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Arab Republic Of Egypt

Electronic visa portal, how to apply.

Create an account on the Egypt e-Visa Portal via the registration page.

Confirm your account registration.

Logon Egypt e-Visa Portal.

Select Apply Now.

Select the type of Visa and read the instructions carefully.

Fill in the application form.

Pay using a Visa card, MasterCard or other debit cards.

Await approval via email, then download and print the e-Visa from your account.

Present your printed e-Visa to the immigration officer at the port of entry.

• Terms of Use

Have a question, comment or need to get in touch? Please input your information and a representative from the Embassy will respond as soon as possible.

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3521 International Court, NW Washington, DC 20008 TEL: 202.895.5400 TEL: 202.895.5408 FAX: 202.244.4319 FAX: 202.244.5131 For Consular inquiries, please contact: TEL: 202.966.6342 Email: [email protected] FB: Egyptian Consular Section in Washington, D.C.

We only serve applicants (except for Official & Diplomatic & Laissez Passer visas) from the following states: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. If you reside in a state that is not listed above, kindly contact One of our consulates that has your jurisdiction from the link  here .

Pickup slip is required to retrieve the passport with the visa

Insufficient or incorrect applications will be returned at the applicant’s expense

Visa applicants are required to provide all the documents listed below. Any submissions with incomplete documents or missing copies will be returned

Visa Requirements

For Tourist Visa: AMERICAN PASSPORT HOLDERS ONLY

Applying in person at the Egyptian Consulate:

• Fully completed and signed visa application form with  ONE  photo stapled to the form  Download application form here
• ONE  copy of the completed application form with a photo
• ONE  2″ x 2″, recent high-definition personal passport photo on a white background (the photo must be no more than 6 months old)
• Actual passport plus  TWO  copies of the information page (that has the photo) (valid for at least 6 months on arrival) and has an empty Visa page
• Fees: $27 (Single Entry) or $62 (Multiple Entry/ applicant has to provide a ticket reflecting multiple entry into the country) cash. An exact change is required.
• One Copy of a round-trip ticket
• One Copy of the accommodation reservation in Egypt (Hotel reservation). If the visa applicant residing with a family member, he/she has to state the following on the visa application: Name of the family member/ relationship/ contact number/address)
• Driver’s license and a copy (must be a resident within the states we serve  here )

Applying for a visa by mail:

• One Copy of the accommodation reservation in Egypt (Hotel reservation). If the visa applicant will be residing with a family member, he/she has to state the following on the visa application (on the Details of Visit Section): Name of the family member/ relationship/ contact number/address)
• Please only provide express mail or certified mail (pre-addressed pre-stamped envelope) for the return of the passports/Documents. We do not take responsibility for any loss that may occur in mailing
• Mailing Address: Consulate of the Arab Republic of Egypt (Visa Section) , 3521 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Fees: $27 (Single Entry) or $62 (Multiple Entry/ applicant has to provide a ticket reflecting multiple entry into the country) Cashier’s Check Only from a U.S. Bank  payable to the Consulate of Egypt  (We DO NOT accept MONEY ORDER or PERSONAL CHECKS)

For Tourist Visa: Non-AMERICAN PASSPORT HOLDERS ONLY

(except for the list of countries  here )

-Sudanese passport are advised to contact the consulate for further information before applying

• TWO  copies of green card (front and back) valid for more than 6 months; or work visa that is valid for more than 6 months with employment verification letter; or a student visa that is valid for more than 6 months with school verification letter
• TWO  photocopies of round-trip ticket or confirmed itinerary
• One copy of the accommodation reservation (Hotel reservation) in Egypt. If the visa applicant will be residing with a family member, he/she has to state the following on the visa application (on the Details of Visit Section): Name of the family member/ relationship/ contact number/address)
• Fees: $27 (Single Entry) or $62 (Multiple Entry/ applicant has to provide a ticket reflecting multiple entry into the country) cash (except for UK, Canada, Zimbabwe, and Nigerian passport holders, fees are on the link here: Click here for the visa fees ). An exact change is required.
• One copy of the accommodation reservation (Hotel reservation) in Egypt . If the visa applicant will be residing with a family member, he/she has to state the following on the visa application (on the Details of Visit Section): Name of the family member/ relationship/ contact number/address)
• Mailing Address: Consulate of the Arab Republic of Egypt (Visa Section), 3521 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Fees: $27 (Single Entry) or $62 (Multiple Entry/ applicant has to provide a ticket reflecting multiple entry into the country) Cashier’s check from the bank addressed to the consulate of Egypt (except for UK, Canada, Zimbabwe, and Nigerian passport holders, fees are on the link here: Click here for the visa fees  ).  (We DO NOT accept MONEY ORDER or PERSONAL CHECKS)
• A copy of driver license (must be a resident within the states we serve  here )

Notes: For Uzbekistan passport holders applying for a visa 21 years old and under they require a visa and have to be accompanied by a parent to travel to Egypt.

www.visa2egypt.gov.eg  

• E-visa portal provides tourist visas only
• All inquiries must be directed to the help page on the E-visa website, not through any of the Egyptian consulates in the US
• Confirm that your country is eligible for the online service listed in the Q&A on the portal
• The above link is the only official link affiliated with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs

For Business/Entry/Visit Visa: AMERICAN PASSPORT HOLDERS ONLY

Applying in person at the Egyptian Consulate

• TWO copies of the letter from the company indicating the detailed purpose of the trip and financial guarantee of the company / contractors with US government must provide an official supporting letter as well.
• TWO copies of the letter/invitation from the company/organization in Egypt
• Fees: $62 (Single Entry) or $87 (Multiple Entry/ applicant has to provide a ticket reflecting multiple entry into the country) cash. Exact change is required
• Fees: $62 (Single Entry) or $87 (Multiple Entry/ applicant has to provide a ticket reflecting multiple entry into the country)  Cashier’s Check Only from a U.S. Bank  payable to the Consulate of Egypt  ( We DO NOT accept MONEY ORDER or PERSONAL CHECKS)
• A copy of driver license (must be a resident within the states we serve  here

For Business/Entry/Visit Visa : Non-AMERICAN PASSPORT HOLDERS

( ONLY FOR APPLICANT’S NOT INCLUDED ON THE LIST OF COUNTRIES here )

• TWO copies of the letter from the company indicating the detailed purpose of the trip (Name of person, Company the person working for in the US, Company will be working for in Egypt, Conference/Seminar attending, Dates traveling to Egypt, How long will be staying in Egypt) and financial guarantee of the company
• TWO  copies of round-trip ticket or confirmed itinerary
• One Copy of the accommodation reservation in Egypt (Hotel reservation)
• Fees: $62 (Single Entry) or $87 (Multiple Entry/ applicant has to provide a ticket reflecting multiple entry into the country) (except for UK, Canada, Zimbabwe, and Nigerian passport holders, fees are on the link here: Click here for the visa fees ). An exact change is required.
• Original driver license and a copy (must be a resident within the states we serve  here )
• One  copy of the completed application form with a photo
• One  2″ x 2″, recent high-definition personal passport photo on a white background (the photo must be no more than 6 months old)
• Actual passport plus  Two  copies of the information page (that has the photo) (valid for at least 6 months on arrival) and has an empty Visa page
• Two copies of the letter from the company indicating the detailed purpose of the trip (Name of person, Company the person working for in the US, Company will be working for in Egypt, Conference/Seminar attending, Dates traveling to Egypt, How long will be staying in Egypt) and financial guarantee of the company
• Two  copies of round-trip ticket or confirmed itinerary
• Fees: $62 (Single Entry) or $87 (Multiple Entry/ applicant has to provide a ticket reflecting multiple entry into the country) (except for UK, Canada, Zimbabwe, and Nigerian passport holders, fees are on the link here: Click here for the visa fees ).  Cashier’s Check Only from a U.S. Bank  payable to the Consulate of Egypt  ( We DO NOT accept MONEY ORDER or PERSONAL CHECKS)

VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR SUDANESE PASSPORT HOLDERS

