main tram station; from here, yellow-coloured trams go west and blue-coloured ones go east. Tickets cost 25pt. The most useful routes:
Tram No Route
1 & 2 Ramla to Victoria,