FORUM ON ADVANCING THEORY ON NATIONAL IT POLICY
CAIRO, EGYPT
OCTOBER, 2004
Sponsored by:
- National Science Foundation Grant # INT-0322501
- Georgia State University
- American University in Cairo (AUC)
- Social Research Center, AUC
IN, OUT and AROUND CAIRO
Flights to Cairo from the United States. Flights to Cairo typically include a European stopover. They usually leave the United States in the evening and arrive in the connecting European destination the next day. One then travels from Europe to Cairo arriving in late afternoon or evening. We have found that coach airfares range from $750 to $1800, depending on airline, point of origin, advance purchase, and class of ticket.
There is a six-hour time difference between Cairo and Eastern Standard Time. Cairo is in the +2 GMT zone.
Flights to Cairo from Other Destinations. There is tremendous variability for flight arrangements from any one specific location outside of the U.S. As with flying from US to Cairo, the cost of flights from other destinations to Cairo can be minimized by comparative shopping.
Visas and Money Exchange. Visa requirements vary by the passport with which you travel. We encourage you to consult an Egyptian Embassy to verify the requirements for your particular passport.
All US citizens are required to obtain a visa which may be purchased at the airport upon your arrival in Egypt. Visas are purchased at kiosks of the Egyptian banks, located PRIOR to the immigration check point. You must have US$15 in cash.
You may exchange money at the kiosks when you buy your visa. The currency is known as the Egyptian Pound and is abbreviated as LE. You will need Egyptian pounds to get to the hotel (the cab drivers will not take credit or debit cards).
Travel from the Airport to the Hotel. Upon exiting customs and entering the arrivals hall you will be beleaguered and confronted by dozens of cab drivers. There is a range of vehicles from limousines and vans to standard (non air-conditioned) cabs. Most cabs are in reasonable condition, but some are in appalling condition. You may want to look at the vehicle before committing to the trip.
Most drivers are honest, but you will need to negotiate upfront the price of the trip to the hotel. This price should be in Egyptian pounds. Few will have English language skills but they will understand the basics: name of the hotel and the numbers of Egyptian pounds you are offering for the trip to the hotel.
What should you offer the driver? First, there will be a basic fee for the trip itself and then there will be an additional tip (baksheesh). A reasonable basic fee for a standard cab is LE 40. A reasonable basic fee for a limousine or van is LE 80. Reasonable baksheesh is LE 10 in both cases.
The trip from the airport to the hotel takes about 20 minutes with light traffic and 40 minutes with heavy traffic.
Baksheesh. Tipping in Egypt is an art form. You will find people asking for baksheesh in almost every conceivable circumstance. Always keep small change with you. Our rule of thumb is very simple: if someone provides a service that you asked for or that you acquiesced to, then you should tip. Tips range from one to ten pounds with the latter being generous. You may find more information on the art and history of tipping at:
http://www.egyptmagic.com/story_baksheesh.htm.
Touring Cairo. Main attractions in the vicinity of Cairo include: Saqquara (the ancient city of Memphis), the Giza Pyramids and its evening light show, Old Islamic Cairo, Old Coptic Christian Cairo, the Egyptian Museum, the Citadel, and the Khan Khalili Bazaar, among others. The best way to find out about these tourist destinations is to get a good travel book and decide for yourself what interests you.
Touring outside of Cairo. There are daytrips from Cairo to Alexandria and the Suez Canal. The best way to get to Alexandria is via the train, departing from Ramses station. It takes 1h 15m and costs US$ 7 each way for first class seating. You can buy the tickets at the station prior to departure. To travel to the Suez Canal, it is easiest to rent a cab for the day. This should cost you about LE 150 plus LE 15 baksheesh.
Egypt offers other exciting destinations that require more than one day. You may fly to Luxor, Aswan, and Sharm el-Sheikh among many other places. For more information, see
http://www.egypt.com. The other thing that many like to do is to take a cruise from Luxor to Aswan or vice-versa. The cruise requires 3-4 days.
HOPE TO SEE YOU IN CAIRO!
Last Updated: June 23, 2004 (rmc)
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