• Fully completed and signed visa application form with ONE photo stapled to the form   Download application form here
• ONE copy of the completed application form with a photo included 
• ONE  2″ x 2″, recent high-definition personal passport photo on a white background (the photo must be no more than 6 months old)
• Actual passport plus  TWO  copies of the information page (that has the photo or the bio page) and has an empty Visa page ( travel documents are not accepted currently )
• Passport must be valid for more than 6 months on arrival ( expired extended passport are not accepted currently )
• TWO  copies of valid green card (front and back) valid for more than 6 months; or work visa that is valid for more than 6 months with employment verification letter ; or a student visa that is valid for more than 6 months with school verification letter
• TWO copies of round-trip ticket or confirmed itinerary (taking in consideration the processing time and 30 days maximum duration of stay)
• One copy of the accommodation reservation ( Hotel reservation ) in Egypt. If the visa applicant will be residing with a family member, he/she has to state the following on the visa application (on the Details of Visit Section): Name of the family member/ relationship/ contact number/full address)
• Driver’s license and a copy; or a copy of your lease; or a copy of bill under the applicants name as a proof of residency ( Applications will not be accepted if you reside outside of the following states: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia )
• Fees: $62 (Single Entry only ). Exact change is required.
• Visa duration of stay is 30 days or less and the visa itself is valid for 6 months from issue date
• Visa cannot be extended or renewed in Egypt
• Visa processing time is at least a minimum of 10 business days to 4 weeks

تقديم الطلب شخصيًا في القنصلية المصرية :

• نموذج طلب تأشيرة مكتمل بالكامل وموقع بشكل كامل مع صورة واحدة مثبتة على النموذج. يمكنك تحميل نموذج الطلب من هنا .
•   نسخة واحدة من النموذج المكتمل مع الصورة الشخصية .
•   صورة شخصية حديثة بحجم 2 × 2 بوصة بدقة عالية على خلفية بيضاء (يجب أن تكون الصورة لا تزيد عن 6 أشهر) .
•   جواز السفر الاصلى بالإضافة إلى نسختين من صفحة المعلومات (التي تحتوي على الصورة) ويجب أن يكون هناك صفحة فارغة للتأشيرة (لا يتم قبول وثائق السفر  حالياً ) .
• لابد ان يكون الجواز صالح لمدة لا تقل عن 6 أشهر عند الوصول ولا يمكن التقديم بجواز منتهى ممدد
•   الاصل ونسختين من بطاقة الإقامة الامريكية (للوجهين) و تكون صالحة لأكثر من 6 أشهر؛ أو تأشيرة عمل اميريكية صالحة لأكثر من 6 أشهر مع خطاب من جهة العمل؛ أو تأشيرة دراسة اميريكية صالحة لأكثر من 6 أشهر مع خطاب من جهة الجامعة.
• نسختان من تذكرة الذهاب والإياب (جدول الرحلة المؤكد) (مع مراعاة وقت معالجة التأشيرة ومدة الإقامة القصوى لمدة 30 يومًا)
•   نسخة واحدة من حجز الإقامة (حجز الفندق) في مصر وإذا كان مقدم الطلب سيقيم مع أحد أفراد العائلة، يجب عليه/عليها ذكر الآتي في طلب التأشيرة (في قسم تفاصيل الزيارة): اسم الفرد في العائلة / العلاقة / رقم الاتصال / العنوان  بالكامل .
• رخصة القيادة ونسخة منها؛ أو نسخة من عقد الإيجار الخاص بكك؛ او فاتورة بها العنوان والاسم لأثبات محل الاقامة ( لن يتم قبول طلب الفيزا إذا كان مقدم الطلب يقيم خارج الولايات المختصين بيها وهي كالاتى: Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia ).
•   الرسوم: 62 دولارًا (دخول واحد فقط) .
•   مدة الإقامة بالتأشيرة هي 30 يومًا أو أقل، وتظل التأشيرة صالحة لمدة 6 أشهر من تاريخ الإصدار
• لا يمكن تمديد أو تجديد التأشيرة في مصر .
•   وقت معالجة التأشيرة هو على الأقل 10 أيام عمل إلى 4 أسابيع كحد أدنى .
• Actual passport plus  TWO  copies of the information page (that has the photo) and has an empty Visa page (travel documents are not accepted currently)
• TWO  copies of round-trip ticket or confirmed itinerary (taking in consideration the processing time and 30 days maximum duration of stay )
• One copy of the accommodation reservation ( Hotel reservation ) in Egypt. If the visa applicant will be residing with a family member, he/she has to state the following on the visa application (on the Details of Visit Section): Name of the family member/ relationship/ contact number/ full address)
• Fees: $62 (Single Entry only) Cashier’s Check Only from a U.S. Bank payable to the Consulate or Embassy of Egypt that is recently issued  ( We DO NOT accept MONEY ORDER or PERSONAL CHECKS)
• Visa processing time is at least a minimum of 10 business days to 4 week once it is received (excluding mailing time)
• Please only provide paid return envelope from Post Office only to return of the passports/Documents back to applicant. We do not take responsibility for any loss that may occur in mailing
• Mailing Address: Consulate of the Arab Republic of Egypt (Visa Section) , 3521 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008

تقديم الطلب عن طريق البريد :

•   نسخة واحدة من النموذج المكتمل مع صورة .
•   نسختين من بطاقة الإقامة الامريكية (للوجهين) و تكون صالحة لأكثر من 6 أشهر؛ أو تأشيرة عمل اميريكية صالحة لأكثر من 6 أشهر مع خطاب من جهة العمل؛ أو تأشيرة دراسة اميريكية صالحة لأكثر من 6 أشهر مع خطاب من جهة الجامعة.
•   نسخة واحدة من حجز الإقامة (حجز الفندق) في مصر وإذا كان مقدم الطلب سيقيم مع أحد أفراد العائلة، يجب عليه/عليها ذكر الآتي في طلب التأشيرة (في قسم تفاصيل الزيارة): اسم الفرد في العائلة / العلاقة / رقم الاتصال / العنوان بالكامل.
•   الرسوم: 62 دولارًا (دخول واحد ه فقط ) .  كاشيرز شيك Cashier’s check  من البنك للقنصلية او السفاره المصرية تم اصداره حديثاً ولا يتم قبول اوامر الدفع او ال money orders
•   وقت معالجة التأشيرة هو على الأقل 10 أيام عمل إلى 4 أسابيع كحد أدنى عند استلام البريد (دون احتساب وقت البريد)
• الرجاء توفير ظرف مدفوع من البريد السريع أو البريد المعتمد من Post office (ظرف عليه  العنوان ورقم التتبع) لإرجاع جوازا السفر. يرجى الملاحظة ان نالقنصلية غير مسؤوله عن أي فقدان قد يحدث أثناء الإرسال .
• عنوان البريد:

Consulate of the Arab Republic of Egypt (Visa Section) , 3521 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008

Entry Visa (Valid for 5 years)

• Choose the purpose of travel (tourist or business for US and non-US passport holders) and provide listed documents above accordingly
• Fees: $702 cash or Cashier’s Check Only from a U.S. Bank  payable to the Consulate of Egypt  ( We DO NOT accept MONEY ORDER or PERSONAL CHECKS)
• Visa is multiple entry and valid for 5 years with a duration of stay of three months

Diplomatic Passport Holder

• Fully completed and signed visa application form with One photo stapled to the form Download application form here
• Two  copies of the completed application form with a  photo
• Two 2″ x 2″, recent high-definition personal passport photos on a white background ( thephoto must be no more than 6 months old)
• Actual Passport plus  three  copies of the information page (that has the photo) (still valid for at least 6 months) and has an empty Visa page
• Three  copies of a diplomatic note with a company letterhead (e.g. US State Department/ Army Office/ Navy Office.. etc.) addressed to the Egyptian Consulate in DC stating detailed purpose and dates of travel (must be addressed from inside the States)

Official Passport Holder

• Two  copies of the completed application form with a photo
• Three  2″ x 2″, recent high-definition personal passport photos on a white background (photo must be no more than 6 months old)
• Actual Passport plus  Three  copies of the information page (that has the photo) (still valid for at least 6 months) and has an empty Visa page
• Three  copies of an Official note with a company letterhead (e.g. US State Department/ Army Office/ Navy Office.. etc.) addressed to the Egyptian Consulate in DC stating detailed purpose and dates of travel (must be addressed from inside the States)

United Nations Laissez Passer Holder

• Two  copies of the completed application form with a photo
• TWO  2″ x 2″, recent high-definition personal passport photos on white background (photo must be no more than 6 months old)
• Actual Passport plus  Three  copies of the information page (that has the photo)(still valid for at least 6 months) and has an empty Visa page
• Three  copies of official notes stating detailed purpose and dates of travel

List of countries that require pre-approval or have a Travel Document

• Afghanistan
• Any Travel Document

Kindly note that processing for pre-approval visas occurs in two stages:

First stage: Applicant mail in (copies only) or present (Original and copies) for the listed requirements below for pre-approval. Processing time for that stage is a minimum of 6-8 weeks. All applicants are advised not to make any travel plans until contacted by the visa section.

Second Stage: If approved, applicants will be contacted to submit the required documents and fees. Processing time will be 10 business days once the documents are received.

