Egypt Air: arguably the best way to travel from Cairo to Luxor.

The Best Way to Travel from Cairo to Luxor: A Complete Guide

If you’re planning to travel from Cairo to Luxor when visiting Egypt, then you have several interesting options to choose from. You can travel in luxury on the River Nile, slum it on a train or bus or fly if you’re short on time.

Having travelled between these two popular cities via train (and also flown across Egypt), I know very well what to expect in terms of prices, comfort, convenience and the many pros and cons of each transportation option.

That’s why I’ve written this blog post, to help you decide which is the best mode of transport for you when travelling on your Egyptian adventure.

Plan Your Trip With My Recommended Resources:

🏨 Accommodation: I always use Booking.com
🚙 Rental Car: Discover Cars has the best car rental prices
❤️ Travel Insurance: I recommend using Visitors Coverage
✈️ Flights: Kiwi.com has the best prices on flights
📱eSIM: Airalo has a fantastic range of eSIMs

How To Travel From Luxor From Cairo

Choosing how to travel from Luxor to Cairo is not as simple as you may think and it very much decides on your personal taste when it comes to travelling in a foreign country.

I travelled there via train, solely because I love travelling by train when abroad. This was a long, exhausting day but a really interesting and memorable day for sure!

But you may want to travel via cruise, plane, bus, car or taxi. Each choice has pros and cons, so it’s really important you select your mode of transport carefully. Here are several different travel options to consider when going from Cairo to Luxor:

Travel From Cairo To Luxor By plane

If you just want to get to Luxor from Cairo as quickly as possible then catching a plane is definitely your best choice.

This is the quickest and most convenient way to travel, with flights from Cairo taking usually 1 hour and 9 minutes to reach Luxor. Prices depend on how far in advance you book, but expect to pay from £6o upwards.

Although I didn’t travel by plane between Cairo and Luxor, I did fly from Luxor to Sharm El Sheikh and enjoyed a pleasant journey with no real issues.

My plane that I boarded to fly from Luxor to Sharm El Sheikh.
My plane that I boarded to fly from Luxor to Sharm El Sheikh.

However, flying out of Egypt back to the UK was another story. I experienced flight delays and huge check-in queues which were totally chaotic.

You can also expect to go through security not once, not twice, but three times! I would go so far to say that flying from Egypt to the UK was the worst experience I’ve ever had at an airport, and that’s saying a lot!

✅ Pros of travelling via plane:

  • The most convenient, fastest option.
  • Very affordable tickets IF you book in advance and not last minute.

❌ Cons of travelling via plane:

  • Possibility of flight delays.
  • Strict, multiple security checks at Egyptian airports, which can be a lot of hassle.
Rugged moutain landscape seen from my window seat on my flight to Sharm El Sheikh.
Rugged moutain landscape seen from my window seat on my flight to Sharm El Sheikh.

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    Travel From Cairo To Luxor On A Nile Cruise Ship

    Most people will be tempted by the most luxurious and exotic travel option from Cairo to Luxor: to travel along the famous River Nile on a cruise.

    This is a bucket list for many, but expect to pay between several hundred to a few thousand pounds, which is certainly not cheap! But it’s certainly a once in a lifetime experience, so if you can afford it then it’s definitely worth doing.

    A cruise from Cairo to Luxor is often referred to as a ‘long Nile cruise’ and most cruise companies offer trips that last up to 11 days, some even 14 days and continue on from Luxor to Aswan.

    The cost of your cruise experience all depends on the duration as well as the activities you wish to do during the cruise, and the quality of the cruise itself.

    If time and money isn’t an issue for you then this is definitely the best travel option and will certainly be a memorable experience.

    ✅ Pros of travelling via cruise:

    • You get to travel in luxury on a 4 star cruise ship!
    • Meals are all inclusive on the cruise as well.
    • Tours to all of the major tourist attractions in Cairo, Luxor and even Aswan are included.

    ❌ Cons of travelling via cruise:

    • It’s super expensive!
    • Although it’s a lovely way to travel, cruises can be long, taking several days and somewhat monotonous.
    A cruise ship travelling down the River Nile in Luxor.
    A cruise ship travelling down the River Nile in Luxor.

    Travel From Cairo To Luxor By Train

    As mentioned, I caught a train from Cairo to Luxor and although it was a cheap and cheerful experience, it was also a really long journey!

    Acquiring train tickets from Cairo to Luxor is a bit of a nightmare as well. I bought my train ticket via the Egyptian National Railways app without any problems. But for a lot of people this app can be unreliable at times.

