From Cairo to Alexandria by Train: My Travel Experience

March 4, 2024November 7, 2024 Koen 0 Comments

This review shows what it’s like to take the train from Cairo to Alexandria and what you can see on your rail trip through Egypt’s Nile Delta.

From Cairo to Alexandria by train

After my fun day trip from Cairo to the Pyramid of Djoser and the Saqqara Necropolis, Dahshur, and Ancient Memphis, it was time to continue my journey across Egypt.

I would now travel by train from Cairo to Alexandria, which would be the last stop on my grand tour of Egypt.

During the previous weeks, I had already experienced a fair share of train travel in Egypt, having taken the Cairo-Aswan sleeper train and a daytime train from Luxor to Cairo.

Although it wasn’t always a luxurious experience, I enjoyed every single bit of my rail adventure so far, and was therefore looking forward to my last train ride in Egypt.

From the Steigenberger Hotel in downtown Cairo, I took a taxi to Ramses Station, where all trains to Alexandria depart.

cairo ramses station — *The beautiful Moorish revival architecture of Cairo Ramses Station. ©Paliparan*

cairo ramses station art deco egypt — *The main hall of Cairo Ramses Station. ©Paliparan*

Ticket price

Even though I had already bought my ticket beforehand, I still arrived early at Ramses Station to soak up its beauty and classic railway vibes for one last time.

I easily managed to book my first class train ticket from Cairo to Alexandria online on the Egyptian Railways website, for which I paid around $7.50, which was quite a steal.

However, do note that the ticket price has increased significantly since my travels, as Egypt has now introduced special ‘foreigner fares’ that raised the costs of train travel considerably for visiting tourists.

You now pay between 21 and 26 US dollars for a 2nd class ticket between Cairo and Alexandria, while a 1st class ticket costs between $26 and $36.

The price is dependent on the train category, with a ticket for a premium service costing more than one for the older or slower trains.

first class seats cairo alexandria train — *First class seats on a Cairo-Alexandria train. ©Paliparan*

Different trains

The premium express services, such as the brand new Talgo trains which were recently acquired by the Egyptian Railways, as well as the VIP Express trains, make for the most comfortable option to travel between Cairo and Alexandria, and therefore cost the most.

These are the fastest and most modern trains, and they have comfortable seats in both 1st and 2nd class, with all wagons being fully air-conditioned.

They are followed in quality by the older “Spanish” and “French” express trains, which refer to older wagons acquired second-hand from those countries.

Although these trains are air-conditioned as well, with comfortable seats in both 1st and 2nd class, they can be a bit grubby and will have some wear and tear given their age, as I found out when I travelled on such a train from Luxor to Cairo.

Seating in second class is usually two-abreast at either side of the aisle, while seats in first class are in a more spacious 1+2 configuration, with solo seats on one side of the aisle and two-abreast seats on the other.

The so-called Russian trains are next in the pecking order.

These trains feature modern carriages built in Russia, but since they have 2nd and 3rd class seats only, might not always be air-conditioned and will be a bit slower than the express trains, they wouldn’t be my first pick.

The lowest train category as the ordinary trains, with unreserved seating in 2nd and 3rd class coaches without air-conditioning.

Although these ordinary trains are the cheapest, they stop at almost every station en-route and are prone to overcrowding, so I wouldn’t recommend them when travelling from Cairo to Alexandria.

spanish train egypt — *An older Spanish express train, seen here at Luxor station. ©Paliparan*

Cairo Ramses Station

Having discussed all required information about ticket prices, trains, and travel classes, let’s get on with my actual trip to Alexandria!

Before you can enter Ramses Station, you have to put your bags through an X-Ray machine and walk through a body scanner, although the process is certainly a lot faster than at airports as everyone just walked through without even emptying their pockets.

cairo ramses station alexandria train — *The gorgeous central hall of Cairo’s Ramses Station. ©Paliparan*

Breakfast

As I was a bit early, I decided to take the escalators up to the mezzanine level, where there is a food court with some cafés and restaurants overlooking both the main hall and the train shed.

I enjoyed a cup of coffee and a croissant while I watched the trains depart and arrive at Cairo Ramses Station.

