Planning a trip to Cairo
Renewing Your Visa
If you think that you're going to need more than the 30 days that the airport visa gives you in the country, it's best to get it extended before you leave Cairo. The office is in Tahrir Square, across from the Egyptian Museum in the mighty Soviet-inspired edifice known as the Mugama. Standing outside looking up at the dark Orwellian bulk of the place, you might think that you're in for a horrendous experience. On the contrary, if you show up by 9am before the place gets busy, and remember to get two passport photos at the little shop in the lobby before following the signs upstairs, you can be out and on your way before you've had time to say "1984."
Arriving
By Plane -- All flights arrive at Cairo International Airport (www.cairo-airport.com; airport code CAI), about 24km (15 miles) from the city center. At the time of writing, the light was glimmering at the end of the tunnel on a massive renovation and expansion project underwritten by the World Bank, and getting into and out of the country has been a bit of a trial involving long bus rides and even longer lines. The government signed up the managers of the Frankfurt Airport to take over running the new facilities in 2007; however, and the airport is expected to run more smoothly under their direction than it did under the old management.
There are a number of bank kiosks inside the entrance terminals for changing money and buying visas. These banks offer the same exchange rate as banks and offices in town, and it makes sense to change money here at the same time as you buy your visa. Unlike the banks in town, however (which are usually very honest), these guys will sometimes try to jigger the exchange-rate calculations or shortchange you. Don't take any guff. Do your own calculations (on the teller's calculator if necessary), and calmly request everything that you are owed on the basis of the posted rates until you have it. You will find that dragging out the process of handing over small bills is one of the most common tactics used to try to eke a little extra cash out of a transaction. Have patience, but be firm until all your money is handed over.
By Bus -- Arriving in Cairo by commercial bus is a lot easier than it used to be, and is very likely to be presented to you as an option if you are in Sharm el Sheik or Marsa Allam (having arrived by charter flight direct to one of these coastal resort towns) and want to visit the pyramids and the Egyptian Museum. Buses run the length and breadth of the country frequently and fairly reliably, and, despite the appallingly bad driving habits of locals, they may offer an appealing way of seeing the countryside and meeting people. However, if you're traveling from a city with an airport, you may want to consider the following: Distances in Egypt can be quite long, and the price of a long, cramped bus ride can (a bit illogically) be comparable to the cost of a short and convenient internal flight. Many women have reported unpleasant incidents of harassment on these buses, particularly at night. Buses often carry unauthorized passengers in the luggage compartments below the seats, where they usually escape unnoticed at the frequent security checkpoints. Whether this is a real problem is questionable, but on the Sinai, there have been a number of bombings since 2005, so it's something to keep in mind.
Of course, you may have no choice but to take the bus (if you're coming from the oases, for example). If this is the case, make sure to take food and water with you, as well as plenty of reading material and earplugs. Smoke, bathroom, and eating breaks tend to be frequent, but roadside food in Egypt is not the best. Many buses offer a movie during the trip, but it will be in Arabic and probably quite loud. Also note that in the winter, buses crossing the desert can get quite chilly inside, so pack a blanket or at least an extra sweater.
Coming into Cairo by bus, you're likely to stop at a number of places as you enter the city. Unless you have a firm grip on the city's layout -- which can be pretty tricky after dark -- stay on the bus until the final stop at the new Turgoman Bus Terminal in Shobra. This is quite centrally located, so both downtown and Zamalek are a less than a LE10 ($1.80/90p) taxi ride away. Though Cairo is astonishingly safe (in terms of petty crime at least -- traffic is another matter entirely), the area around the bus station isn't a great place to walk with a bag -- it's crowded, it lacks sidewalks, and there's a lot of car and bus traffic.