Applying in person at the Egyptian Consulate for pre-approval visas:

• ONE  copy of the completed application form with photo photo
• Actual passport plus  TWO  copies of the information page (that has the photo) (still valid for at least 6 months) and has an empty Visa page
• Actual Green Card plus  TWO  copies of green card (front and back)
• Driver’s license and a copy (must be a resident within the countries we serve here)
• TWO  copies of the information page (that has the photo) (still valid for at least 6 months) and has an empty Visa page
• TWO  copies of green card (front and back)

Jurisdiction

Kindly note that the Consular Section in DC  only accepts  visa applications received by mail or in person from the states we serve  (Delaware – Florida – Georgia – Maryland – N. Carolina -S. Carolina- Virginia – Washington, D.C. – West Virginia) .

If you reside in another state that is not mentioned above, kindly contact the Egyptian consulate that has your jurisdiction from the link  here .

Walk-ins for the Egyptian consulate in DC

Walk-ins are accepted from Monday to Friday from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM except for national and federal holidays.

• Appointments are not required during business hours for visa services.
• Mailing Address : Consulate of the Arab Republic of Egypt, 3521 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Telephone:  202-966-6342  (PLEASE NOTE: Phone lines operate from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm ONLY)
• Fax:  202-244-5131

Visa On Arrival

(Emergency Visas)

Visa applicants (except the listed nationalities  here ) are advised to get the visa in advance from the Egyptian consulate that serves their state of residency.

Applicants planning on getting emergency visa at the airport must do/have the following:

• Passport must be valid for more than 6 months at arrival
• US Green Card must be valid for more than 6 months
• Confirm with the airlines that a visa is not required to be boarded on the plane
• Canadian passport holders cannot acquire visa on arrival only through the Egyptian consulate that has their jurisdiction
• Passports holder’s who are on list of countries requiring pre-approval cannot acquire visa upon arrival

Kindly note that Egyptian customs have the right to deny entry at the airport if necessary.

Visas processing times

For more information on Tourism in Egypt, please visit the Official website “The Egyptian Tourism Authority” on the link below:  https://egypt.travel/

Egyptian Consulates in the United States:

Egyptian Consulate -Washington, D.C.  Website:  egyptembassy.net (Serving: Delaware – Florida – Georgia – Maryland – N. Carolina -S. Carolina- Virginia – Washington, D.C. – West Virginia) 3521 International Court, N.W. Washington, D. C. 20008 Tel # 1 (202) 966-6342Fax # 1(202) 244-5131 E-mail:  [email protected]

Egyptian Consulate – Chicago  Website:  www.egyptinchicago.org (Serving: Illinois- Indiana- Iowa- Kentucky- Michigan -Minnesota- Nebraska- N. Dakota-S. Dakota –Wisconsin) 180 N. Michigan Ave, Suite #1150 Chicago, IL 60601 Tel # 1(312) 332-7210 / 4/ 6 Fax# 1(312) 828-9167 E-mail: [email protected]

Egyptian Consulate- Houston  Website:  www.consulateofegypthouston.com/en/consular-services/ (Serving: Alabama – Arkansas – Colorado – Kansas – Louisiana -Mississippi – Missouri –New Mexico – Oklahoma –Tennessee – Texas) 5718 Westheimer St. Suite # 1350 Houston, TX 77057 Tel # 1 (713) 961-4915 or 1(713) 961-4916 Fax # 1(713) 977-0323

Egyptian Consulate – Los Angeles  Website:  www.egyconsulatela.com (Serving: Alaska – Arizona – California – Idaho – Hawaii – Montana – Nevada – Oregon – Washington – Wyoming – Utah) 6300 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 1890 Los Angeles, CA 90048 Tel # 1(323) 933-9700 or 1 (323) 933-9757 or 1 (323) 933-1401 Fax # 1(323) 933-9725 Email:  [email protected]

Egyptian Consulate – New York  Website:  www.egypt-nyc.com (Serving: Connecticut- Maine- Massachusetts – New Hampshire-New Jersey- Ohio- Pennsylvania- Puerto Rico – Rhode Island -Vermont- New York) 866 United Nations Plaza 5th Floor, Room 586 New York, NY. 10017 Tel # 1(212) 759-7120 Fax # 1(212) 308-7643 Email:  [email protected]

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Egypt allows 74 nationalities to get tourist visas electronically: Tourism Ministry

• Wednesday، 07 July 2021 - 01:19 PM

The Ministry of Tourism announced that 28 new nationalities were added to the system of issuing an electronic tourist visa taking to 74 the number of nationalities able to obtain the visa electronically.

This comes within the framework of the efforts exerted by the Egyptian state to promote tourism via working on facilitating the measures to get the tourist visas.

Deputy Tourism Minister Ghada Shalabi said that upgrading this system comes a year after the resumption of tourism movement in Egypt in July 2020.

This upgrade will contribute to encouraging several tourists from different nationalities to visit Egypt, Shalabi said.

There are eight languages on the website for issuing the tourism visas electronically, she said.

The tourists can get the electronic visas via https://www.visa2egypt.gov.eg/, she said.

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• Wednesday, 24 April 2024

Egypt eases arrival procedures for travellers at all airports starting 10 April

Amr kandil , sunday 10 apr 2022.

Travellers to Egypt are no longer required to fill the mandatory COVID-related declaration forms as part of their arrival procedures at airports, but they will instead fill an online form to generate a QR code to enter the country starting Sunday, 10 April.

The Ministry of Health and Population’s Department of Preventive Medicine announced the new measures on Saturday to facilitate arrival procedures for travellers, on Saturday.

Meanwhile, EgyptAir asked its customers coming from abroad on Sunday to register on Egypt Health Entry Portal ‘ Visit Egypt ’ in order to obtain a QR code that must be shown in airports upon arrival in order to facilitate the completion of their travel procedures.

“The goal of cancelling the paper forms is to make life easier,” Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, the health ministry’s spokesperson, told Ahram Online.

“The world is dealing with these issues digitally… All a passenger needs is to fill the required details on the Visit Egypt platform,” the spokesperson added.

The new measures come with the aim of reducing overcrowding at airports, the Egyptian flag carrier said in a statement.

Furthermore, the digital platform will help passengers re-register and retrieve or modify their personal data in case they decide to change the flight date.

Moreover, passengers attempting to book a ticket immediately before their desired flight have access to priority registration on the website, with their data pushed up the quarantine list and given a special label to ensure an expedient review of their request, according to the statement.

The new measures come at a time when Egypt’s tourism sector has been struggling to recover from pressures caused by the fifth wave of the coronavirus pandemic that was brought about by the Omicron variant and — most recently — the Russian-Ukrainian war — the two largest tourism exporters to Egypt.

Egypt’s tourism sector had picked up momentum in the second half of 2021 in light of the return of Russian tourists to Sinai in August and Russia deciding to lift coronavirus restrictions on regular and charter flights to 52 “friendly” countries, including Egypt as of 9 April.

Following the setbacks caused by the spread of the coronavirus in early 2020, Egypt received 3.5 million tourists in the first six months of 2021. This represented revenues of $3.5 to $4 billion, which is almost equal to 2020’s revenues, according to the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

Egypt, which relies on tourism revenues as a vital source of foreign currency, has been taking measures to support the tourism sector’s recovery, including allowing hotels to run at full capacity while following strict coronavirus measures, according to sources.

Returning to routine cleansing

As part of the new decisions announced by the Department of Preventive Medicine, the exceptional sanitisation of planes after each flight will not be carried out anymore starting Sunday.

Instead, routine cleansing using isopropyl alcohol wipes will be followed again, in accordance with the operating schedules.

In the event of a suspected or confirmed coronavirus case being detected onboard, the plane will be disinfected under the supervision of the Quarantine Department, in accordance with the World Health Organisation’s guide to hygiene and sanitation in aviation .

Abdel-Ghaffar said the decision comes as the country is enjoying improvement in the epidemiological situation as indicated by the ministry’s  weekly update  on the pandemic nationwide.

Egypt has been reporting a drop in coronavirus cases and deaths as well as hospitalisation rates due to the pandemic over the past weeks.

The average daily coronavirus infection and deaths tolls in Egypt have continued to decline this past week, with the country reporting an average of 400 infections and seven deaths per day, according to the latest weekly update issued by the ministry on Saturday.

Travel procedures to Egypt

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Arts & Culture

Our magazine, haya karima.

Our magazine

74 nationalities can apply for tourist e-visa to egypt.

