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Author Topic: Please advice about Cairo Airport
nevermind
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Hello, need to arrive in Cairo at around 03.00 at night and earliest connecting flight to Sharm will be at 06.00. I guess it leaves not much sleeping time between the hassles of arrival and departure, which is maybe even good since am alone and female, but please anyone have any experience if I should continue to some other terminal for domestic flights when have passed passport control etc. and hopefully received my luggage too, and is that other terminal also open at night (though they'd probably have to open for check-ins soon anyway) and is it at a walking distance? because I understand there is maybe an Egyptair connecting bus but maybe bus stop itself is more far to walk to than the domestic terminal? and does this bus even serve at night? And do I require a valid ticket to be able to enter this domestic terminal or suppose i prefer to buy the ticket in the airport as I go then is it even possible? are there offices, are they open at such early hour and maybe there are security gates before already where I'd be turned away for not having the ticket.

And the customs, what is the chance of them entertaining themselves with checking on the contents of luggage of young female passengers, like e.g. betting on which colour of underwear they'd find or something??

Sorry for all stupid questions but would feel so much better... At least the rest of passengers waiting should be rather international I suppose? and single travelling females would not be oggled at like albino apes or something?
Thanks if can share!!


Posts: 1051 | From: Menoufeya | Registered: Feb 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
nevermind
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Or maybe taking a bus from Sinai station or Abbassia to Sharm is not so bad idea at all? My love said the ride is too long but then he might be overcaring. The one way with egyptair to Sharm is some 100 EUR, while bus is only 10 maybe and I'd get to see some countryside as well?
then would probably have to wait in airport until morning if possible and allowed.

Posts: 1051 | From: Menoufeya | Registered: Feb 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Penny
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quote:
Originally posted by nevermind:
Or maybe taking a bus from Sinai station or Abbassia to Sharm is not so bad idea at all? My love said the ride is too long but then he might be overcaring. The one way with egyptair to Sharm is some 100 EUR, while bus is only 10 maybe and I'd get to see some countryside as well?
then would probably have to wait in airport until morning if possible and allowed.


Have you thought if it really that overcaring that he does not meet you at Cairo airport and help you save some money by tavelling together on the bus and taking care of your welfare in the early hours of the morning. The bus is very comfortable, the scenery is wonderful, and it costs LE110.


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Dalia
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quote:
Originally posted by nevermind:
Hello, need to arrive in Cairo at around 03.00 at night and earliest connecting flight to Sharm will be at 06.00. I guess it leaves not much sleeping time between the hassles of arrival and departure

Can't offer useful advice on your other question but three hours in between flights doesn't sound much to me. If you're lucky you might get through customs, passport control etc. in about half an hour (I once managed in 15 minutes which was great); it will most likely take longer though. The lines at passport control tend to be long and it takes a while to process each person. If you don't have a visa yet you also have to get it before going to passport control, that takes a while too. And you never know how fast or slow they will get your luggage out of the plane ...

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nevermind
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quote:
Originally posted by Dalia:
three hours in between flights doesn't sound much to me

You are probably right, dalia, am not so used to these big crowded airports but things take time in these indeed.

And Penny, also thanks to you for making bus ride seem even more inviting . No I don't think it is wise to have my love travel all the way from Sinai, then immediately back just for negotiating my tazxi fare in Cairo , human body IS prone to wear and tear even more than any other materia )). Unfortunately he needs to be there before i arrive. And I'm a big girl or maybe not so big always but then maybe a good experience of coping would bring me closer to real life in egypt?

But can I stay and wait at the airport at least until ca 6 o clock in the morning then if anyone knows? Or will i have to leave out of door immediately after claiming my luggage? because I read some not so nice waiting stories about ramses station, about men oggling a British girl , or is Ramses any different from Abbassia?


Posts: 1051 | From: Menoufeya | Registered: Feb 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Pe@rson
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nevermind, just a few pointers:

1) You have to remember that Egytair's flights to Sharm El Sheikh and Hurghada actually fly out of the domestic hall of Terminal 2 (TWO). The reason I mention this is because most of Egyptair's flights are out of Terminal 1 and some people end up going to the wrong terminal. So to Sharm El Sheikh go to TERMINAL 2 at Cairo Airport.

2) Will you be connecting from a different flight? If that is the case and you'll be arriving into T1 then there is a airport bus that operates between both terminals for free 24 hours a day.

3) The domestic hall of terminal 2 is very small but modern. There's only one cafe there which can be expensive so you might want to pack some reading material and food/drinks.