By Train -- Trains are my favorite way to travel Egypt (though, depending on how much time you have, they may not be the best way to get to where you need to go). If you're headed to Upper Egypt on a tight schedule, you're probably better off flying. Trains conveniently depart from the heart of downtown and usually leave (if not arrive) right on time, making train travel to nearby destinations such as Alexandria just as convenient and quick as flying -- and it's cheaper and more environmentally friendly. The most appealing part of train travel, however, is that it offers an experience. The ride may not be the smoothest, but the views of village life and rural Egypt are fascinating.
There are two main train stations in Cairo, and you should consult your hotel or travel agent as to which one is most convenient for your arrival. Odds are, however, that it's going to be the main Ramsis Square (tel. 02/25790767), a British-built station in the middle of Downtown, or the more modern and, consequently, less interesting Giza station, which is a good distance from most of the hotels and sites.
Tips: Buying Train Tickets -- There are three different places to buy tickets in Ramsis, depending on where you're headed. One thing remains the same, however: Queuing means nothing here, and you have to be prepared to defend your turn with your elbows. Also keep in mind that the ticket sellers are frequently dishonest with the prices, so if you have any doubt about the price of your ticket, find out the correct price for your train from the helpful folks at the Tourist Information office by the main entrance before you head to the wickets.
If you're headed north to Alexandria, the ticket office is in the back-right corner of the main hall of Ramsis Station. (Put your back to the trains and look a little to your right -- over in the corner, there is a line of ticket windows.)
If you're taking a sleeper train south to Luxor or Aswan, the office is directly ahead of you if you're in the main hall with your back to the trains.
Finally, if you're headed south to Luxor or Aswan in a seat, you have to head through the main hall (leaving the trains to your right), and through to a second set of platforms that are outside and behind the main hall. Turn sharply left when you get there, and you'll see a tunnel underneath the tracks. Go through the tunnel, turning right at the end. The ticket offices for Upper Egypt are about 20m (65 ft.) ahead of you on the left.
While both stations appear to be in total unmitigated chaos, they actually work reasonably well. On arrival, follow the flow of passengers to the parking lot in front of the building. If you're coming into Ramsis from Luxor or Aswan, this will probably mean having to go through a short tunnel underneath the tracks and into the main building; the exit is from the main terminal building and not the side building where the trains arrive.
Feel free to ask men in uniforms for directions; officers (who carry sidearms, not AK-47s) often speak a little English and will be more forthcoming.
Ignore the entreaties of the touts, who will insist that they have the cheapest cars and the best hotels. These are baldfaced lies -- you will probably pay about double the going rate for your ride (LE15 [$2.70/£1.35] instead of LE5-LE7 [90¢-$1.25/45p-65p] for a quick ride to Zamalek or Downtown) and have to deal with more aggressive negotiating. The one advantage these touts offer is that they'll carry your bags through the swirl of humanity on the platform; something you may want to consider.
Regular taxis swirl through the parking lot outside, and if you flag one down while it's moving, it should take you where you're going at more or less the going rate.
By Car -- Arriving in Cairo by car is exciting -- probably too exciting for the comfort of most travelers. Unless you are already experienced with driving in the Third World, I suggest you hire a car with a good driver. It is also strongly recommended that you be off the highways by dark. They are not for the fainthearted during the day, and they're downright dangerous at night.
The excellent Cairo Guide Maps (American University in Cairo Press), available at both branches of the American University in Cairo Bookstore and Diwan, will help once you've penetrated the confusing sprawl of highways and sideways that surround the perimeter districts of Misr Gedida, Maadi, and Shobra al Kheima.
Getting into Town -- The best way to get into town from the airport (a distance of around 15-20km/10-14 miles, depending on which neighborhood you're going to) is by car. A large number of private companies offer their services from the airport, with prices ranging from around LE70 ($13/£6.34) for a compact car to LE150 to LE200 ($27-$36/£14-£19) for a ride in a shiny, late-model Mercedes. Depending on the time of day and whether there's a football game at one of the stadiums along the way, the ride can take from 15 minutes to an hour. The battered black-and-whites hanging around the exit present a cheaper option and will, with a little bit of discussion, usually run you into town for around LE50 to LE60 ($9-$11/£4.60-£5.55). If, in the future, there is a yellow taxi stand at the airport, this will probably be the best option. Yellow cabs are about the same price as black-and-whites, though they're newer, more comfortable, and run on a bona fide meter system that takes much of the hassle out of the trip.