Mustafa Marie

Wed, 07 Jul 2021 - 01:04 GMT

Egypt's E-Visa Portal - Official page

CAIRO – 7 July 2021: Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that 28 new nationalities have been added to the 46 nationalities included in the system for obtaining an e-tourist visa, bringing the total number of nationalities that can obtain an e-visa to 74 nationalities from around the world.

This comes within the framework of the efforts exerted by the Egyptian state to push more inbound tourism to Egypt by facilitating the procedures for obtaining a tourist visa.

For her part, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Affairs Ghada Shalaby indicated that the modernization of this system comes 1 year after Egypt had resumed the incoming tourism movement on July 1, 2020, pointing out that this update will encourage many tourists of different nationalities to visit Egypt.

She explained that the portal for obtaining an e-tourist visa is supported in eight languages and answers the various inquiries of tourists. It also provides a secure electronic payment feature to pay the value of the tourist visa, which is $25 for a single entry or $60 for multiple entries. The visa is issued within a maximum period of 7 days.

Shalaby added that these updates are expected to have a positive impact on increasing the incoming tourist movement to Egypt, noting that tourists can obtain an electronic visa through the following link:

https://www.visa2egypt.gov.eg/

egyptian history

Tourism in egypt, egyptian culture, egyptian antiquities, egyptian museums, ministry of tourism & antiquities, egyptian landmarks, egypt tourist visa, e visa portal egypt.

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Grab a plate of koshary, one of Egypt’s many vegan-friendly national dishes.

Indulge in a traditional Egyptian country breakfast of feteer (flaky layered pastry) in Fayoum.

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Egypt Travel Advisory

Travel advisory july 13, 2023, egypt - level 3: reconsider travel.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Reconsider travel to Egypt due to  terrorism . Exercise increased caution in Egypt due to  the Embassy’s limited ability to assist dual national U.S.-Egyptian citizens who are arrested or detained.

Do not travel to:

• The Sinai Peninsula (with the exception of travel to Sharm El-Sheikh by air) due to  terrorism .
• The Western Desert due to  terrorism .
• Egyptian border areas due to  military zones .

Country Summary: Terrorist groups continue plotting attacks in Egypt. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, and have targeted diplomatic facilities, tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, western businesses, restaurants, resorts, and local government facilities. Terrorists have conducted attacks in urban areas, including in Cairo, despite the heavy security presence. Terrorists have targeted religious sites, to include mosques, churches, monasteries, and buses traveling to these locations.

Due to risks to civil aviation operating within or in the vicinity of Egypt, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and/or a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). For more information U.S. citizens should consult the  Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices .

Local law prohibits protesting or demonstrating without a permit. Being near anti-government protests can draw scrutiny from Egyptian police and security forces. U.S. citizens have been detained for participating in protests and for posting content on social media perceived as critical of Egypt or its allies.

The U.S. Embassy may have a limited ability to provide consular services to dual U.S.-Egyptian citizens. Egyptian law considers dual citizens to be Egyptian citizens.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Egypt.

If you decide to travel to Egypt:  

• Stay alert in locations frequented by Westerners.
• Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
• Obtain comprehensive medical insurance that includes medical evacuation.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)   to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on   Facebook   and   Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report   for Egypt.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest   Travel Health Information  related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the   Traveler’s Checklist .

Sinai Peninsula – Level 4: Do Not Travel The Sinai Peninsula remains a particularly dangerous area, with frequent attacks on security forces and civilians.

The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens anywhere in the Sinai Peninsula as U.S. government employees are not authorized to travel to these areas (with the exception of the beach resort of Sharm El-Sheikh; travel to Sharm El-Sheikh is only permitted by air). Visit our website for  Travel to High-Risk Areas .

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Warnings and insurance

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

Areas where FCDO advises against travel

Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice. Consular support is also severely limited where FCDO advises against travel.

Egypt-Libya border

FCDO advises against all travel to within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border, except for the town of El Salloum (where we advise against all but essential travel).

North Sinai

FCDO advises against all travel to the Governorate of North Sinai.

Northern part of South Sinai

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the northern part of the Governorate of South Sinai, beyond the St Catherine-Nuweibaa road, except for the coastal areas along the west and east of the peninsula.

The eastern part of Ismailiyah Governorate

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Ismailiyah Governorate east of the Suez Canal.

Western Desert

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions, except for:

• Luxor, Qina, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings
• the Governorate of Faiyum
• the coastal areas between the Nile Delta and Marsa Matruh
• the Marsa Matruh-Siwa Road
• the oasis town of Siwa
• the Giza Governorate north-east of the Bahariya Oasis
• the road between Giza and Farafra (but we advise against all but essential travel on the road between Bahariya and Siwa)
• Bahariya Oasis, Farafra, the White Desert and Black Desert

Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil Trapezoid

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the Hala’ib Triangle and the Bir Tawil Trapezoid.

Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel .

Conflict in neighbouring Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs)

The Israeli government has declared a state of emergency across the whole country. International borders in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) could close at short notice. As a result, the land border into Israel from Egypt at Taba could close with little notice. Check with local authorities and consult the travel advice for  Israel  and the  Occupied Palestinian Territories  before trying to cross the border.

In response to events in Israel and the OPTs, a number of demonstrations have taken place in Egypt and protests have been planned, including after Friday prayers. Demonstrations could take place at short notice, with a heavy security presence in place. You should avoid large gatherings, demonstrations and protests. See  Safety and security

Military activity in the region

On 13 April 2024 Iran carried out military action against Israel.

On 19 April, there have been reports of explosions in Iran, and unconfirmed reports of explosions in Syria and Iraq.

Monitor this travel advice and other media as the situation is changing fast. Follow and contact  FCDO  travel on  Twitter ,  Facebook  and  Instagram . You can also  get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.

Read  FCDO  advice on how to deal with a crisis overseas.

Entering Egypt from Gaza

The Rafah border crossing partially opened on 1 November. This is primarily to facilitate the evacuation of seriously wounded Palestinians and some foreign nationals. We understand that the crossing will continue to be open for controlled and time-limited periods to allow specific groups of foreign nationals, including British nationals, to cross. It is for the Egyptian and Israeli authorities to determine who is permitted to cross, and when. The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will contact Embassies to let them know when their foreign nationals can cross. Should we receive notification from the Israeli and Egyptian authorities that individuals are permitted to cross, we will notify those people individually.

Movement to the Rafah crossing and beyond is at your own risk. You should only travel if you judge it is safe to do so. Check the  Israel and The Occupied Palestinian Territories travel advice.

The Egyptian authorities have said all aid going into Gaza from Egypt must be channelled through the Egyptian Red Crescent:

• telephone: + 20 226 703 979, + 20 226 703 983
• fax: + 20 226 703 967

They are unlikely to consider requests for humanitarian access made in Egypt at short notice.

Concern for friends and family

If you are concerned about friends or family, or need consular assistance call:

• British Embassy Cairo on + 20 (0)2 2791 6000
• +44 1767 667 600  (UK number) if you experience technical difficulties with the above number

Incidents in South Sinai  

On 27 October, an Egyptian Armed Forces spokesperson confirmed that an unidentified drone fell near a medical facility in the Egyptian Red Sea resort town of Taba next to the Israeli border, injuring six people. An additional unidentified drone also struck outside the town of Nuweiba, though no casualties have been confirmed. The authorities are conducting ongoing investigations.

Incident in Alexandria

On 8 October 2023, an Egyptian police officer is reported to have shot and killed two Israeli tourists and an Egyptian tour guide in Alexandria. A third tourist was injured. Remain vigilant and exercise caution at tourist and religious sites, as well as public gatherings. Find out more information on current risks on the  Safety and security .

Border crossings from Sudan

There are still people trying to cross the border into Egypt at Argeen and Qustul. Our ability to provide consular assistance is very limited.

If you are a British national and have crossed the border without valid documentation, contact the British Embassy in Cairo for consular assistance on + 20 (0)2 2791 6000.

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide as well as support for British nationals abroad which includes:

• advice on preparing for travel abroad and reducing risks
• information for women, LGBT+ and disabled travellers

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

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If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

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We look forward to welcoming you at the Grand Egyptian Museum

The GEM Complex is now offering limited tours to test site readiness and the visitor experience ahead of the official opening. Access is currently limited to the Grand Hall, Grand Staircase, commercial area, and exterior gardens. All other interior spaces, including access to the galleries and collections, are restricted until the official opening.

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A beginner's guide to

Train travel in egypt.

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Train times & fares for key routes

International travel to/from egypt, route map: click for larger map.

Useful country information

How to check train times.

Timetables for Cairo-Alexandria & Cairo-Luxor-Aswan and several other routes are shown further down this page.  But here's how to check train times online:

Check train times at enr.gov.eg

Or download the enr app, or download a third-party app.

