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!!
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.
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
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?
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.
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.
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.
[This message has been edited by Dalia (edited 12 May 2005).]
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).]
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
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).]
Modern charter planes never leave much leg room either I believe, and if A/C also works well :) it is certainly an interesting option.
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).]
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!
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
quote:
Originally posted by thish_w:
[B][/B]
Look at her previous post at 04:09
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.