There are also buses that run into town from the airport. Look for the Cairo Airport Shuttle Bus (tel. 02/22653937) kiosk inside the terminal or their red-and-white buses parked outside the terminal, and ask for your destination. Fares range from LE25 ($4.50/£2.30) per person to nearby Heliopolis to LE35 to LE40 ($6.35-$7.25/£3.25-£3.70) to downtown, Zamalek, and Mohandiseen. In theory, the buses leave the airport every 30 minutes, but if you hold people in Cairo to promises like this, your vacation will quickly be ruined by frustration and annoyance. In practice, expect the bus to leave within a reasonable amount of time (less than an hour) and take between 20 minutes to an hour to get to your destination, depending on the traffic.
Visitor Information
Ministry of Tourism information offices in Cairo are a hit-or-miss affair. Some are quite helpful, while others are a waste of time. (By contrast, these offices are generally excellent in the smaller towns and cities.) I find the office in Ramsis Station, main hall, next to the sleeping-car office (tel. 02/25790767), to be the most useful office in Cairo, but the Adly Street office, 5 Adly St. (tel. 02/23913454), may be helpful as well. I wouldn't go out of your way to get to either. Your time in Cairo is better spent with a trip to one of the bookstores to buy a few maps and a book or two. Because the airport is undergoing renovation, it's not clear where the tourism offices will be located, but there will be one in each of the terminals.
I've found that hotel concierges in Egypt tend to be the best sources of the kind of information that you would normally expect from tourist information offices. Note that you don't have to be staying there to get help: Just call any of the big hotels listed in this guide and ask for the concierge desk.
Safety
Though it's easy to take advantage of the personal safety offered by Cairo, it doesn't mean you should ignore the usual danger signs. Women walking alone should be particularly careful in crowds and avoid straying far from the well-lit areas after dark. I would also avoid the City of the Dead without a guide (and certainly after dark), the area to the west of Khan Al Khalili after dark, and the sprawling slums on the outskirts of the city.
The Neighborhoods in Brief
Zamalek Until the 19th century, this island in the middle of the Nile was little more than a sandbar. Zamalek became a favored residential district under the British, who barred Egyptians from living here. A few of the stately villas built during this time survived, and though overshadowed by cement high-rise apartment blocks and shorn of their gardens, they retain undeniable shades of their original charm. Zamalek remains an upmarket district and is home to many expats and foreigner-friendly restaurants and businesses with some English-speaking staff.
This is also a good area for restaurants and hotels. Better value for money can be found downtown, but for many, Zamalek offers a hard-to-beat combination of modern amenities and relatively functional infrastructure. Zamalek is conveniently located almost exactly halfway between The Citadel, Islamic Cairo, and the pyramids and Sphinx in Giza. The Egyptian Museum and other downtown attractions are 10 to 20 minutes away by taxi.
Mohandiseen The name literally means "engineers," echoing Nasserist hopes of raising up a corps of technocrats who could push Egypt into the First World. Though these dreams remain sadly unrealized, the layout of Mohandiseen's streets is more logical than anywhere else in Cairo, with many leafy, quiet, residential side streets and a few decent restaurants.
Garden City This was the administrative center of British rule, and a number of embassies, including the British and American, are still located here. Like Zamalek, the area has suffered from shoddy, unplanned building over the last half-century, but like Zamalek, it retains a few examples of its former grace. It's an interesting place for an afternoon stroll.
Downtown Literally wust al balad, or "middle of the town," in Arabic (also the name of one of the most popular local bands), this area loosely reflects the European expansion of Islamic Cairo westward to the banks of the Nile. It may be a little hopeful to call it "Paris on the Nile," but it's stuffed with grand old buildings, many of them built by turn-of-the-century Italian stonemasons who came to Egypt masquerading as architects. Very few of the buildings have seen any maintenance since Gamal Abdel Nasser's time (partly because of some ill-advised rent-control measures that keep rents today at 1960s levels), and many are now being deliberately destroyed to make way for the kind of shoddy buildings that have blighted much of the rest of the city.
