Currency in Egypt:

Please note: Throughout this page, the currencies referred to are as follows: $US, £UK (sterling), Euros and LE (Egyptian Pound).

The Currency in Egypt is the Egyptian pound (LE - Livre Egyptienne) and it is divided into 100 piaster. In Arabic it is called Genaeh. Here you will find 25 and 50 piaster notes and various sized coins down to the 5 piaster. At present $1 dollar is equivalent to 6.2 Egyptian pounds

Currency conversion:

$1 (US) is 5.2 Egyptian pounds
£1 (UK) is 10.5 Egyptian pounds
1 Euro is 8.30 Egyptian pounds


most of the banks are open from Sunday to Thursday; working hours being 0830 to 1400, though banks at the airports and the major entry ports are open 24 hours daily.

Note: Most of the major credit/debit cards, such as American Express, MasterCard, Visa, all Euro cards and JCB, are widely accepted in various hotels and shops. If you want to use an ATM machine, they mostly accept Visa, MasterCard and Cirrus cards. If you can't find an ATM machine in your vicinity, you can still obtain cash if you go to any of the Misr Bank braches. Banks are unwillingly to accept $100 notes issued before 1992. If you wish to convert your currency, you can use $US, £UK or Euros, as they are accepted in many banks and other places.

Please don't bring Scottish pounds, Irish punts, and New Zealand dollars etc. as they are not accepted here!

If you at any point during your tour, you run out of money, and your credit cards are not being accepted, you still can get money wired to you from abroad. In Egypt, there are plenty of Western Union branches; it takes just a few minutes to get any sum of money sent you from abroad.

TIP :

Don’t change your $, £ or Euro until you arrive in Egypt – the conversion rate is far better here!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bus Services:

There are three main operators, based in Cairo, that mostly form a network that covers all of Egypt. They are as follows:

The Upper Egypt Bus Company. It covers all points along the Nile valley, as well as the Fayoum and Inner Oasis and the Red Sea coast e.g. Hurghada, Safaga and Marsa Alam
The East Delta Bus Company covers the Sinai Peninsula and the Canal Zone.
The West Delta Bus Company serves Alexandria, north coast, Siwa Oasis and the Nile Delta towns.
The El-Gouna Bus Company. It covers Hurghada, Safaga and Marsa Alam
If you want to check the bus service schedule, click here
The Super Jet Bus Companies Super Jet stations are located in Almaza (Heliopolis), Turguman Square (Tahrir), Giza, and Cairo Airport.
if you need to call them Tel: (002)-(02)266 0212.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Electricity :

The electricity current is 220 volts, 50 Hz, and uses round-pronged plugs. North American and other non 220-volt users are advised to bring a converter! If you are coming from the UK, you will need an adaptor for your plugs (these are available from most high street chemists – Boots, Superdrug etc.)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cairo Airport:

Cairo airport is located 22Km to the south east of the centre of Cairo. The trip to, or from, the airport should take around 30 - 45 Minutes. So dear traveller, make sure to leave your hotel at least three hours before your departure time!

There are two Terminals at Cairo airport. All EgyptAir and domestic flights depart from Terminal one, while all other airlines depart from Terminal two.

There is no departure tax levied - at the moment! However, starting from next October, a new tax will be implemented. You will not pay it directly as it will be included in the price of the ticket.

If you fly with EgyptAir, or have connection flights, it is recommended that you confirm your flight, at least 48 hours before departure, it is very important to do that.

If you are staying in a good hotel, the guest relation, or reception, should be able to do this for you if you wish.

If you are an individual traveller and wish to confirm your flight, you can call EgyptAir directly. Use one of these numbers:

EgyptAir at Cairo International Airport: Tel: 634 1460 / 418 3690 / 265 7222 /265 7244/ 265 7257/ 256 7255
Fax: 267 4555 / 418 2818

It is not allowed for visitors to bring more than 5000 LE in cash.

You will find plenty of banks at the airport and several foreign currency exchange offices. Your duty free goods must be purchased within 48 hours after arrival.

Customs at Cairo Airport:

You are allowed to bring 250 grams of tobacco, two cartons of cigarettes, one litre of alcohol and personal stuff. If you are planning to bring your own pet, make sure you have a veterinary health certificate, which should include a valid rabies certificate.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Making a phone call:

To call any country outside Egypt, dial your country code, then city code then number.

To call Egypt from abroad, the country code is 002.

If you have friends calling you from North America or Australia while you are in Egypt, tell them to dial 011 before dialling country code.

The best and the cheapest time to place your call is after 2000 (8:00PM). If you wish to make an international call simply buy a Mena-Tel card, (will cost you about 20 LE) and it should give you around 3 minutes of calling time to any place in the world. You may make the call from the many yellow phone boxes in the streets around your hotel.

If you wish to purchase a mobile phone simcard for your visit, Both Mobinil and Egypt Vodafone offer a Tourist line for only 60 LE, it will give you an Egyptian number so that you can make phone calls, your friends and family can reach you, and it will save the roaming charges.