Back to top

How to buy tickets

Option 1, buy at the station.

Are tickets usually available on the day?

Most people end up buying tickets at the station, as options for booking Egyptian trains online are limited - although the sleeper trains between Cairo, Luxor & Aswan can be booked online easily enough.

Between Cairo & Alexandria it's normally easy to buy 1st class tickets on the day of travel or the day before.  If you find a particular train or class fully-booked, there will almost always be seats available on another train or in another class.  Availability is not normally a problem.

Between Cairo & Luxor or Aswan it's better to book a few days ahead, although you may well find seats available at least on some trains if you book on the day or the day before.

How to check availability

You can use the ENR website or (if it's down) the ENR app to check seat availability, even if they won't let you buy online.  Run an enquiry for today or tomorrow and see how many seats remain available on each train.  That should give you the confidence to buy in person at the station a day or two ahead, even if you're normally obsessed with booking everything months in advance.

Foreigners Reservation Office, Cairo Ramses station

In Cairo there's a special Foreigner's Reservation Office, you can buy all your tickets here.  As from 15 December 2022, foreigners need to pay special higher fares, so you can't use the normal ticket windows.

Walk into the main hall at Cairo Ramses station (passing through security at the station entrance) and head up the escalators to the mezzanine floor with the foodcourt.  Head for the left-hand side of the mezzanine floor and enter a corridor.  Walk along that corridor, following the signs to the Foreigner's Reservation Office.

Payment for train tickets

Self-service ticket machines

Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan stations have self-service ticket machines with a touch screen and an English language facility.  If & when working (some or all may be out of action as this is Egypt!), these are quicker & easier than going to the staffed ticket counters.  The machines can sell train tickets complete with reservation for all main routes & trains and on a good day they accept overseas credit cards (remember I said 'only on a good day'!).  Many machines have fallen into disrepair, by all means look for one that works, some still do and if so, should accept overseas cards.  However, it's not clear if these can cope with the new foreigner prices, I bet they can't.  If you try these machines, let me know !

Tickets for the Cairo-Luxor-Aswan sleeper

The Cairo-Luxor-Aswan deluxe sleeper can be booked online or booked in person at the separate Abela Trains Reservation Office at Cairo Ramses station, located on the outside of the western facade of the station building, next to Station Entrance 1, an archway or two to the right of the impressive locked-shut main door.  The office location is marked on this satellite view of Cairo station .  Tickets must be paid for foreign currency, either US dollars, euros or pounds sterling.  Originally you had to pay in cash, but in 2022 it was reported that credit cards are now accepted.  There are also Abela offices at Luxor & Aswan stations.

The sleeper usually has berths available if you book a day or two in advance, but at peak tourist times such as Easter it gets fully-booked by tour groups, so pre-booking is recommended.

Option 2, buy online at Bookaway.com

Why use Bookaway?

What can they sell?

www.bookaway.com can book 1st & 2nd class seats on the most popular air-conditioned express trains between Cairo, Giza, Luxor & Aswan, and between Cairo & Alexandria.  It can also sell tickets for the Cairo-Luxor/Aswan sleeper trains.

When does booking open?

How are tickets delivered?

Option 3, buy online at enr.gov.eg

Egyptian National Railways (ENR) relaunched its website in January 2023

enr.gov.eg is the official Egyptian National Railways website.  After being offline for some weeks over Christmas 2022, it came back again with a Beta version of an all-new website.  However, it doesn't appear to show the new higher foreigner fares, and it only shows a handful of 'selected' trains.

Update 2024:  The website went down again in summer 2023, in September 2023 it came back up, but says booking is for Egyptian nationals only, booking for foreigners is under construction.  You can still use it to check train times, they will be more accurate than most other websites , but until it's sorted you'll have to buy using Bookaway as shown above or buy in person at the station .

It may adjust train times to your own time zone

Which isn't terribly helpful!  In other words, when you use the site on a laptop located in the UK 2 hours behind Egyptian time, it says train 980 leaves Cairo at 06:00 meaning 06:00 UK time, when the train actually leaves at 08:00 Egyptian time.  If you used the website on a computer in New York, it'd say the train left at 01:00!  It may or may not still be doing this, but keep your wits about you.

What can it book?

It can currently only book tickets for a handful of selected air-conditioned express trains between Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan.  At the current soft-launch stage, that's it.

It won't book the Cairo-Luxor-Aswan deluxe sleeper trains, see the next section for sleepers .  It won't book 2nd & 3rd class non-air-con tickets for slower ordinary or Russian trains.  It won't sell tickets to smaller stations such as Edfu, Kom Ombo or El Alamein.

Booking opens 2 weeks before departure, and closes 2 days before departure.  If you try to book more than 2 weeks before you want to go, it says there's no availability.  So wait until booking opens.  If you need tickets for today or tomorrow, you must buy at the station.

Can foreign tourists use this system?

Sort of!  It currently doesn't show the new higher foreigner fares, only the normal Egyptian fare.  So go ahead and pay the normal rate, then either (a) see if anyone charges you extra on the train, or (b) go to the foreigners ticket office, show your online ticket and offer to pay the extra.  But if you book online you know you're safely booked on the train!  The old ENR website happily accepted most non-Egyptian credit cards, and I've had at least one person confirm that they successfully used the revamped post-January-2023 ENR website to buy tickets.

4 people per booking maximum

You can only book 4 people at a time.  If you want to book more, you'll have to make two bookings and if necessary open two accounts.

How to use it

Go to enr.gov.eg , it opens in Arabic (eventually, it's slow!), change ar to en top left for English .

Click Sign up and enter your email.  They send you a code to enter to verify your email.  When your account has been set up, log in again.  Run an enquiry on a date within the next 2 weeks, remember you can't book further ahead than this.

You are sent an email with reservation details with date, time, train number, car & seat number.  You print this out and can board the train with this printout and the credit card used to make the booking, as long as the main named traveller is the owner of the credit card.  If you've used someone else's card, then you'll need a photocopy of the front of the credit card, passport, and reservation details.

Feedback would be welcome if you use this system, successfully or unsuccessfully.  If you have problems or if it's down, try the app.

Option 4, buy using the ENR app

An official Egyptian National Railways (ENR) mobile phone app is available for iPhone and for Android and you can use it to buy tickets.  Or more accurately, you may be able to use it to buy tickets, because it works for some people and doesn't for others.

Update 2024 :  The app now says it's for Egyptians online.  It's not currently working for non-Egyptians.

The app works like the website, it now accepts foreigner's passport numbers and on a good day it will accept overseas credit cards.  Several travellers have reported using the app to buy tickets successfully - even when the ENR website was down.  However. one or two others report that it wouldn't accept their credit card.  So give it a go and see.

You can at least use the app to check train times and availability, even if you then have to buy in person at the station.

Be warned, like the website it unhelpfully shows train times transmogrified to your own local time zone, not in Egyptian time, although when you get the email confirmation after buying tickets this will show the correct departure time in Egyptian local time.

Option 5, buy sleeper tickets at Abelatrains.com

The deluxe sleeper train between Cairo & Luxor/Aswan is privately-run and has a separate booking system.  From 2 August 2023 it's operated by a company called Abela Trains, the contract was previously held by a company called Ernst and branded Watania Sleeping Trains.

Use the Abela website

You can buy tickets online at Abelatrains.com .

Booking opens 4 to 5 months ahead, this may vary.

Tip:   When completing the online booking form, it won't work if you leave any of the fields blank.  For example, if you don't have a middle name, enter a dot.

Tip:   If booking 2 people in a 2-berth sleeper, at the point where you enter your passenger data, make sure you select Yes under Family .  That ensures you are given 2 beds in the same compartment.  Otherwise you may get berths in separate compartments each shared with another passenger of the same gender.

Or use the Abela app

Their website does work, but if you have any problems, download the Abela app for iPhone or Abela app for Android .  The app usually works even if the website doesn't.  For English, click the language button top left, labelled with an 'A' for Arabic.

You print your own ticket and can board the train with that printout.  Feedback appreciated .

If neither website nor app work for you

Reliable agency www.bookaway.com can book these sleeper trains for you with a small mark-up.

Alternatively, contact Abela by phone or fax, fax your booking request to + 202 37 489 680 quoting your email address or phone their reservation office on + 202 374 893 88 or + 202 374 894 88 (lines open 09:00 to 15:00 Egyptian time, daily except Fridays, English spoken, feedback appreciated !).

They will email you a booking reference and you can pick up the tickets and pay for them in Egyptian pounds, US Dollars or euros at the Abela reservation office.

What are Egyptian trains like ?

There are two broad categories of train in Egypt, express trains and ordinary trains .

