Is there a flight from Cairo to Alexandria?

No regular passenger flights run between the two cities. Alexandria's airport, Borg El Arab, lies about 45 km southwest of the center and mainly serves international and Gulf routes, so the train or a car is always faster.

What is the fastest way from Cairo to Alexandria?

The Talgo train, at about 2 hours 15 minutes from Ramses to Misr Station. A car can match it in light traffic, but leaving Cairo at rush hour often adds an hour.

Can I buy Cairo to Alexandria train tickets on the day?

Sometimes, at the foreign reservations office in Ramses Station, but the Talgo and the morning trains often sell out on busy days. Buying at least two days ahead is safer.

Which Alexandria station should I get off at?

Misr Station, the last stop, for the city center, the Corniche and most hotels. Sidi Gaber suits only travelers staying in the eastern districts near Stanley and Montaza.

Traveling From Cairo to Alexandria By Train, Bus, Car & Time

Train, Bus, Car & Travel Time From Cairo to Alexandria

10 min read | Published: Oct 21, 2026 | Updated: Oct 21, 2026 | TRIPS IN EGYPT

Alexandria sits on the Mediterranean about 220 km northwest of Cairo, close enough for a day trip and different enough to feel like another country. The journey takes between 2 and 3.5 hours, and the right choice depends less on distance than on where you start in Cairo, how much luggage you carry and whether you are traveling alone or as a group.

Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, the city of the lighthouse and the great library still turns its face to the sea. This guide compares the train, the bus, driving, ride-hailing apps and private transfers, explains how foreigners buy train tickets, and shows how to fit Alexandria into a single day. Here are all things you need to know about how to travel from Cairo to Alexandria:

Cairo to Alexandria at a Glance: Distance, Time and Cost

There are no regular flights between the two cities (our guide to airports in Egypt explains why Alexandria's airport is no help here), so every practical route is on the ground. The table below compares the main options from central Cairo to central Alexandria.

Option	Travel time	Typical cost	Leaves from	Best for
Talgo or VIP train	2 h 15 min to 2 h 30 min	about $20 to $35 for foreigners	Ramses Station	Speed and comfort
Express or Spanish train	2.5 to 3 h	about $20 to $30 for foreigners	Ramses Station	Flexible times
Go Bus or SuperJet	3 to 3.5 h	about $5 to $7	Tahrir, Nasr City, Turgoman	Low budgets
Uber or Careem	2.5 to 3 h	shown in the app, usually EGP 900 to 1,200	Your door	Pairs with luggage
Private car with driver	2.5 to 3 h	about $60 to $150 per car	Your door	Families and groups
Self-drive	2.5 to 3 h	rental plus fuel and tolls	Your door	Confident drivers only

All of these times assume light traffic. Leaving Cairo between 7 and 9 am on a weekday, or on a Friday afternoon in summer, can add an hour to any road option.

Cairo to Alexandria by Train: Talgo, VIP and Express

The train is the most reliable way to travel from Cairo to Alexandria, because it skips the traffic of both cities. Egyptian National Railways runs the line, which opened in 1856 as the first railway in Africa, with departures roughly every hour from early morning to late evening. For background on the network, our guide to trains in Egypt covers every main route.

Which Train to Choose

The Talgo is the Spanish-built express and the best train on the route. It runs nonstop or nearly nonstop in about 2 hours 15 minutes, with air-conditioned first and second class, assigned seats and a small café counter. Only a few Talgos run each day, so book these first.

The VIP Express trains, with stainless-steel carriages, are almost as fast and cost about the same as the older Spanish express trains. Both offer first class (AC1) and second class (AC2) with assigned seats, and take 2.5 to 3 hours with a stop or two in the Delta. Ordinary trains without air conditioning take 3.5 hours or more.

First class is the one to book. The seats are wider and the price gap is small.

How Foreigners Buy Tickets

Foreign visitors pay set fares in US dollars on the express trains, roughly $20 to $25 in second class and $30 to $35 in first class. The official ENR website and app sell tickets to Egyptian citizens only, though you can use them to check times and seat availability.

