BY AIR
Cairo
Due to its inland position, the only way of having Cairo as the point of arrival to Egypt, is by air planes. From Europe fares are priced a bit high, ranging from an average of US$1,300 at the most expensive airliners, down to US$450 for the cheapest. Discounted fares are often available. From some European countries, there are charter flights for Cairo, most of these are in the winter season. Fares here often represent the best deals for Egypt, as you mostly get a good hotel in the price.
From America, there are a couple of direct flights to Cairo, but these are a bit expensive. The lowest prices from New York are in the range of US$1,200. If you don't mind going via Europe or Israel, prices can drop the more acceptable US$800.
While you should be careful about not travelling after a change of rules, getting visas issued at the airport in Cairo, is at the present quite normal, easy and cheap.
Hurghada
Many chartered trips to Hurghada these days, go directly from European cities to Hurghada without landing in Cairo. This applies to some European countries, but still far from all.
Luxor
Arrival in Luxor is possible only for a limited number of charter tourists ( Great Britain has this service, what countries do, we still don't know), but is one of the most effective ways of reducing your time travelling when southern monuments of Egypt are high up on your itinerary. Luxor is also connected to other Egyptian airports, like Cairo and Hurghada, so arrival from abroad in Luxor is quite possible. It will cost a stiff US$200 from Cairo, and US$100 from Hurghada for the extra round trip. In addition, you do best with ordering your ticket well in advance.
Sharm el-Sheikh
The only direct connection from abroad to Sharm el-Sheikh is a the present with chartered flights, and these leave only from a limited number of European countries. Check for your own country, through a charter company.
It is possible to arrive fairly directly in Sharm el-Sheikh, but then you should settle with first landing in Cairo.
BY SEA
Alexandria
Those coming from Europe, will often prefer taking a ferry from Greece or Cyprus to Alexandria. Possible Greek ports include Piraeus and Patras. With these ferries it is possible to bring your own car, but note that it is reported that diesel-powered cars are not allowed into Egypt (and nobody will tell you before you get to Egypt, so check in advance with an Egyptian embassy).
The bad thing is that ferries in this part of the Mediterranean are fantastically expensive (as seen from a Scandinavian point of view). Don't be surprised if you have to pay more than US$450 for a return ticket. There are cheaper fares, but the quality of the ships are sometimes so bad that nothing but the paint keep the vessels floating.
Port Said
Alexandria is the most frequented sea port in Egypt, but Port Said is also an option. There are weekly ferries going on Cyprus and less frequent ferries on Athens, Greece. The prices are of standard Mediterranean level, at around US$300 for a return ticket.
Suez
There is a tendency of more tourists leaving Suez for a foreign destination than vice versa. There is a ferry going on Jedda in Saudi Arabia, and earlier also on the Sudanese port of Port Sudan. But today this is no longer operating, but it could happen to resume its services. There is one weekly departure, and you should count on 2-3 days on the sea. At the present, these departures have a tendency of being erratic.
For travellers going from Egypt to Sudan, Suez appears at the present as the only possible, if not likely at the present, way of avoiding a third country for transit.
In late March and through April of 1998, there will be difficulties getting on the ferry for Jedda, as this is the season for the hajj.
From Suez, you can either head south to destinations on Sinai, like Mount Sinai or Sharm el-Sheikh. Most travellers head on directly to Cairo, or north to Port Said.
OVERLAND FROM ISRAEL
Rafah
Many tourists come from Israel. There are several reasons for this, one of the more obvious is that you could actually save money this way, since there are better chances on getting cheap flights to Israel. But you have ot pay for the bus trip into Egypt, in addition to shameless Israeli entrance and exit taxes.
You never get to see too much of Rafah travelling this way,- the town was never intended as a tourist destination. You pass the town, before passing through the strange desert-sea-palms landscape of Sinai.
Crossing the Egyptian-Israeli border (where the Israeli border post is really in Palestinian territory) will normally take less than 2 hours,- not because of inefficiency, but because you have to wait for all bus passengers to come through the controls.
The Israeli exit tax is US$25, and the Egyptian entrance is US$2. If you have to return, the Egyptian exit tax is US$4. Crossing from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv in Israel all the way to Cairo is easily done by direct buses (two buses that is, one for each side of the border) that cost about US$25 or more one-way. But doing the journey is only recommended if you feel comfortable with travelling alone down here (will most likely involve crossing Gaza Strip), and have good time. It will be much cheaper, though.
For travellers intending to explore Sinai alone, Taba at the Gulf of Aqaba, can be a better choice for point of arrival from Israel to Egypt.
Taba
Taba is the first Egyptian town you come to, after leaving Eilat in Israel. The procedures are straightforward enough, and you can do this with public transportation alone. Actually, while most non-Arab nationals will have to pick up visas from an Egyptian consulate before arriving at the border post of Rafah (on the Mediterranean Sea), you can get a limited visa to Egypt at the border point of Taba (limited to travelling on Sinai). The only thing to notice is that the border zone cannot be crossed at foot, but there will be plenty of people around to inform you of this.
Once you have entered Sinai, popular destinations include Mount Sinai, Sharm el-Sheikh, and Dahab.
OVERLAND FROM JORDAN
Nuweiba
Arrival at Nuweiba is only for travellers coming from Jordan. The ferry which runs between Aqaba and Nuweiba twice a day. The crossing takes 4 hours (if you're lucky), and costs about US$20 one way on second class. This crossing is principally intended at expatriate workers, but travellers will often be waved past some of the time consuming hussle, as this is of little relevance for them anyway. The ferry also brings cars, which cost about US$70 one way.
Once you're there your most likely to head south to Dahab or Sharm el-Sheikh.
OVERLAND FROM LIBYA
Sallum
Few non-Arabs come this way, due to the difficulties involved in obtaining a visa to Libya. Starting from Libya, you will normally get a seat on one of the buses or taxis leaving from Tobruk or Benghazi. Since Tobruk has only one expensive hotel, spending your last night in Benghazi is advised to those with a need to guard their budgets. From these two destinations you can get all the way to Cairo, and prices are very inexpensive.
Formalities at the border post is only problematic in the sense that the posts are understaffed. Many travellers passing through here are bringing items to be declared with the authorities. One thing to note, you should have your entrance papers to Egypt ready, which means that you should have obtained a visa no later than Benghazi (at the consulate here).
If you don't want to go all the way to Cairo right away, there are good destinations closer to Sallum, like Marsa Matruh, Siwa, and Alexandria. Not fitted for tourism, Sallum itself can be worth the stop if swimming and sunbathing is your aim.
OVERLAND FROM SUDAN
Aswan
The ferry from Wadi Halfa in Sudan to Aswan in Egypt, runs only once a week. One way tickets will normally cost around US$25 to US$35, but the ferry will not bring any vehicles. There are conflicting stories on what can be done, and what not. Some travellers have reported that the only alternative is to arrange with a private ferry across Lake Nasser, an alternative that has proven terribly expensive (like US$1,500). Others insist that travellers with their own 4WD or motorcycle, can go overland.
Bi'r Shalatayn
This border point is at the present closed, and there are relatively few plans to change this, due to strong political tensions between Sudan and Egypt.
One thing is that the border down here is disputed,- Egypt's real territory is strictly speaking limited by a border further south, and after oil has been discovered, Egypt now claims the area. An attempt on the president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, where it was assumed that Sudan played a central role, has not helped to ease the tensions.
Coming from Sudan there are two other possibilities, but of which only Aswan can be called an alternative, while Suez is still no alternative.