Islamic Cairo Misleadingly named (it doesn't seem to be any more Islamic than any other part of the city), this is the oldest part of the city, built originally in A.D. 969 as a walled, secure environment for the leaders of the Fatimid dynasty. Though it has had a number of wide, straight streets punched through it at various times in its long history, much of this area remains a densely packed network of twisting, turning alleys and little streets that you can only explore on foot. Some will find it too dense and too hectic, but for me, Islamic Cairo is the city at its best, and an afternoon exploring it never fails to put me in a good mood. A good point of entry is the old Midan Opera. Al Azhar Street runs up through Ataba to Khan al Khalili, and commercial areas on either side of it are vibrant, friendly, and fun.
Bakshish: The Art of Giving
Everywhere you go in Egypt, you're going to be asked for money, and you're life is going to improve immeasurably once you get comfortable with handing out a steady stream of small change to anyone who asks you for it. The guy who carries your bags to the car, the janitor who switches on the lights at the back of the museum, and the old guy at the mosque who takes care of your shoes while you walk around the building -- they should all get a couple of LE discreetly slipped into the palms of their hands. The closest equivalent in the West is a tip -- a little extra payment for a little extra service -- but here it's a simple expression of appreciation that another person's there should you need anything (even if you don't need it right now).
Getting Around
Ideally, you should move between neighborhoods at times of low traffic (before 8am or 11am-1pm) and within them at all others. This, of course, is impossible all the time, but it's a helpful rule of thumb when planning your day.
By Taxi
The black-and-whites are the basic staple of transport for middle-class Egyptians, tourists, and anyone who has to transport a TV or a dishwasher from the souk. They are ubiquitous and have become so numerous that the government stopped handing out new taxi licenses several years ago, the result being an aging fleet choking the city.
The meters that they sport on the dashboard are so outdated that they're useless and universally ignored (except for the odd enterprising individual who will attempt to scam an inexperienced victim by playing with the decimal point and claiming to be owed exorbitant sums of money).
There is no system, per se, for fares; everyone simply knows what the rates are to and from various points. You tell the driver where you want to go (usually leaning forward and shouting the neighborhood through the open passenger window as he rattles past), and if he consents to go there, he waves you in and off you go. Upon arrival, you ante up the fare and wander off, unless the driver senses that you're not in the know, and then a whole raucous opera is played out with red-faced demands for sky-high fares.
There are clearly two ways to deal with this as a tourist: Either negotiate the fare to begin with, or go local and just tell the driver where you're going and pay when you get there. In either case, use the rate table below as a point of reference. These fares are generous and marginally more than an expat would pay (and certainly in excess of what the locals are handing over for their rides), but they should give you a fair idea of what to expect. Whatever objections the driver may raise will be purely tactical and aimed at extracting a little extra cash from your pocket.
I also highly recommend the new system of yellow cabs, but they are becoming harder and harder to find. Introduced with great flourish back in March 2006, they were supposed to bring the Cairo taxi fleet up to the standards of neighbors in Jordan and Syria. Indications at the time of writing, however, were that the whole plan is falling victim to a depressingly familiar pattern of bad maintenance and incompetent management. That said, if you can find one, take it. They are only marginally more expensive than the black-and-whites but substantially more comfortable.
There is supposed to be a taxi stand in Tahrir Square close to the massive, Soviet-era Mugama building and another in Mohandiseen on Gamat al Daawl al Arabia (across from the restaurants Raucha and Kandahar), but the drivers at both these spots will turn down fares to nearby locations, preferring to sit idle and wait for the more lucrative rides to Maadi and the airport. If you want to go to Zamalek or Mohandiseen from these spots, you're going to have to tell them that you want to go to the airport and then "change your mind" once the cab is a little way from the stand. Worst-case scenario is a driver who decides to terminate the ride, in which case you can pick up the next black-and-white that comes along. All that has ever happened to me with this stunt is a somewhat sullen driver.
