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Getting Around
Public Transport
Using public transport is not recommended in Cairo with the exception of the clean, cheap and efficient metro system. Buses are usually overcrowded and visitors will have to fight their way on like the Cairenes, who try to make sure they get on-board by leaping at the bus before it has even stopped. It is a real experience of Cairo life, however, and tickets should be purchased on-board from the conductor who fights his way through the throng. The fare depends on the journey length but for a few stops is usually 25 piastres.
There are also microbuses, which are private enterprises and a cross between a taxi and a public bus. The destination is not marked on them, so visitors should shout out where they wish to go as one passes and if it is going in the right direction and has room on-board, it will stop. The fare is slightly more than the public buses.
The metro is one of Cairo’s delights. The system is clean, quick, cool, safe and cheap, operating 0500-2330. There are two lines. One runs along the east bank of the Nile from Helwan in the north to al-Marg in the south, via Tahrir. The other, newer line goes from Shubra in the north to Giza in the west, also via Tahrir where the two lines intersect. More metro extensions are planned.
A flat fare of 50 piastres will take you up to nine stops, with a sliding scale beyond that. Smoking is not permitted in the stations or on the trains. The first two carriages on most trains are reserved for women only, although women can travel in any carriage without much risk of harassment.
Taxis
While Cairo does have its share of rogue taxis drivers, there are also many drivers who will become your guide, protector and even a good friend while you are visiting the city. Taking a taxi directly from a hotel is more expensive than hailing one in the street. Taxis are black and white and are shared, so if one is driving by with other passengers, it is possible to call out one’s destination and if it is going that way, it will stop.
The protocol in Cairo is different from that in many other cities. Passengers are expected to know the fare rather than negotiate it in advance or go by the meter. This can obviously be difficult for the new arrival. A guideline is EŁ10 per kilometre for a hotel taxi and half that for one hailed in the street. A hotel taxi to the airport costs about EŁ60-70 (again half that for a street taxi). It is also possible to negotiate hire by the hour or by the day, for a personal tour. The round-trip taxi fare to Saqqara is around EŁ100.
Limousines
There are limousine hire companies in Cairo and, while the standard of the cars may not be quite up to Hollywood standards, neither are the prices. They do represent an economic proposition if you do not wish to join organised excursions or face the occasional hassles of dealing with public transport or taxi drivers. Limousine Misr (tel: (02) 285 6721) charges roughly EŁ55-80 for a half-day hire with air conditioning and an English-speaking driver. Other companies include Bita (tel: (02) 574 6169); Cairo Car (tel: (02) 345 2393); Heliopolis Limousine (tel: (02) 240 1789); Hepton Limousine (tel: (02) 417 7500); Mohamed Naguib (tel: (02) 350 9123); Mohamed Selmi (tel: (02) 352 8706); Mustafa Muhammad (tel: (02) 375 1961); Rowas Car and Limousine Rental (tel: (02) 349 9831 or 554 4400) and Smart Limo (tel: (02) 365 4321).
Driving in the City
Driving is not recommended in Cairo as it is not for those of a nervous disposition and taxis are far safer. Visitors who are contemplating driving should spend a day or two observing the locals before going ahead – as few road rules are followed. There is no such thing as rush hour – it lasts all day and most of the evening too. Road markings are ignored, as are most of the traffic lights. Horns are used incessantly. At night, few drivers use lights, except for flashing lights, which are to tell oncoming traffic to get out of the way, rather than to indicate giving way as in many countries.
Car Hire
The minimum age for hiring a car in Egypt is 25 years and an International Driving Permit is required. Most of the major hotels will have agents for the leading car hire companies but the main offices are: Avis, 16 Sharia Ma’amal el-Soukkar, Garden City (tel: (02) 794 7400; website: www.avis.com); Budget, 5 Sharia Makrizy, Zamalek (tel: (02) 340 0070; website: www.budget.com), and at the New Airport (tel: (02) 265 2395); Europcar at the Max Building, 27 Sharia Libnan, Mohandiseen (tel: (02) 347 4712; website: www.europcar.com); Hertz, 195 Sharia 26th July, Mohandiseen (tel: (02) 303 4241; website: www.hertz.com); Thrifty, 1 Al-Entesar, Heliopolis (tel: (02) 265 2620); and J Car, 33 Sharia Missaha, Dokki (tel: (02) 335 0521). Rates begin at about EŁ185 per day for unlimited mileage.
Bicycle Hire
Although many Egyptians cycle, it would be madness for any visitor not used to Cairo traffic to consider doing the same.
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General
