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Tourist Information - Getting Around
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Egyptian public transport is, on the whole, pretty good. You can travel in town or between towns easily enough by bus, minibus or collective service taxis. | Buses | Inter-city buses are an inexpensive way to travel. A ticket from Hurghada to Cairo costs as little as 50 LE per person, one way. In the Red Sea Riviera you will find two main operators. The Upper Egypt Bus Company serves the Red Sea Governorate towns, from Hurghada to Safaga, El Quseir and Marsa Alam, also linking these towns to the Nile valley and Cairo. Sinai and the Canal Zone are served by the East Delta Bus Company. Both companies offer air-conditioned buses and on the longer routes they also have on-board toilets. Key routes in the Red Sea Governorate are also served by the Superjet Company and El Gouna Transportation buses, both a bit more up-market, with hostesses on board, snacks and movies. Schedules change frequently, so it is better to check personally at the bus terminals present in each Red Sea town. | Minibuses | Minibuses seat up to a dozen people. Minibuses normally have specific routes, and you can hail them simply anywhere along the route. Minibuses are ideal and extremely cheap to move inside a town, with a ride costing as little as 25 piastres. | Taxis | Collective service taxis are one of the best features of Egyptian transport. They operate in a wide variety of routes, are quicker than buses and can depart at any given time. On the downside is the often maniacal driving without lights at night or at high speed even in central streets. Taxis are usually the Peugeot saloons seating up to seven passengers. Taxis can be used for individual trips or can be shared with other travellers. In-town prices are fixed in the main Red Sea towns; price of intercity trips must be settled in advance. There are also private taxi companies with air conditioned sedans and drivers, for those who like to be pampered. | Car rentals | A number of well-known international companies are present in the major Red Sea towns. To hire a car you need a valid international driving license, and be at least 25 years of age. Driving in Egypt though is not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced motorist: the rules of the road widely vary and most importantly, are mainly ignored. Expect to find at night vehicles circulating without lights, or traffic day and night being totally erratic and anarchic. Cars and trucks routinely overtake in the face of incoming traffic, while pedestrians and carts seem deeply indifferent to it. This said, roads in the Red Sea Riviera are fairly good and with little traffic, and many offer truly outstanding landscapes. Don’t expect fully serviced highways, or road rest-houses. The last ones are very rare and often not very “comfortable”. But discovering the coastal towns on your own is a very rewarding experience. Unpaved tracks or desert pistes are never to be taken without a local guide – mines from various wars are still around and going out from asphalted roads can be dangerous. |
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