It’s a particularly impressive sight when a train with unreserved third-class coaches arrives, as hundreds of people suddenly pour out of these overcrowded trains onto the platforms.

cairo ramses station trains egypt — *Trains at Cairo Ramses Station. ©Paliparan*

food court cairo ramses station — *The food court on the mezzanine floor of Cairo Ramses Station. ©Paliparan*

train shed cairo ramses railway station — *View from the food court over the train shed. ©Paliparan*

railway station café cairo — *Enjoying some coffee and a croissant at the station café. ©Paliparan*

egyptian train cairo ramses station — *A packed commuter train arrives at Cairo Ramses Station. ©Paliparan*

Boarding my train

The departure boards at Cairo Ramses Station are bilingual, alternating between Arabic and English to display upcoming train departures and the corresponding platforms.

I was booked on a VIP Express train from Cairo to Alexandria, which happened to depart from platform 4.

My train was already at the platform 40 minutes before departure, giving me ample time to take some pictures and board the train.

The stainless steel carriages of my VIP Express train were adorned with stripes in the red, white, and black colours of the Egyptian flag, giving them a sharp appearance.

If you haven’t yet stocked up on drinks or snacks for the journey, you can do so at one of the many small shops and kiosks on the platform.

Although a small complimentary meal or snack and a drink may be included in first class on the most premium train services, it’s always smart to carry plenty of water, as delays are common on the Egyptian rail network.

cairo alexandria train egypt — *My train to Alexandria is ready to depart from platform 4 at Cairo Ramses Station. ©Paliparan*

cairo alexandria train egypt vip express — *The VIP Express train from Cairo to Alexandria is ready for boarding. ©Paliparan*

cairo ramses station vip express train egypt — *There are plenty of shops on the platforms if you need to stock up on some drinks or snacks for the journey. ©Paliparan*

On board the VIP Express train

My VIP Express train from Cairo to Alexandria was certainly a world apart from the old and grubby carriages on the train I took earlier from Luxor to Cairo.

These air-conditioned VIP Express trains offer two classes: First (also known as AC1) and second (AC2).

Seats in both second and first class looked comfortable, although in both classes, the headrest covers were suspiciously missing.

In second class, seats are arranged in a 2+2 configuration, while in first class, the seats are slightly wider and are placed in a more spacious 1+2 configuration.

My first class seat had quite a bit of recline, making it comfortable to lounge in during the train ride to Alexandria.

As there are less seats in the carriage, first class is therefore usually more quiet as well, and on my departure perhaps only 20% of all seats were taken.

There are large and sturdy fold-out tray tables at each seat in both first and second class, making it possible to do some work on your laptop if you want.

However, don’t rely on there being any (working) power sockets or Wi-Fi internet, so make sure your phone and other electronic devices are fully charged.

If the sunshine gets a bit too hot during the train journey, you can close the curtains the blinds between the double-glazed windows.

Your bags are simply stored in the overhead luggage racks of your train carriage, and there is usually plenty of space for this.

second class seats vip express train cairo alexandria — *Second class seats on the VIP Express train from Cairo to Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

first class seats vip express train cairo alexandria — *First class seats on the VIP Express train from Cairo to Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

solo seats first class train — *At one side of the aisle in the first class carriage, there are solo seats. ©Paliparan*

*One of the first class solo seats. ©Paliparan*

window blinds — *When the sun gets too hot, you can close the blinds between the double-glazed windows. ©Paliparan*

*The first class duo seats at the other side of the aisle. ©Paliparan*

Cairo to Alexandria by VIP Express train
Train 905 – Coach 1, seat 1
Departure: 8am – Arrival: 10.30am
Duration: 2h30m – Distance: 208 kilometres

cairo alexandria train railway map egypt — *The route of my train between Cairo and Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

Departure from Cairo

My train departed on the dot for its 208-kilometre journey from Cairo to Alexandria, a trip that would take about two-and-a-half hours.

The VIP Express train I took was one of the non-stop services between Cairo and Alexandria, although other express trains may call at some stations en-route, such as Banha and Tanta.

I was quite excited as we slowly pulled out of Cairo Ramses Station to embark on our journey across the Nile Delta to Alexandria.

Cairo suburbs

Cairo is a massive city and it therefore takes a while to clear the urban sprawl.

Around 10 million people live in Cairo proper, while the greater urban area of Cairo is home to approximately 20 million.

Some 20 minutes after departure, our train was still passing through the suburbs.

The chaotic street scenes and the buildings reminded me of travelling through India and Pakistan, where you have similar views from the window when leaving the biggest metropolises by train.