4) You'll only be able to go into the check-in area 2 hours before the flight. Before that (i.e. between 3am-4am) you'll have to hang around the terminal. But don't worry the airport is busy during the night so you won't feel alone in a deserted terminal.

5) Your 6am flight (MS125) is usually booked up tightly so make sure you reconfirm your booking (as required by Egyptair). This is done by phoning an Egyptair office 48-72 hours before your flight. If you don't do this you might find at the airport, they've taken you off the passenger list. If you are going to book a ticket at the airport, you'll have to go to the Egyptair office in T2's international hall (same building as domestic hall, so you won't walk alot). Anyway I advice against booking your ticket right before the flight because as I said that particular flight is usually booked up so you might not find any seats and flights are expensive. If you tell me which day of the week you are flying (e.g. Tuesday) I can tell you times of all Cairo-Sharm El Sheikh flights that day.

6)As for customs hassling you, I think its unlikely. The domestic hall is quite small, so when a flight is checking in they get very busy and don't have time to 'tease' a passenger.

7) I would not advice getting a coach between Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh. I did it once before and promised myself never again. For me sitting on a coach for 6-7 hours would drive me crazy.


Anyway if you have any more questions feel free to ask more. I fly with Egyptair very regularly on their domestic flights when I am in Egypt.


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Ann
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But can I stay and wait at the airport at least until ca 6 o clock in the morning then if anyone knows? Or will i have to leave out of door immediately after claiming my luggage? because I read some not so nice waiting stories about ramses station, about men oggling a British girl , or is Ramses any different from Abbassia? [/B][/QUOTE]

Of course you will be able to wait at the airport until it's time to check-in for your domestic flight. You won't get any hassle at all if you are dressed modestly.


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Dalia
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quote:
Originally posted by Pe@rson:
I would not advice getting a coach between Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh. I did it once before and promised myself never again. For me sitting on a coach for 6-7 hours would drive me crazy.


Same here, I think the busses are a nightmare ... no space for your legs, movies blasting in your ear on full volume, not to mention the stops in between for passport control. It seems there is always at least one person on the bus who left their passport in the bag, so the driver has to open the trunk and search the luggage ...

[This message has been edited by Dalia (edited 12 May 2005).]


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nevermind
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Thank you Pe@rson, you were really very helpful, and everyone else, too.

because somehow in Sharm i got an understanding that the security in Egypt airports is so tight that persons are not even allowed be in terminal unless they have a valid ticket for an upcoming flight? Am glad if the rules are more welcoming

You really shift my bias multiple times with all different recommendations and experiences, e.g. Dalia the hardships you describe actually seem to me like a rather fun hands-on Egyptian experience. I mean if you intend to do it on own will and for pleasure, which is different from when you have no alternative . Except I'm also rather afraid of the driving style, I've not yet seen a vehicle with a working tacchometer (?speedometer, well the one that shows speed) so have no idea what speeds they develop but it looks pretty frightening to me . Maybe looks worse than is? Read somewhere that Egypt has the larges number of traffic accidents per road km but maybe they've also counted all the occasions when 2 cars "touch" in Cairo, probably occurs quite often or then simply that there are not so many road kms because of vast desert areas while number of people is high. The statistics.. you know. Because I remember taxi driver saying: oh, a lot of traffic today, when we met a maybe third or fourth car on way from Sharm to Dahab so there is not so much traffic on all kms.

I'll be arriving via Prague so it is maybe still Terminal 1 then. And thanks, I can see all available flights, even domestic ones for Egyptair, from a quite nice booking motor here
http://www.estravelshop.com/flight/symphony/

have no idea if it would be useful to any foreigner also but at least you can use it for checking availability, times if anyone wish. Prices shown in EEK, divide roughly with 15,5 to get EUR, roughly with 12 to get USD and roughly with 2 to get LE.

[This message has been edited by nevermind (edited 12 May 2005).]


Posts: 1051 | From: Menoufeya | Registered: Feb 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
Mimmi
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[Hi Nevermind,

Do you mind me asking how much do you pay for your ticket Tallinn-Cairo_Tallinn,
I looked at the rates on estravelshop and it was more than with Czech Airlines from Helsinki


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nevermind
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quote:
Originally posted by Mimmi:
[Hi Nevermind,

Do you mind me asking how much do you pay for your ticket Tallinn-Cairo_Tallinn,
I looked at the rates on estravelshop and it was more than with Czech Airlines from Helsinki



it's 425 EUR at best. They may have different offers for different markets, plus are you sure you've included airport taxes in your calculation there? Because on that booking page everything is included. Estravel BTW is owned or majority owned by Suomen Matkatoimisto.
Also, if you add cost for connecting flights to Vantaa or ferries to and fro, plus added time&trouble , I think price via Helsinki is out of consideration anyway?

