Culture Shock! Egypt - A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette

156 CultureShock! Egypt

Port Said, the Suez and Alexandria. There are three

classes of service offered. Third class is Spartan and rather

uncomfortable. Second class is most useful for short distances.

Neither third nor second class is air-conditioned.

First class trains provide air conditioning, meal service

or dining cars, and some even have sleeping compartments

for major routes. Refreshment services customarily offer

sandwiches, sweets, pastries, coffee, tea and other beverages.

Reservations may be made at the Midan Ramses Station

in Cairo, the Central Station in Alexandria, or through any

travel agency. Be sure to make reservations in advance,

not only for sleeping berths, but also for seats on regular

trips. Unless there is a breakdown, Egyptian trains operate

on schedule.

Train Information

„ You can fi nd train schedules on the Tour Egypt! website at:

http://www.touregypt.net/trains.htm

„ Don’t forget to see my article on Egyptian trains at:

http://touregypt.net/magazine/mag07012001/magf1a.htm

„ There is also a good article about the Abela sleeper trains at:

http://www.sleepingtrains.com/

You can contact them as follows:

Tel: (02) 2574-9474, 2574-9274 (in Cairo)

Fax: (02) 2574-9074

Buses

Cairo buses used to scare me to death. Just the thought

of trying to get on one seemed an impossible task, and

the thought of getting on and never being able to get off

flashed through my mind. Fact is, public buses in Egypt can

be great fun and economical, but very uncomfortable and

time-consuming. Local buses in Alexandria are much less

troublesome and easier to use than those in Cairo. By the way,

in Egypt, driving is on the right side of the street—American-

style—so bus stops will be on the right as well.

Buses are definitely an economical way to get about.

Buses and minibuses have numbers prominently displayed,