Express trains are air-conditioned with 1st & 2nd class seats and refreshments, they are all-reserved and tickets come with a specific assigned seat.

Ordinary trains are generally slower, are unreserved (so can be crowded) with non-air-con 2nd & 3rd class, although a few trains convey an air-con 2nd class car with reserved seats and some trains with the new Russian-built carriages have air-conditioned 3rd class which is perfectly acceptable.

The air-conditioned expresses further divide into two main groups, VIP with more modern carriages and Spanish with much older (but still comfortable) carriages.

Most visitors understandably stick with the air-conditioned expresses, although I've used a 2nd & 3rd class slow train between Aswan & Luxor, the advantages are opening windows and lots of local colour.  A fleet of new Russian-designed carriages is slowly coming into service from 2020/2021 onwards, initially replacing older cars on slow trains, but in due course will also operate some air-con express services.  If you travel on one of these, let me know!

Lastly we have the 'deluxe' sleeper train which provides time-effective travel between Cairo and Upper Egypt.  This has been outsourced to a private company.

Talgo trains

These are being introduced in 2023, and now work several Cairo-Alexandria services in each direction.  They are modern air-conditioned articulated trains built by the Talgo company, each car is much shorter and smaller than a conventional carriage and there is just one axle under each articulation.  These are now Egypt's premier expresses, with 1st & 2nd class and a buffer counter.  On some departures you may be offered a meal served at your seat, veg or non-veg, typical cost around LE 150, about £4 or $5.  They may give you a meal and come back for payment later, it is not included in the fare.  See video of a Cairo to Alexandria journey by Talgo .

VIP special express trains

These are the best trains (or were, until the first Talgo trains entered service), running on both the Cairo-Alexandria and Cairo-Luxor-Aswan routes.  They're shown as Special Service OD on the Egyptian Railways website enr.gov.eg , and as VIP trains on most other apps & websites.  It will say Special on your ticket.  They are fully air-conditioned with 1st & 2nd class (AC1 & AC2) and a cafe counter, all tickets come with a specific reserved seat.  A refreshment trolley comes down the train selling tea, coffee & soft drinks.  Seats can be rotated to face either way - or to create a bay of 4 for families - by pressing a foot pedal.  These trains consist of stainless-steel cars with bodyshells built in China, assembled in Egypt, over 200 of which were delivered 2015-16.  On some departures you may be offered a meal served at your seat, veg or non-veg, typical cost around LE 150, about £4 or $5.  They may give you a meal and come back for payment later, it is not included in the fare.

Express trains

These mostly use older air-conditioned cars built in Spain, as shown in the photos below.  They are shown as Speed AC Spanish on the Egyptian Railways website enr.gov.eg and as just AC or Air-Conditioned on most other apps & websites .   They have comfortable 1st & 2nd class (AC1 & AC2) seating, all tickets come with a specific reserved seat.  A refreshment trolley usually comes down the train selling tea, coffee & soft drinks.  Seats can be rotated to face either way - or to create a bay of 4 for families - by pressing a foot pedal.  These trains also operate on both the Cairo-Alexandria and Cairo-Luxor-Aswan routes.

Several Cairo-Alexandria expresses use stainless-steel cars built in France in the 1980s, remarkably similar in design to the Chinese/Egyptian VIP cars but much older, with an almost-identical window arrangement including the venetian blinds between panes of double-glazing.  Such trains include Cairo-Alex train 911, 915, 919 & 923 and Alex-Cairo train 922.  Notices posted at stations may (correctly) refer to these as French trains, but the Egyptian Railways website lists both Spanish and French trains as Speed AC Spanish, just to confuse you.

Ordinary trains

Ordinary trains are much slower, with non-air-conditioned 2nd & 3rd class seats.  They are unreserved, you sit where you like, which means at busy times they may be crowded.  Few visitors bother with these trains, although there's no reason why you shouldn't use them if you like.  One advantage is that without air-con the windows open, which is better for seeing and photographing the Nile Valley.  I once took one from Aswan to Luxor as that's only a short hop, my train wasn't crowded, a breeze blew through the open windows, and I met some interesting Egyptian people on board.

A few trains - shown as Ord+ in the timetables on this page - convey one or two air-conditioned 2nd class cars with reserved seats, of the same sort as the 2nd class air-con cars on the Spanish express trains .  These air-con 2nd class cars are a good way to travel between Cairo and Port Said, Suez or Mersa Matruh, or even Alexandria if the express trains are fully-booked.

Latest reports (2024) suggest foreigners are being refused tickets for non-air-con cars on these trains, at least at the main stations, unacceptable discrimination.  You could try buying an air-con ticket, then board one of these trains for the experience and the open-window photographic opportunities.  On the other hand, it's reported that the ticket offices at small local stations are often unaware of the existence of 'foreigner fares' and will sell tickets for local trains at local prices, no problem.  It's the main stations such as Luxor, Aswan, Cairo and Alex where difficulties arise.

New Russian trains

The first batch of new carriages built in Russia & Hungary were delivered in 2020-2021.  This huge order includes 500 pressure-ventilated 3rd class cars (shown as GA3 class, GA = Good Air ), 500 air-conditioned 3rd class cars (the first air-conditioned 3rd class cars in Egypt, shown as AC3), 210 air-conditioned 2nd class cars (AC2) and 90 air-conditioned 1st class cars (AC1).  The first batch of these cars has now replaced older 2nd & 3rd class non-air-con cars on many Alexandria-Cairo & Cairo-Asyut-Luxor ordinary trains and they may turn up on air-con expresses in due course.  If you travel on one and get any better interior photos, please let me know .

Deluxe sleeper trains

One or two comfortable sleeper trains link Cairo & Giza with Luxor & Aswan in each direction, with air-conditioned sleeping-cars and a lounge car, see the photos below.  Often referred to as 'deluxe' sleeper trains, they're comfortable with fresh clean bedding and on-board catering.  However, this is Egypt and the carpet may be a bit dusty or frayed so don't let the term 'deluxe' give you unreasonable expectations!  Foreigners are charged higher fares than Egyptian nationals.

Egyptian National Railways have outsourced the operation of these sleeper trains, from 2 August 2023 they're operated by a company called Abela Trains.  Abela took over from former contractor Ernst, who branded the service Watania Sleeping Trains .  You may still see this brand in odd places online.

Trains 86 (southbound) & 87 (northbound) run every day all year, trains 82/83 run at peak periods.  It's the most time-effective way to travel between Cairo & Luxor or Aswan and it's also a genuine Egyptian experience in its own right.

The sleeping-cars have secure & lockable compartments each of which can be sold as a single with only the lower berth folded out, or as a double with both upper & lower berths in use.  The berths fold away to reveal a sofa for evening and morning use, the middle of the three sofa seats folds down to form a table as you can see in the photos.

Each compartment has a washbasin, soap, towel & clean bedding are provided.  There's a 2-pin shaver socket near the sink which can be used to recharge cameras & mobiles with a suitable adaptor.  Luggage goes in your compartment with you, there's a recess over the door for large bags so they don't have to go on the floor.

The fare includes a basic airline-style tray-meal in the evening and a simple breakfast, although tea & coffee are charged for.  Room service can serve drinks in your compartment at extra cost.  The sleeping-cars are non-smoking, but you can smoke if you need to in the vestibules at each end of the carriage.  There is a connecting door between adjacent pairs of compartments which can be opened if 3 or 4 of you occupy both compartments.

Passengers travelling alone who don't want to pay the single-berth fare can book one bed in a 2-berth and share with another passenger of the same sex.

There is a lounge car roughly in the centre of the train serving drinks & snacks, see the photos below.

The sleeping-cars used on these trains were built in East Germany in the 1980s, a few cars retain their original classy German interiors (if your washbasin has a flat top, that's a give-away) but most have been refurbished with shiny fibreglass panels and a half-sphere washbasin cover as shown in the photos below.  Similarly, the photos below show a lounge car which has been refurbished to look old-fashioned, I believe there is at least one lounge car which retains its original 1980s interior with free-standing tables & chairs which ironically looks more modern.  Plans to build new sleeper trains were announced in 2020, but any new trains are still some years away.

For more information see Abelatrains.com .  Watch the sleeper video .  Sleeper train times & fares .  How to book the sleeper .

Cairo Ramses station   Location map

All mainline trains use Cairo's impressive main station, often called Ramses station.  The first station opened here in 1856, the current building dates from 1892.  It was extended in 1955 and modernised in the 2010s with marble flooring and air-conditioning.  The station is both a through station and a terminus, the main station building sits next to seven terminus platforms, with four through platforms running alongside, see Google Maps satellite view station plan .