Once we reached Qalyub, a junction station in the greater Cairo area where a secondary railway line branches off, the landscape gradually changed from an urban environment to fields and villages.

cairo factory suburbs — *Factory in the Cairo suburbs. ©Paliparan*

cairo suburbs road — *The railway line runs parallel to one of the main roads north out of Cairo. ©Paliparan*

cairo suburbs — *It takes quite a while to clear the sprawling suburbs of Cairo. ©Paliparan*

qalyub station — *The junction station of Qalyub. ©Paliparan*

Towards Banha

If you think that once the train is finally outside of Cairo you will be surrounded by unspoilt nature, you are mistaken.

The Nile Delta, being the most fertile region of Egypt, is densely populated, with nearly all the land used for settlements or agricultural fields.

It does however make for an interesting ride, as you get a great insight into local Egyptian life outside the main cities.

The views aren’t bad either, as there is enough variety in the scenery between the villages, fields and palm groves.

Below you can see an impression of the scenery along the railway line between Cairo and Banha.

Crossing the Nile

Once the train reaches Banha, a city with around 200,000 residents and a wider metro area population of 2.5 million, the ride really gets interesting.

As a non-stop express service between Cairo and Alexandria, our train passed through Banha Station without stopping.

The train then follows a wide curve through the city before crossing the bridge over the Damietta Branch of the River Nile.

It’s one of the two crossings of the River Nile that you’ll experience on a train journey between Cairo and Alexandria, and these moments are definitely worth watching out for.

banha egypt houses — *Approaching Banha. ©Paliparan*

banha — *The city of Banha as seen from the train. ©Paliparan*

banha railway station — *The VIP Express train passes non-stop through the station of Banha. ©Paliparan*

Nile Delta scenery

Once we reached the outskirts of Banha, the typical Nile Delta scenery of smaller towns, villages, and agricultural fields came into view again.

If you have already travelled by train through Upper Egypt, you will notice the difference in trees and vegetation here in Lower Egypt.

Not only was the vegetation different, but the speed of our train was also noticeably different.

The train typically maintained decent speeds on the Cairo-Alexandria railway line, especially when compared with the rickety railway line from Cairo south towards Luxor, where both speed and ride quality are rather poor.

So far, I was thoroughly enjoying the ride alongside the irrigation canals and through the fields of the Nile Delta.

*Passing through the town of Berket Al Sabaa. ©Paliparan*

nile delta village — *Nile Delta village. ©Paliparan*

agricultural fields nile delta egypt alexandria cairo train — *Agricultural fields in the Nile Delta. ©Paliparan*

Tanta

With a population of just under 600,000, Tanta is the largest city between Cairo and Alexandria, and most trains will therefore make a stop at it this important junction station.

My non-stop express train didn’t call at Tanta, and instead just rolled slowly through the station without stopping.

This made for a fun bit of people-watching, as the platform at Tanta’s railway station was overcrowded with people.

tanta egypt — *Approaching the city of Tanta. ©Paliparan*

railway line egyptian houses — *Egyptian houses along the railway line. ©Paliparan*

tanta egypt train — *Old train at the sidings near the station of Tanta. ©Paliparan*

apartment blocks railway line — *Apartment blocks along the railway line. ©Paliparan*

tanta — *Approaching the station of Tanta. ©Paliparan*

tanta guard tower — *Big guard tower overlooking the station and railway tracks at Tanta. ©Paliparan*

tanta railway station cairo alexandria train egypt — *Mother and son waiting for their train at the railway station of Tanta. ©Paliparan*

tanta station train egypt — *The railway station of Tanta, with an old non-airconditioned train with unreserved seating at the opposite side of the platform. ©Paliparan*

Rosetta Branch

Shortly after departure from Tanta, the Cairo-Alexandria train reaches the city of Kafr El-Zayat, where it crosses the River Nile again.

This is the Rosetta Branch of the River Nile, named after the port city of Rosetta (called Rashid in Arabic), where this river arm flows into the Mediterranean Sea.

Of course, Rosetta is best known for the Rosetta Stone.

Discovered in 1799, the Rosetta Stone was of immense help to archaeologists in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs.

The Rosetta Stone featured a royal decree which was not only inscribed in hieroglyphs, but also in the Demotic script and Ancient Greek, the lingua franca of the Ptolemaic Dynasty which ruled Egypt at that time.

The archaeologists’ knowledge of Ancient Greek enabled them to decipher the hieroglyphs on this stone, providing them with the understanding they needed to read other hieroglyphic texts as well.

Towards Alexandria

After the second crossing of the River Nile, the journey becomes somewhat uneventful.