Tips: The 30-Second Taxi Survival Guide -- There's no better way to get around Cairo than the venerable black-and-white Ladas and Fiats that cruise the streets, flashing their headlights and honking at potential customers. Easy to find and economically priced, they can provide both functional transport and fun social encounters. The flip side is that the meters haven't worked for years, and many drivers are looking to take tourists for the wrong sort of ride. Fortunately, you can keep things easy and pleasant by following a few simple rules:
- To engage a taxi, just tell the driver your destination by telling him -- through the always-open driver's-side window -- the neighborhood you're headed to. He'll either wave you in or wave you off. In a few cases, he'll ask you how much you're going to pay, which leads to the next rule.
- Don't negotiate the fare. Cairenes know from experience how much any given trip is worth. They pay on arrival, plus extra for traffic congestion, and everyone's happy. If you let on that you don't have a clue, get ready for endless hassles and price gouging. If the driver asks about the fare, find another cab or accept paying at least double the going rate.
- Know the fare before you start. Ask a local or consult my fare table. Pay on arrival, and walk away from demands for more. If you have doubts about how the process is going, get your driver to stop on a busy one-way street, pay him, and walk back the way you've come. The other drivers will soon ensure that your unruly cabby is on his way.
- Always have the exact fare handy. Extracting change from an unwilling driver is like pulling teeth from the proverbial chicken, and even honest and cooperative drivers carry very little change.
- A rule for single women: Always sit in the back. Sitting in the front seat is considered an unambiguous sexual invitation. Dress conservatively and either ignore attempts to strike up conversation or be prepared to turn it quickly to family: asking about children and wives and telling him about your husband (fictional or nonfictional) establishes your respectability.
These rules only apply to the taxis that cruise the streets. The black-and-whites waiting outside the door of the five-star hotels tend to charge several times the normal fares. They also tend to be a little cleaner and newer than the others, and the drivers might speak a little more English and be more familiar with the tourist sites. With these, negotiate what you are willing to pay before heading out. This also applies to the taxis waiting around the airport.
On Foot
At first glance, Cairo looks chaotic and terribly crowded with cars, donkeys, buses, and people, but it's actually a surprisingly walkable city for the reasonably fit. Safety is a very minor concern in Cairo, with random violent crime virtually unheard of and pickpocketing rare. What is fairly common, however, is general hassling. In a car or on a bus, you'll be cut off from the street, but walking through town there will be a lot of people who want to talk to you and get a tip. Downtown, particularly around the museum area, and out by the pyramids in Giza, this takes the form of touts (khertee in the local street Arabic) who will use any ploy to strike up a conversation and then try to entice you into a range of commercial transactions, all of which are designed to fleece you. As you leave the areas frequented by tourists, however, you'll run into more and more people who simply want to talk to you and be seen talking to you. This can be fun, but it can also get tiresome, and you can simply smile and wave as you keep walking. If you're feeling antisocial, stay away from elementary schools in the afternoon -- you risk being mobbed by exuberant 8-year-olds, all of whom need to shake your hand and ask after your health.
For exploring beyond the limit of the maps in this guide, I highly recommend Cairo: The Practical Guide Maps (AUC Press), which was originally published as an addition to Cairo: The Practical Guide (which, while once excellent, has not been properly kept up to date). Both are available at the AUC bookstores and Diwan, and can also be found at the bookstores in major hotels. And though it might sound extreme, I also recommend a compass if you're going to wander into areas such as Moski or Ataba, where the alleys are frequently covered and always densely packed.
By Car
There is little point in using a car to explore within Cairo. With traffic congestion that verges on gridlock at certain times of the day and a disastrous parking situation, a private vehicle is more likely to be a 3,000-pound albatross around your neck than a convenience. A driver changes the picture a little and solves most of the parking problems, but I still recommend cabs or the Metro.