Express trains to Alexandria normally leave from the terminus platforms, numbered 1-7 from right to left (1-4 are under the impressive trainshed, 5-7 alongside).  The VIP express trains to Alex typically leave from platform 4.

Trains to Luxor & Aswan leave from the four through platforms, numbered 8, 9, 10 & 11.  A passageway leads from the main concourse to platform 8.  A subway leads under the tracks to platforms 9, 10 & 11.  Sleeper train 86 and VIP train 980 to Luxor & Aswan both usually leave from platform 8, easily accessible from the main concourse.

There are more terminus platforms on the far side of the station, numbered 12 upwards, used by northbound ordinary trains.  You are unlikely to need these.  There is also a separate station, known as Cairo Pont Limon (and shown on apps as Cairo Allimon or El-Qahira El-Liamoon), just southeast of the main station.  This handles local trains into the Delta, again you're unlikely to need this.

Security on entry:   All bags are X-rayed as you enter the station, although anecdotally it seems they aren't interested in what you have on you when you walk through the metal detector, it's bags they really want to check.  Once inside, the station has a ticket office, left luggage office, tourist office, ATMs, and a food court.  The Abela sleeper office is at the front of the station next to the main entrance, before you go through security.

Foreigners Reservation Office:   See the how to buy tickets section .

Deluxe sleeper ticket office:   See the how to buy tickets section .

Access to the platforms:   Automatic ticket gates were installed at the entrance to platforms in 2022.  You now need a valid ticket to access the platforms.

Travel tips

How to find your train & seat.   The main departure boards at major stations such as Cairo or Alexandria show train number, platform, destination.  They switch between Arabic and Western script/numerals every few seconds.  Each platform at Cairo Ramses station has an LED display showing the departure time, train number & destination of the train at that platform. 

There's no check in, you just go and get on your train any time before departure, but remember there's a baggage X-ray check at the entrance to the station.  I'd be at the station half an hour before.

Cairo to Alexandria

The best way to travel between Alexandria and Cairo is by train.  There are two broad categories of train, air-conditioned expresses with comfortable 1st & 2nd class reserved seats, and slower ordinary trains with basic non-air-con unreserved 2nd & 3rd class seats, many now composed of new Russian-built carriages.  Most visitors stick with the air-conditioned expresses, which are highlighted below in bold type .

The air-conditioned expresses further divide into three types, the new premier Talgo trains , the second-rank VIP express trains (shown on the ENR website as Special and on most other apps & websites as VIP) , and the older Spanish or French express trains , shown on the ENR website as Speed and on most other apps & websites as just AC .  All are comfortable and can be recommended, the Talgo trains are easily the best (as good as anything in western Europe), the VIP trains are good but not quite as modern, and the Spanish trains much more worn.

Timetable northbound

Timetable southbound, notes for the timetable.

Bold type = Air-conditioned express trains.  Most visitors will want one of these.

Talgo = new articulated train made by the Talgo company, being introduced from January 2023.  1st & 2nd class, air-conditioned, higher fares.

VIP = VIP special express train , extra-fast air-conditioned express with 1st & 2nd class reserved seats & refreshments, using stainless-steel carriages built in China/Egypt in 2015-16.  Most only stop at Tanta & Sidi Gaber, or just Sidi Gaber.  These are the best trains, higher fares apply than for the Spanish trains.  Shown on enr.gov.eg as Special Service OD, and on most other apps & websites as VIP, see the photos above .

Exp = Express train , fast air-conditioned express with 1st & 2nd class reserved seats & refreshments, using either red & white Spanish carriages or French stainless-steel carriages.  Comfortable & recommended, but older than the VIP trains.  They are all shown on enr.gov.eg as Speed AC Spanish and on other apps & websites as AC , see photos above , although notices posted at stations may correctly identify which are Spanish trains and which French trains .

* Tip:   Train 89 is an overnight through service from Aswan & Luxor to Alexandria, best avoided for Cairo-Alexandria journeys as it may be delayed.

Ru = Russian train .  Composed of new Russian-built carriages, 2nd & 3rd class anon-air-con, may have some 2nd & 3rd class air-con carriages.

Ord = Ordinary train , 2nd & 3rd class unreserved seats, non-air-con, not normally used by tourists, see the photo above .

Ord+ = Ordinary train , 2nd & 3rd class unreserved seats, non-air-con, also conveys one or more cars of air-conditioned 2nd class reserved seats.

How to buy tickets .  Check these times & fares online or using an app as shown above . 

Hotels in Alexandria:   The two classic hotels right on the Corniche are the famous Cecil Hotel & the Metropole Hotel .  Both hotels are a 19-minute 1.4 km walk or 11 minute taxi ride from Alexandria station.

Cairo-Alexandria is 208 km (129 miles).  All these trains call at Sidi Gaber, a local station 3 km from Alexandria's main station.

Children aged 0 to 3 travel free, children 4 to 9 travel at half fare, children 10 and over pay full fare.

New higher prices for foreigners were introduced in December 2022, these are the 2024 prices.  You can pay in USD, Euros or Egyptian pounds.

This is by far the easiest option, and the least hassle.  www.bookaway.com is a reliable agency, you pay a reasonable agency mark-up but it's a painless way to get your train tickets booked in advance from outside Egypt.

www.bookaway.com can book seats on all the most popular air-conditioned express trains between Cairo and Alexandria, although it can't book every possible train or book to/from smaller stations.

Bookaway will give you details of how to contact their agent at least 10 hours before departure to arrange local ticket delivery to your hotel.

Alexandria station

Cairo to luxor & aswan.

The deluxe sleeper is the most comfortable & time-effective way to travel between Cairo & Luxor or Aswan, in effect as fast as flying, but far more of a genuine Egyptian experience and better for the environment, too.  It's more expensive than normal trains, but it saves a hotel bill.  You'll still see Nile Valley scenery in the morning, at least going southbound to Aswan.

If time is tight, go sleeper both ways, but personally I'd go one way by sleeper and the other by daytime train, to experience the train ride along the Nile Valley.  Incidentally, travelling overnight in a seat saves time and is cheap, but not comfortable, I'd either splurge on a sleeper or take a daytime train.

I have highlighted the deluxe sleeper train and the best air-conditioned daytime train in bold type .  I recommend that particular daytime train (980/981) as it's the best VIP type , it'll show you most of the route in daylight, and an hour or two delay won't mean arriving at silly o'clock.  By all means take another train if you prefer, for example train 2010 southbound or trains 2011 or 983 northbound, all Spanish trains .  Most visitors stick with the air-conditioned expresses (marked VIP or Exp below) but even ordinary non-air-con trains can be fine for short hops, for example when travelling between Qena, Luxor, Kom Ombo, Edfu & Aswan.

Notes for timetable

* = sleeper train 82/83 only runs at peak periods.  86/87 runs every day.

**  = New Talgo train , 1st & 2nd class air-conditioned with premium fares, only runs every second night.

Bold type = recommended daytime train & sleeper train for journeys between Cairo & Upper Egypt.  But by all means take one of the others.

Sleeper = Deluxe sleeper train , sleeping-cars & lounge car.  Special fares apply.  Can be used between Luxor & Aswan, sitting in empty sleepers in seats mode.  Run by Abela Trains, Abelatrains.com .

VIP = VIP special express train with air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class reserved seats & refreshments, using modern stainless-steel carriages built in China/Egypt in 2015-16.  These are the best trains, higher fares apply.  Shown on enr.gov.eg as Special Service OD and on most other apps & websites as VIP , see the photos above .

Exp = Express train with air-conditioned 1st & 2nd class reserved seats & refreshments, using Spanish-built carriages.  Also comfortable, but older than the VIP trains.  Shown on enr.gov.eg as Speed AC Spanish and on other apps & websites as just AC, see the photos above .

Ord = Ordinary train , 2nd & 3rd class seats, unreserved, slower, not air-conditioned, not normally used by tourists (fine for short hops).

Giza station is a fair way from the Giza Pyramids, but if you're staying out that way it can be better than going into Cairo city centre.  You can travel between Cairo & Giza on the Cairo Metro, www.cairometro.gov.eg .

Al Balyana is the station for the Great Temple of Abydos , a 22-minute 9.8 km taxi ride from the station.

Qena is the station for the Dendera temple complex , a 22-minute 9.3 km taxi ride from the station.

Recommended hotel in Luxor:   The famous & fabulous Old Winter Palace Hotel is a Luxor highlight in its own right, request a room in the old part of the hotel, not in the 1970s extension.  The hotel is a 14 minute 1.1 km walk or 4 minute taxi ride from Luxor station.