The railway line runs parallel to the main road from Tanta to Alexandria, which limits the views a bit.

Even when there are some uninterrupted views from the window, the landscape in this coastal part of Lower Egypt is less interesting than the inland areas, with sparse vegetation and few notable sights.

irrigation canal nile delta — *Riding along another irrigation canal. ©Paliparan*

tanta alexandria road — *At times, the railway line runs parallel to the main Tanta-Alexandria road. ©Paliparan*

houses railway line — *Houses alongside the railway line. ©Paliparan*

damanhour agricultural fields — *Agricultural fields near Damanhour. ©Paliparan*

Approaching Alexandria

After a while, the train approached the greater urban area of Alexandria, passing through cities like Izbat Sakinah.

It doesn’t take long before Alexandria itself comes into view, or at least the outskirts of the city, which are dominated by towering high-rise apartment blocks.

My Cairo-Alexandria VIP Express train made a stop at Alexandria’s secondary station of Sidi Gaber in the suburbs, before continuing towards Alexandria Misr, the city’s main railway station.

Approaching Izbat Sakinah, one of the cities in the greater urban area of Alexandria. ©Paliparan

alexandria approach railway line train cairo — *The city of Alexandria comes into sight. ©Paliparan*

alexandria sidi gaber railway station train cairo — *Stop at the station of Sidi Gaber in the Alexandria suburbs. ©Paliparan*

Arriving at Alexandria Misr

Just like Cairo, Alexandria is a sprawling metropolis, and it therefore took some time to traverse the railway line between Sidi Gaber Station and Misr Station in downtown Alexandria.

We eventually arrived at Alexandria Misr Station with a 15-minute delay, which isn’t all that bad considering it’s Egypt.

alexandria train view city egypt — *Riding through the densely populated city of Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

alexandria train view — *View from the train as we make our way towards Alexandria Misr. ©Paliparan*

alexandria apartment blocks — *I liked the contrast between the older and newer apartment blocks. ©Paliparan*

Alexandria Misr Station

With its wrought iron train shed, Alexandria Misr is an absolutely delightful station that breathes classic European railway vibes.

After disembarking the train, I lingered for a while on the platform to absorb the view.

I basically travelled along the entire length of the Egyptian railway network, first from Cairo to the southern rail terminus of Aswan in Upper Egypt, and then back towards Lower Egypt, where I now found myself standing at the northern terminus of Alexandria on the shores of the Mediterranean.

The railway station of Alexandria certainly felt a lot quieter than Cairo Ramses, as there was only one other train (a brand new “Russian” train) besides mine.

Due to ongoing renovation works, most of the waiting halls and other rooms inside the station building were closed, although the dimly-lit station café was still serving some customers.

At the station forecourt, you can take a taxi or bus to your Alexandria hotel, although it’s also perfectly feasible to walk from Misr Station towards the city centre and corniche.

alexandria misr station vip express russian train cairo — *My VIP Express train (right) has arrived at Alexandria Misr Station. At the opposite side of the platform (left) you can see a brand new “Russian” train of the Egyptian Railways. ©Paliparan*

russian train carriage egypt — *Egyptian Railways logo on a brand new carriage of a “Russian” train. ©Paliparan*

trains alexandria misr station egypt — *Trains at Alexandria’s wonderful Misr Station. ©Paliparan*

alexandria misr station — *Alexandria Misr Station. ©Paliparan*

renovation works station — *The station was undergoing some serious renovation works when I passed through. ©Paliparan*

station cafe alexandria misr — *Alexandria Misr Station has a wonderful old school station café. ©Paliparan*

alexandria misr train station egypt — *The beautiful façade of Alexandria Misr Station. ©Paliparan*

bus alexandria — *From the station forecourt, you can take a taxi or bus to take you deeper into Alexandria. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

Taking the train from Cairo to Alexandria is a fantastic rail adventure that offers a great insight into local life in the Nile Delta.

On your train journey between Cairo and Alexandria, you will cross the River Nile twice (the Damietta and Rosetta Branches) and traverse agricultural fields, palm groves, villages, as well as sprawling cities in this densely populated part of Egypt.

If you take one of the premium train services, such as the brand new Talgo trains recently acquired by the Egyptian Railways, or the VIP Express train on which I was booked, it will be a comfortable journey as well.

As I truly enjoyed my Cairo to Alexandria train trip from start to finish, I cannot fathom why anyone would choose a bus on Egypt’s chaotic roads over a comfortable train journey departing and arriving at centrally located, beautiful stations.