[This message has been edited by nevermind (edited 12 May 2005).]


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Penny
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If you take the Golden bus it takes about 5 hours from Cairo to Sharm. They serve tea, coffee and snacks there is plenty of leg room ( both I and my husband are tall). There is a leg stretch and smoking break and about 2 passport checks. They have toilets on board. It is safe and very civilised. I also think some of the scenery on route is just wonderful. I have done it many times and never had any cause to worry about the drivers. The bus station only has outside seats for waiting but again it is perfectly safe.
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nevermind
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Which station do they leave from, Penny, please? Because i think different companies use differnt stations and there seem to be many.

Modern charter planes never leave much leg room either I believe, and if A/C also works well :) it is certainly an interesting option.


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Pe@rson
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Glad to hear I helped nevermind. Anyway I assume you will be travelling with Czech Airlines from Prague. These flights arrive into Terminal 2, so you're lucky you won't have to transfer between terminals to catch your Egyptair flight to Sharm El Sheikh. However your flight arrives into Cairo at 02:10 so you'll have to wait at the terminal for almost 4 hours! (note: the flights arrive at 01:10 in the winter, so you're lucky)

Anyway you might find this website useful http://www.cairo-airport.com/

By the way the website you use doesn't show all the Egyptair Sharm El Sheikh flights. They get their information from Amadeus which doesn't cover all Egyptair domestic flights.

[This message has been edited by Pe@rson (edited 12 May 2005).]


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nevermind
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quote:
Originally posted by Pe@rson:

Anyway you might find this website useful http://www.cairo-airport.com/

Perfect! I thought they should have one but it did not show up in search and I did not dwell over it either . Thanks!


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thish_w
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quote:
Originally posted by Penny:
If you take the Golden bus it takes about 5 hours from Cairo to Sharm. They serve tea, coffee and snacks there is plenty of leg room ( both I and my husband are tall). There is a leg stretch and smoking break and about 2 passport checks. They have toilets on board. .

Hello Penny,
Can you tell me howmuch you spent on the bus ticket from sharm to Cairo.

thanks


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nevermind
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quote:
Originally posted by thish_w:
[B][/B]

Look at her previous post at 04:09


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mysticheart
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quote:
Originally posted by nevermind:
Look at her previous post at 04:09

If at all possible have him meet you at the airport, unless of course you are very good at arabic. I tried this very thing, going from the airport to sharm alone, it was a total nightmare and also the busses sometimes make stops where you have to get off of the bus which can be confusing. There is the option of taking a private car which you can get arranged from the tourist office in the airport but be careful of that too the drivers tend to try to get extra money for tips when it is already included in the price of the car. Really the safest and surest way is to get him to meet you. Other wise it is so confusing.


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lemonspice
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A ticket from Cairo to Sharm costs around 55le, and the same to come back, which makes it 110le. It is much cheaper than air flights. And its much more fun if u dont mind 7 hours on the bus. Bring some music for ur ears most important of all. Do not talk to strangers on the bus applies here..! They do stop at least 3 times for smoke& toilet. The AC is incredible, i was lookin for a blanket.. Getting from the airport to one of the bus stations would be easy if u found a taxi-there r many-but make sure to agree on the price-it should be 30-50,but never more. A phrasebook with the essential words& a 'know it all look on ur face' is all u need to avoid rip-offs..
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nevermind
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Thanks, lemon. From which station you took the bus, from Abbassia? I believe there are at least 3 different stations/companies for Sinai direction. And what part of Cairo is it then? City?
I guess if I wait at airport until appr. 5.30-6 o'clock then the sun is rising already and it is not dark any more? Always more welcoming this way . And I'd have enough of time for getting to the station and making some rounds there with my rolling mountain of luggage and big blue eyes mumbling "sharm el sheihk, sharm el sheikh, baas, shukran..." until someone would feel mercy and take my hand and show me the baas immediately behind be which is the right baas to Sharm..
??

Posts: 1051 | From: Menoufeya | Registered: Feb 2005  |  IP: Logged | Report this post to a Moderator
   

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