    As a foreigner you have to pay an extra fee at the Foreigners Reservation Office at Cairo train station. For more info on this, have a read of a guest post I wrote about my train experience to Luxor here.

    A typical train to Luxor takes around 10 hours or more from the capital, and my train ride was full of slow stops at various stations. I’ll go into more detail about my train ride from Cairo to Luxor later in this blog post.

    Overnight Sleeper Train Option

    It’s also possible to catch an overnight sleeper train from Luxor to Cairo. This is a popular option as it means you don’t waste a day of travel and instead get to sleep in your own cabin (though you may share the cabin if travelling solo).

    Personally I don’t enjoy sleeping on a train – I much prefer to enjoy the views during the daytime. The sleeper train option is also more expensive than catching a day train.

    It costs around £100 for a single ticket but cheaper if you are 2 people sharing a cabin, about £80.

    ✅ Pros of travelling by train:

    • It’s cheaper than travelling by plane or by cruise ship.
    • It’s a chance to see the real Egypt, passing through parts of the country you will never get to see otherwise.

    ❌ Cons of travelling by train:

    • My train ride was extremely slow at times, stopping at various stations for 10 or 20 minutes for no apparent reason.
    • Food options aren’t great, especially if you’re vegetarian.
    • It’s a really long, exhausting day!

    Travel From Cairo To Luxor By bus

    You can also travel to Luxor from Cairo by bus if you’re on a budget, with tickets costing around £5-6. You can catch the bus from Ramsis station in Cairo and buses leave there twice daily to Luxor.

    Taking the bus is actually a little bit of a quicker option than the train, taking roughly 8 hours to reach Luxor. But traffic in Egypt can be somewhat unpredictable at times and you may experience a lot of traffic in Cairo.

    ✅ Pros of travelling via bus:

    • It’s super cheap!
    • It’s quicker than taking the train.
    • The buses are relatively clean and safe.

    ❌ Cons of travelling via bus:

    • Traffic may be bad at times, especially in Cairo.
    • Customer service may be unreliable.
    • Some of the buses may be cramped and uncomfortable.
    • Some drivers may play loud Egyptian music!

    Travel From Cairo To Luxor By Car

    You may wish to rent a car to Luxor, which is certainly an adventurous option and takes on average 8 hours to reach from Cairo. Although this sounds like a good option, beware that driving in Egypt is definitely not for the faint of heart!

    Although it’s relatively straightforward to rent a car in Egypt, a lot of travel experts strongly advise against doing so.

    This is because traffic in Egypt can be very dangerous, the majority of roads are in poor condition, and communicating with local authorities can be far from easy too.

    ✅ Pros of travelling via car:

    • It’s easy to rent a car in Egypt.
    • It’s an adventurous (and brave) way to travel!

    ❌ Cons of travelling via car:

    • The traffic in Egypt (especially Cairo) is absolutely mental, a lot of Egyptian drivers drive without caution, as I can attest having caught taxis in Egypt and feared for my life!
    • Roads are mostly in a poor condition.
    • Difficult to communicate with authorities.
    A typical main road in Egypt, surrounded by desert.
    A typical main road in Egypt, surrounded by desert.

    Travel From Cairo To Luxor By Taxi/Private Driver

    Rather than driving all the way from Cairo to Luxor, it’s considered much safer and easier to go there via taxi or with a private driver.

    The taxi ride is surprisingly not too expensive. You can expect anywhere from just £70 to up to £200 or more depending on the service provider and it’ll take about 8 hours, depending on traffic of course.

    If you book with a company then you can expect to travel in a nice vehicle with a professional driver. Just expect the traffic to be quite crazy at times to say the least!

    ✅ Pros of travelling via taxi/private driver:

    • It’s fairly convenient.
    • It’s comfortable.
    • It’s a different way to see parts of Egypt.

    ❌ Cons of travelling via taxi/private driver:

    • Expect traffic and dangerous drivers.
    • It’s not as cheap as travelling via bus or train.

    My Experience Of Travelling Via Train In Egypt

    As mentioned, I chose to travel from Cairo to Luxor via train. I love travelling abroad via trains and was hoping this train journey would be a memorable, beautiful ride. How wrong I was.

    Beautiful Ramses railway station

    Firstly, it wasn’t all that bad. I was really impressed with the interior decor of the train station at Cairo (Ramses railway station), which is absolutely gorgeous.