For the sites around the outskirts of the city, such as Saqqara, Birqash, and even the pyramids in Giza, a car with a driver is the best way to go. A reliable driver is a great source of information, and having a fixed price for all your transport from the beginning of the day can save an enormous amount of hassle. It may cost a little more, but the peace of mind is worth it.
By Metro
The Metro is a rare example of functional transportation in Cairo. It's crowded -- extremely crowded during rush hour -- but trains run about every 10 to 15 minutes and are tolerably clean, though during the summer months they can become quite malodorous. Women can decide whether to take advantage of the women-only cars, which are usually the first two in the train (after 6pm, the second car usually becomes general seating). Traveling alone, women may find themselves the object of unwanted attention in the mixed cars. On the other hand, unveiled women report increasing levels of religious harassment in the women's car, with "modestly" attired Muslim women praying loudly, making comments about their "immodest" fellow passengers, or even overtly proselytizing. The line between a cultural experience and an annoyance is a matter of individual tolerance.
There are currently two Metro lines in operation, and a third is under construction (which probably means that it will be under construction for a long time). There are several particularly useful stations on the Marg-Helwan line including Sadat (directly underneath Midan Tahrir, beside the Egyptian Museum), Mubarak (next to the Ramsis train station), and Mar Girgis (next to Coptic Cairo).
Tickets cost LE0.50 (9?/5p) for nine stops and are for sale inside all stations. You will need the ticket not only to get onto the platform, but to exit at the other end as well, so keep your ticket for the duration of the trip. Trains run from about 6am to midnight.
Fast Facts
Business Hours -- Weekends start on Friday; Sunday is not considered part of the weekend -- but it is considered the traditional day off, and some businesses are closed on Sunday. Most stores and currency exchanges are open 7 days a week, however. The following are general open hours; specific establishments may vary. Businesses: Sunday to Thursday 9am to 4pm. Banks are open 9am to 2pm Sunday to Thursday. Most banks and other outlets offer 24-hour access to automated teller machines (ATMs). Stores/Shops: Monday to Thursday 9am to 10pm and some Friday mornings.
Electricity -- Cairo uses 110 volts AC (60 cycles). North Americans will need to bring a converter and plug adaptor.
Emergencies -- Call tel. 122 for emergencies.
How to Make International Calls -- Regular phone boxes really only serve for local calls, which cost 10pt. Phonecard booths (Menatel, Ringo or Egypt Telecom) are increasingly common; shops that sell the cards usually display the companies' signs. The main company, Menatel www.menatel.com.eg), charges £E4.20 and £E1.30 for calls to North America, £E4.80 and £E1.50 to the British Isles and Europe, and £E6.20 and £E2 to Australia and New Zealand.
Or you can go to a telephone office where calls are booked and paid for in advance; the calls can be directed to an outside number such as a hotel, or you can take them onsite in a booth. A call to the British Isles, Canada or Europe costs £E4.37 a minute during peak hours (8am-8pm local time); to the USA it's less at £E3.75, to Australia or New Zealand more at £E5.62.
If you have a phone charge card from your phone company back home, you may be able to use it from any international public telephone, and the call will be charged to your account. The benefit of calling cards is mainly one of convenience. Check that the issuing company's charge card works from Egypt.
Or course, direct international lines are available at all major hotels, but ask about the rates before you dial: Calling direct from your hotel can be incredibly expensive.
Direct dialing abroad from Egypt: Dial 00 for an international line + the country code + the area code (leaving out the initial zero in calls to most countries outside North America), + he personal phone number. For example:
Australia 00-61+ area code (without initial zero) + number
Canada 001+ area code + number
Ireland 00-353 + area code (without initial zero) + number
New Zealand 00-64 + area code (without initial zero) + number
UK 00-44 + area code (without initial zero) + number
US 001+ area code + number
Directory & operator Information: Egypt has no toll-free directory information service. You can get directory assistance by dialing tel. 140, but in most cases you will need to speak fluent Arabic to communicate.
