Traveling from Cairo to Alexandria: A Comprehensive Guide

Nov 06, 2025 0

During your Egypt adventure, do you want to take the train from Cairo to Alexandria? I have taken the train from Cairo to Alexandria dozens of times over the past 12 years, and even though it might not be the most cost-effective and efficient way to travel between Egypt's two largest cities (more on that later), it's still my favorite way to travel from Egypt's Capital up to its Mediterranean Jewel. In this post, I will share everything you need to get from Cairo to Alexandria by train.

The way that foreign tourists book tickets and even the trains themselves have changed over the years, so let's jump into the current way to book tickets, check train timetables, and what to expect with the different types of trains available.

What to Expect on Your Journey

Cairo and Alexandria are two of the most popular cities in Egypt, but they’re about 220 miles apart from one another. It usually takes about 4 hours to make the journey depending on the mode of transport you choose.

Built by Alexander the Great to be the capital of an empire stretching from Greece and Egypt to India, Alexandria, Egypt is a city thrumming with energy, history, and diversity. The city of Alexandria is a celestial hup filled with a diverse number of ancient Islamic and Hellenistic monuments and artifacts.

Travelers can go by bus, train, car, or guided tour. The cost of the journey varies depending on your choice of transport.

Read also: Experience Tolip Hotel in Egypt

The Cairo to Alexandria train schedule
What types of trains there are from Cairo to Alexandria
How to buy Cairo Alexandria train tickets
What to expect on the train rider from Cairo to Alexandria
Is taking the train from Cairo to Alexandria worth it?

Train Travel Details

Checking the Train Timetable

Are you looking for information on taking the Cairo to Luxor train, or the train from Cairo to Aswan? The reason why I recommend looking at the ticket booking site is not to book the tickets (since foreign tourists can't actually book tickets online yet - I'll share later on how to book tickets), but to see all the information about the train timetable, including which type of train is for each time slot on the timetable.

You'll notice later on that there's a huge difference between booking a Talgo Train (one of the brand new trains - they're gorgeous!) vs.

First Class Trip Report | Cairo to Alexandria, Egypt Travel Vlog | First Class Train Travel in Egypt

Purchasing Tickets

Unfortunately, sometime during the pandemic, Egypt changed the ticket system for foreigners to an in-person only booking, and also changed the cost of the tickets. Foreigners used to buy the same tickets as locals, paying the same price (and we could even book the tickets online back in the day), but now foreigners pay a much higher price, set in USD, and must book tickets in-person at a railway station.

This makes it tricky for a tourist who is in their home country (not in Egypt) who wants to guarantee a seat on a train from Cairo to Alexandria for their holiday. The best trains on the Cairo - Alex train route will usually sell out 1-2 days in advance, and most travelers do not have time to go to the train station a couple days before in order to book their tickets.

That being said, this is when I recommend working with a travel company in order to book the tickets on your behalf, so that you don't need to worry about a thing, and you can just enjoy your time in Egypt, and when the time comes to take the train to Alexandria, your tickets are already taken care of.

Read also: Alexandria's Graeco-Roman Heritage

For travelers who have the gumption and the time and want to book the tickets themselves in Egypt, you can do this in-person at any train station, but normally Ramses Station in Cairo (Cairo's main station) will be the place to do this. You can follow the directions in the YouTube video to find the foreign ticket office and book the train in person. Ticket prices are around $20-25 USD for a second-class ticket and $30-35 USD for a first-class ticket, although they also add on a small processing fee.

Ramses Train Station in Cairo and Boarding the Train

Taking the train from Cairo to Alexandria means boarding the train at Ramses Train Station, in downtown Cairo. You can reach Ramses Station by Cairo Metro (served by Lines 1 and 2), or by taxi/Uber. Once in Ramses Station, you'll need to go through a baggage scanner, show an officer your ticket, and then you'll be let into the main hall of the station.

There is a giant screen that displays all the train schedules and also the platforms they are departing from. The screen will switch between Arabic and English, so if you don't see English on the screen, wait a few moments and it will switch to English briefly. Staff at the train station are used to helping foreign tourists and they can easily look at your ticket and direct you where you need to go. I recommend arriving at the station 30 minutes before your train's scheduled departure in order to find where you need to go and get settled.

Once you are on the platform, the train will usually be there a few minutes before departure, so you can board and relax. Your ticket will have your specific train car and seat assignment, and you can ask any staff member for help (numbers for the train cars are sometimes in Arabic only, but seat numbers inside the car should be in Arabic and English).

On the Cairo to Alexandria Train

Once you depart Cairo, depending on which train you take, the journey will take between 2.5 - 4 hours, and you will travel a distance of more than 200 kilometers. During the train ride, feel free to get up and walk around, use the bathroom, order food and drinks, check out the (non-alcoholic) bar (if your train has one), and enjoy the view!

Arriving in Alexandria - Sidi Gaber and Alexandria Main Train Stations

When the train arrives in Alexandria, there will be a ton of commotion, as all the Egyptians on the train stand up and begin moving around, getting baggage, and preparing to disembark. However, in Alexandria there are two train stations, and the first one, called Sidi Gaber, is probably not the one you want to get off at!

Sidi Gaber Train Station is a more modern station, built as Alexandria grew in size and more and more people began traveling by railway. Want suggestions for what to do, where to stay, and what to eat in Alexandria? Check out my Alexandria travel guide!

This first stop can be confusing, because when the train arrives in Sidi Gaber, almost all of the riders will leave, which might make you feel like you should leave, too! But don't get off yet - wait until the train heads to Mahatet Masr, it's final stop, and then get off there.