    The same can’t be said of the toilet facilities here though, the less said about that the better!

    The gorgeous decor of Ramses railway station in Cairo.
    The gorgeous decor of Ramses railway station in Cairo.

    Not so beautiful scenery

    I was hoping the train ride would go past some of Egypt’s beautiful countryside, but I was somewhat disappointed with the views. Instead, I saw a lot of very poor towns and villages, so be prepared for a bit of a culture shock.

    Sure, there was some pretty scenery here and there, but the train for the majority of the journey passed through really deprived, remote areas which I honestly wasn’t expecting.

    I suppose this gave me a different perspective on what life is really like for Egyptians and for that I’m grateful.

    View of an under-developed town from a train platform in Egypt.
    View of an under-developed town from a train platform in Egypt.

    Food options on the train

    When it came to food on the train, I was given a menu which was all in Arabic. I tried to explain to the train conductor that I wanted a cheese sandwich, but was instead given a selection of cakes!

    Otherwise, you can buy various snacks at Cairo train station and at other stations that the train stops at.


    What Is The Best Option To Travel From Cairo To Luxor?

    The answer to this question very much depends on your personal preference. Most people would say that travelling on a cruise boat down the River Nile is by far the best choice.

    And while travelling via cruise is indeed luxurious, memorable and a relaxing way to travel, it’s also super expensive and can take several days to reach Luxor from Cairo.

    If I had to travel from Cairo to Luxor again then I definitely wouldn’t travel by train. The journey was too long, the food options (for a vegetarian) was almost non-existent and the landscape wasn’t exactly beautiful to be honest.

    Instead, I would opt to travel via plane. It’s quick, affordable and will save you the most time if you’re on a tight schedule.


    Cairo To Luxor Travel FAQs

    Still have doubts about travelling from Cairo to Luxor? That’s perfectly understandable! Let me answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this topic:

    Should I spend more days in Cairo or Luxor?

    I recommend spending more days in Luxor than in Cairo. Having visited the Giza Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum there’s really not much need to spend more time in Cairo to be honest.

    There’s a lot more places to visit in Luxor however. There are several different temple sites, not to mention several incredible tombs at the Valley of the Kings. Have a read of my 8 day itinerary guide to Egypt for more info.

    Which is the better city: Cairo or Luxor?

    I much preferred Luxor to Cairo. Cairo is a totally hectic place that’s overcrowded with people, has plenty of traffic jams and pollution. It’s an interesting city to explore for a day, but that’s about the only positive I can say about the place.

    Luxor on the other hand is much quieter, less polluted and much more beautiful than Cairo. The city is based right on the River Nile and the views there (especially during sunset) are magical to say the least.

    There are more interesting activities to do in Luxor in my opinion as well, such as going on a hot air balloon ride at sunrise over the Valley of the Kings, and sailing on a felucca boat down the River Nile.

    A beautiful sunset on the River Nile in Luxor.
    A beautiful sunset on the River Nile in Luxor.

    Which city is safer: Cairo or Luxor?

    Both Cairo and Luxor are considered safe cities for tourists to visit, but generally Luxor is considered the safer city.

    This is because Luxor is a much smaller, quieter city, while Cairo is hugely populated, meaning there’s more chance that petty crime may occur there.


    Conclusion: The Best Way To Travel From Cairo To Luxor

    So that concludes all the info you need to decide which is the best way to travel between these two fascinating cities.

    Your choice really decides on your own personal preference, as well as your budget and how much time you have in Egypt.

    Having travelled between both cities by train, I would certainly recommend catching a plane instead. But travelling on a River Nile cruise is certainly a once in a lifetime experience.

    I hope you’ve found this guide useful and have now decided which option is the best way to travel for you between Cairo and Luxor.

    You may also enjoy these blog posts about North Africa:

    ➡️ Is 2 Days In Marrakech Enough? A Guide To Morocco’s Best City
    ➡️ Is Essaouira Safe? The Essential Guide To Morocco’s Coastal City
    ➡️ My Honest Review Of A 4 Star Hotel In Agadir, Morocco
    ➡️ Is Agadir Worth Visiting? What I Loved (& Hated!) During My Trip

    ➡️ Planning your trip? Here are my favourite resources:

    🏨 Accommodation: I recommend using Booking.com
    🚙 Rental Car: Use Discover Cars for the best car rental prices
    ❤️ Travel Insurance: I recommend using Visitors Coverage
    ✈️ Flights: Use Kiwi.com for the best prices on flights

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