Cellphones: Check with your provider in advance to see if your cellphone works in Egypt. A convenient and economical choice is to buy a local prepaid SIM card for your cellphone. Or you can rent a cellphone, sometimes even from your hotel, for a reasonable price.
Internet Access -- Internet access is available in almost all the main tourist destinations, with Internet cafes sprouting up everywhere and hotels providing computers for guests to use. The charge for access at Internet cafes is usually £E5-10 an hour; hotels may charge up to £E50 an hour.
Liquor Laws -- Egypt is a predominately Muslim nation, and alcoholic drinks are forbidden for strictly observant Muslims. But Egyptians tend to adopt a relaxed and tolerant view towards alcohol for non-Muslims and foreigners -- and often themselves. Alcoholic beverages are readily available in Cairo, at restaurants, bars, cafes, and liquor stores. Note, however, that public drunkenness is considered inappropriate and even offensive.
Egyptian laws towards alcohol are quite liberal compared with that of most Islamic countries, except for the month of Ramadan when alcohol is strictly forbidden and only holders of foreign passports are allowed to buy alcohol.
The legal drinking age in Egypt is 21.
Mail -- The larger post offices in Cairo -- Muhammad Farid (Downtown), Ataba Square (next to the Postal Museum), and the Maadi offices -- are open Saturday to Thursday from 7am to 7 PM and Friday from 7am to noon. All post offices are closed on public holidays and the first days of the Eid al-Fitr and the Eid al-Adha feasts.
Postcards to countries outside the Middle East cost £E1.25. An express-mail letter mailed anywhere outside the Arab world costs £e45.
Newspapers & Magazines -- The English-language Egyptian Gazette (on Saturday, the Egyptian Mail) carries agency reports, articles on Middle Eastern affairs and tourist features. The English weekly edition of Al-Ahram (see below) features opinion pieces on politics, sociology and international affairs.
Of the Arabic press, Egypt's oldest newspaper, Al-Ahram ("The Pyramids"), founded in 1875, reflects official thinking, as do Al-Akhbar and Al-Gomhouriya.
Police -- Call tel. 122. The tourist police headquarters is at 5 Adli St.
Safety -- The incidence of violent crime in Egypt is low, and the country overall is very safe -- but horrific terrorist attacks on foreigners and government officials by radical extremists in the last 10 years continue to reverberate for visitors. The Egyptian government has responded by placing armed police at all tourist sites, stations, and checkpoints, scanners in hotels, and plainclothes agents in bars and bazaars.
Otherwise, safety concerns are minor. Pickpockets are somewhat of a nuisance in heavily touristed areas like bazaars. ATMs are safe to use at virtually any hour of the day or night many banks have 24-hour guards posted. Women can avoid petty harassment by dressing conservatively.
Smoking -- Most Egyptian men smoke, and offering cigarettes around is common practice. Respectable women don't generally smoke, and certainly not in public, though nowadays wealthier young women may be seen smoking sheesha in Cairo's posher establishments.
Taxes -- Egypt has no value-added tax. Meal taxes in Cairo can be as high as 26%. Hotel taxes in Cairo are 19%.
Time Zone -- Cairo observes Eastern European Time (GMT +2), which makes it 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (and thus London), and 7 hours ahead of New York.
Tipping -- Tipping is not only acceptable in Egypt, it's expected. It's customary to leave a 10% tip (before taxes) at a restaurant. (The bill already has a 12% service charge, a 5% government tax, and a 2% city tax included in the total.) A similar tip is expected for bartenders.
For taxi drivers, the tip is usually covered in the fare. In five-star hotels, porters should be given a £e10 tip and about half that for porters in lower-scale hotels. Chambermaids get about £e5 for each visit.
Water -- It's recommended that visitors to Cairo stick to bottled water or water that has been boiled and filtered. Avoid drinks with ice.