Once you disembark the train in Alexandria, you've made it! If you are at Mahatet Masr, you are officially in the oldest train station in the entirety of the Middle East and Africa!

Is Taking the Train from Cairo to Alexandria Worth It?

Most tourists don't realize that taking the train from Cairo to Alexandria often won't save them any time or money, so it's important to know what the difference is between taking the train from Cairo to Alexandria or taking a taxi or hiring a private transfer.

Taking Uber from Cairo to Alexandria

Uber works between Cairo and Alexandria, and taking an Uber has lots of benefits. Taking Uber is actually the same price or cheaper than taking the train - in the example photo, taking an Uber from Cairo to Alexandria was only 1,883 Egyptian Pounds, around $38 USD at the time of writing this, which means that taking a private Uber is around the same price as a first-class train ticket (when you add the processing fees), and you could fit two people comfortably in an Uber, reducing the cost even more!

There are also now Uber XL vehicles available in Egypt, so if you have a larger group, you can really cut down on costs vs. taking the train (now that the train has the newer, significantly more expensive foreigner priced tickets). And taking Uber will often take the same amount of time or will be faster than taking the train.

Uber and other vehicles take the Cairo-Alex Desert Highway to get between the cities, which usually has limited traffic and is an expressway, with no need to stop or slow down at any point, except a couple of checkpoint stations (which take almost no time at all).

Plus, like I shared above, taking Uber means you can get picked up exactly where you need to be in Cairo, and dropped off exactly where you need to be in Alexandria, saving you the time and taxi rides going to/from the train stations in each city.

The drawbacks to taking Uber are that travelers don't get the experience of taking the train (it's definitely a unique experience!), traffic can sometimes be heavy leaving Cairo and arriving in Alexandria, making an Uber slower than the train, an Uber driver may not speak English, making communication tricky (although there is little need to communicate since the fare is already set and the driver will use GPS to navigate), and an Uber is less comfortable than the train, which has nice seats, lots of room, the ability to get up and walk around, and bathrooms.

Taking a private transfer from Cairo to Alexandria

Travel companies can easily arrange private transfers from Cairo to Alexandria, and if you have a group of two or more, these can often be the same cost (or even cheaper) than the train, and with three or more travelers, these are definitely the more affordable route.

Private transfers have the same benefits as taking Uber, with the addition that you can choose the exact vehicle type you have, and the driver will be a professionally licensed tourism driver (more experienced than an Uber driver when working with foreign tourists), and the company can provide any help with translation or any needs you have during the ride. Plus, private transfers allow you to stop any time you need, in order to use the bathroom, get a coffee, get a bite to eat, etc.

The drawbacks of taking a private transfer are the same as Uber - there may be traffic, the experience is not as interesting, and private transfers can be more expensive than taking Uber, and possibly more expensive than taking the train.

Why take the Cairo to Alexandria Train?

So now that you know that taking the train from Cairo to Alexandria usually isn't the cheapest or fastest way to get between the two cities, why bother with it at all? The Talgo Trains are just a few years old, and feel like modern trains in Europe. The older trains from Cairo to Alexandria (sometimes called "special" trains or “VIP” trains) are the ones I have been taking for over 12 years, so they're definitely nostalgic for me, but they're nowhere near as nice or comfortable as the Talgo Trains.

Alternative Transportation Options

There are various transport options available.

By Bus: Several companies offer shuttle services from Cairo to Alexandria, like the West Delta Transportation Company. The journey takes about 4 hours, depending on traffic conditions.
By Car: The journey takes around 3.5 hours depending on traffic. You can hire a taxi or rent a car for the trip. It’s best to leave this job to experienced drivers who know the roads, local laws, and customs.
By Air: Several domestic flights leave from Cairo International Airport to Alexandria every day. The flight takes about an hour.
By Ferry or Boat: It takes about 5 hours. Taking a ferry also allows passengers to enjoy stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea as they travel.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Cairo Alexandria Train

Here are some common questions about traveling by train between Cairo and Alexandria:

Question	Answer
How long is the train ride from Cairo to Alexandria?	The train from Cairo to Alexandria is as fast as 2.5 hours (the Talgo Trains), or as long as 4 hours (the older trains that stop at multiple stations along the way).
How do I get to Cairo from Alexandria?	Once you are in Alexandria and ready to go back to Cairo, you can take the train in reverse! Or you can take Uber, or arrange a private transfer, just like you would do if you were going from Cairo to Alexandria.
Can I fly from Cairo to Alexandria?	I don't recommend this - Cairo's airport is a 30-45 minute Uber ride from the city center, and Alexandria's Borg el Arab Airport (HBE) is over one hour away from the city center! This makes it not cost or time-effective to fly at all.
What is the Cairo to Alexandria distance?	The distance from Cairo to Alexandria is just over 200 kilometers, and it takes about two and a half hours in a car or the fast, Talgo Train.
Can I take a bus from Cairo to Alexandria?	Yes - there are numerous options for a Cairo to Alexandria bus, but I recommend taking Go Bus, since they allow you to reserve tickets online ahead of time. The bus is a good option for folks who are very budget-conscious, as it's the cheapest route from Cairo to Alexandria.
Can I go from Cairo to Alexandria by car?	Yes - travel from Cairo to Alexandria by car is easy and often cheaper and faster than the train!
What is the Cairo to Alexandria train cost?	The cost of the train from Cairo to Alexandria is around $25 USD for a second-class ticket and around $30 USD for a first-class ticket.

What questions do you have about taking the train from Cairo to Alexandria? Would you take the train, or would you rather Uber or drive? Have you taken the train, and what was your experience like?