Cairo to Luxor is 671km (419 miles).  Cairo to Aswan is 879 km (549 miles).

How to buy tickets .  Check these times & fares online or using an app as shown above .  See the section on tourist restrictions .

Fares are one-way, a return is simply two one-ways.

Children aged 0 to 3 travel free, children 4 to 9 travel at two-thirds fare, children 10 and over pay full fare.  

On the deluxe sleeper train, children aged 4 to 9 pay $70 one-way, children under 4 go free but without a berth - you pay child rate if you want them to have a bed.

The new higher prices for foreigners were introduced in December 2022, the fares shown above are for 2024.   Although foreigners have always had to pay higher prices than Egyptians for the sleeper trains.  You can pay in USD, Euros or Egyptian pounds.

Tickets for seats:

www.bookaway.com can book seats on all the most popular air-conditioned express trains between Cairo/Giza and Luxor/Aswan, although it can't book every possible train or book to/from smaller stations.

Tickets for sleepers

Travelling by day on an air-con express

They're not as time-effective as the overnight sleeper of course, but the daytime air-conditioned express trains are safe, comfortable and incredibly cheap - and best of all, the journey is an insight into Egyptian life.  It's a pleasant ride along the Nile Valley, past palm trees, feluccas, camels and fellahin working in the fields.  You will see how the Nile makes a small strip of land green either side of the river before the desert resumes.  See the traveller's report below about a journey on these daytime Upper Egypt trains.

Travelling overnight in air-con seats

If you don't mind sleeping in a seat, which not a very nice or comfortable experience, these overnight trains save time compared with daytime trains but cost much less than the deluxe sleeper.  Take a fleece or jumper as the air-con can be powerful.

Travellers' reports:  The sleeper

Traveller Sean Sickinger reports:   "On the ticket you're advised to be on the platform at least 30 minutes before departure, although this doesn't mean the train will be on time! On my trip, the train was 30 minutes late leaving and nearly 2 hours late into Luxor, so factor a possible delay into your plans.  Giza mainline station is right next to Giza metro station and there are a few small shops selling snacks or water, plus a small restaurant.  At the station there are small numbers hanging from the platform canopy, these indicate the approximate location of the carriages so if you're booked in car 6, stand next to sign number 6. Don't expect to find any Abela staff on the platform, just wait for the sleeper train on the main platform with everyone else.  You may be approached by people with official looking notebooks offering to help you who ask you for your ticket, but don't show it to them - they write down your name and destination as if they were verifying your ticket, then call their buddies in Luxor who will approach using your name and claiming they are there to pick you up, a basic taxi and hotel scam.  Once the train arrives at the platform, Abela staff will step out in front of each carriage to check your ticket and make sure you get into the right car & compartment. The onboard staff are generally very friendly and helpful.  Car numbers are posted just inside each entrance door, but not outside the train. After the train leaves and people have settled into their compartments, the staff bring you your dinner, as selected when you book your ticket.  The meals are similar to what you would get on an airline, although fairly heavy on breads & starches!  Breakfast is served about one hour prior to arrival at your destination, again, heavy on the bread.  Don't expect the same level of smoothness as a European overnight train, as there's a certain amount of jostling and vibration from the tracks, but overall this is not a bad option to get from Cairo to Luxor or Aswan."

Traveller Jess Painter took the sleeper from Cairo to Luxor and back:   "When boarding from Cairo to Luxor, no-one asked for a marriage certificate, although they checked our tickets as we boarded - onto the wrong carriage, telling us it was the right one, of course!  They serve dinner within an hour which was a piece of breaded chicken, rice, vegetables, potato wedges and some sort of cake.  I preferred to eat my tuna sandwiches but my friend ate the train food happily enough.  An hour later, just after 10pm, they come around to turn the seats into beds.  Next time I'll ask for this to be done straight away as the beds are much more comfortable than the seats, two people can sit on the bottom bunk playing cards very comfortably.  The rooms have a sink so you can brush your teeth, with bottled water if you have some, and there's a power socket so you can keep everything charged in the case of a delay.  There is a lounge car on the train but it didn't appear to be open, no drinks were available so people must take their own, alcohol included if you want to sleep better!  Breakfast was very basic, something claiming to be a croissant, a bread roll and a selection of jam, butter and cheese spread.  They also serve tea and coffee, which I don't drink but my friend said they were disgusting!  The toilets are cleaned at regular intervals but you have to time it right. There are two toilets per carriage. You might go in one time and have a horrendous greeting and decide to wait you might go in another time and feel comfortable enough to use the facilities! They permit smoking on the trains but not in the cabins, only at either end of the carriage. So it's best to leave your door shut so the wafting smoke doesn't enter your cabin, even though this can feel a little claustrophobic at times!  Very easy to pick up a taxi from outside the station once in Luxor, it's LE20 (£2) to any hotel (don't pay any extra), but if you can use some broken Arabic you will get them down to LE10, begrudgingly.  The return journey was much the same except that tickets weren't checked on the platform, again no marriage certificate check.  Tickets were not even checked on board.  We asked for our beds to be made up immediately, passed on dinner as it was already 10.30pm when we boarded, and we slept right through until 8am.  I had slept badly on the outward trip, thinking that the bunk bed was going to fall due to the rockiness of the train, but knowing what to expect made the return journey easier and we were so sleepy after a 5am hot air balloon ride that it was a very comfortable ride.  We were then delayed three hours and the 'carriage host' couldn't say where we were, how far we were from Cairo or anything so we had GPS out on the iPhone trying to locate ourselves.  It was a very successful journey and one I would recommend to anyone and definitely do again!"

Traveller's report s:  Day trains

Travellers' report:  visiting the temples at abydos & dendera, el alamein & mersa matruh.

Buy tickets at the station, see the advice here .

Cairo & Alexandria to Port Said

Or you can tickets for 2nd class air-con reserved seats on trains marked Ord+ at the ENR website, see the advice in the How to buy tickets section above .

Cairo to Suez

Sharm el sheik , hurghada, siwa, sharm el sheik (sinai) - cairo, sharm el sheik - luxor, hurghada - cairo, hurghada - luxor, international buses & ferries.

There are no international trains from Egypt, but buses will get you to Libya, there's a ferry to Jordan and a Nile steamer from Aswan to Sudan.  There are now NO Mediterranean ferries to Egypt, from anywhere in Europe, at all.

Cairo - Amman (Jordan) - Damascus (Syria) - Istanbul (Turkey)

You can travel from Egypt to Jordan without going via Israel, using a ferry.  Here are details northbound - for the southbound journey see the Jordan page .

A bus usually leaves Cairo main bus station at around 08:00, taking about 6 hours to reach Nuweiba.  It's run by the Shark el Delta Bus Co.

A ferry sails leaves Nuweiba every day at 12:00, arriving Aqaba 15:00, see www.abmaritime.com.jo .

Cairo - Tripoli (Libya) - Tunis (Tunisia) - Morocco

Cairo - aswan - wadi halfa - khartoum (sudan):  see the sudan page, uk to egypt without flying.

It's now ridiculously difficult to get to Egypt without flying.

Option 1:  London to Egypt by train & ferry

Option 2:  london to egypt overland via paris, vienna, istanbul, syria & jordan.

Obviously, the situation in Syria has now scotched this route too, as all travel to or through Syria is currently inadvisable. 

G uidebooks

Click the images to buy at amazon.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters or areas you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website , from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

Hotels in Egypt

In Cairo , the famous Shepheards Hotel , beloved of British officers in two world wars was burned down in 1952, although the name is now (mis)used by a modern hotel.  The Windsor Hotel had old-world charm and character, a traveller's favourite, but has sadly closed.  On a budget, try the Hotel Carlton for comfort with character, 1.3km from Cairo station.  For something more upmarket, the Steigenberger el Tahrir is also in the city centre, in an excellent location overlooking Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum.

In Luxor , easily the most classic place to stay is the famous and fabulous Old Winter Palace Hotel , from $109 or £55 a night.  At least have a drink in the bar!  Tip:  Request a room in the old part of the hotel, not in the 1970s extension.

In Alexandria , the most famous & historic hotel is the Cecil Hotel (from about $153 or £100 a room), now part of the Steigenberger chain, right on the corniche.  Also try the Metropole Hotel across the square, slightly cheaper with great art deco features and a lift dating from 1932, from $80 or £55 a night.

Backpacker hostels

www.hostelworld.com :  If you're on a tight budget, don't forget about backpacker hostels.  Hostelworld offers online booking of cheap private rooms or dorm beds in backpacker hostels in most cities at rock-bottom prices.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  W hy you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from Buy from Amazon.com .

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