You have three ways to buy:

At Ramses Station. Go upstairs to the foreign reservations office with your passport. You can pay in dollars, euros or by card, with a small card fee.
Through an agency site. 12Go and Bookaway sell foreigner tickets online, but add a markup and deliver a paper ticket to your hotel or the station.
Through your tour operator. If you are traveling with a guide, the agency can book and deliver the tickets for you.

Bookings open about two weeks ahead. Morning trains on Thursdays, Fridays and public holidays, and almost every train during Eid and the summer, can sell out a day or two early.

From Ramses Station to Alexandria's Misr Station

In Cairo, every Alexandria train leaves from Ramses Station, which sits above Al-Shohadaa metro station on Lines 1 and 2. Arrive 30 minutes early, find the departure board, which alternates between Arabic and English, and look for platforms 1 to 4.

Most trains stop first at Sidi Gaber, in the eastern suburbs, before ending at Misr Station in the city center. Stay on until Misr unless your hotel is in the east. From Misr, the Roman theater at Kom el-Dikka is a five-minute walk and the Corniche about ten minutes by taxi.

Cairo to Alexandria by Bus

Buses are the cheapest comfortable way to make the trip, and in Egypt the coach companies are modern, air-conditioned and easy to book online.

Go Bus runs the most departures, from early morning until after midnight, from stops in Downtown near Abdel Moneim Riad square by Tahrir, in Nasr City, and in the newer eastern districts. Fares run from about EGP 250 in the standard class to about EGP 350 in the double-decker Elite class, roughly $5 to $7. You can book on its website or app and pick your seat.

SuperJet leaves from Turgoman bus station near Downtown with similar prices and comfort. The state-run West Delta buses and the Blue Bus depart near Ramses and cost a little less, with a more basic ride.

Most coaches arrive at Moharam Bek bus station on the southern side of Alexandria, and some Go Bus services also stop at Sidi Gaber. Both are 15 to 20 minutes by taxi from the sea. The road time is about 3 hours, but getting out of Cairo can add another hour, so the bus is best when you are not in a hurry.

Driving, Uber and Private Transfers: Desert Road or Agricultural Road?

Driving Desert Road or Agricultural Road - Trips in Egypt.webp

Two highways link the cities. The Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road is the one almost everyone takes: a wide, fast toll road of about 220 km, running west of the Nile Delta from the Giza pyramids. In light traffic the drive takes about 2.5 hours. Halfway along, the monasteries of Wadi el-Natrun make a worthwhile stop for anyone interested in Coptic history.

The older Agricultural Road runs through the green heart of the Delta, past Benha, Tanta and Damanhour. It is slower, adds 30 to 45 minutes and passes through more towns, but some drivers use it in summer when the Desert Road fills with traffic heading for the North Coast.

Uber, Careem and inDrive all accept trips to Alexandria. The app shows the fare before you confirm, and a standard car has been quoted at roughly EGP 900 to 1,200, more at peak times. It is a good deal for two people with suitcases, though some drivers are reluctant to accept a long one-way trip.

A private car with a driver costs about $60 to $150 per vehicle, one way, depending on the size of the car and whether the driver waits for a return. For a family of four, that is often cheaper per person than first-class train tickets, and it takes you from hotel door to hotel door. Self-driving is possible, but Cairo traffic, unmarked speed bumps and parking in Alexandria make it a choice for experienced drivers only.

Can You Travel From Cairo to Alexandria as a Day Trip?

Yes, and it is one of the most popular day trips from Cairo. The key is an early start and a short list. Alexandria's tourist attractions are spread along 20 km of coast, so a realistic day covers four or five of them.

7:00 am: Leave Cairo by car, or take the first Talgo or VIP train from Ramses.

10:00 am: Start at the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, a 2nd-century AD tomb complex carved three levels into the rock, where Egyptian gods wear Roman armor. Pompey's Pillar, a granite column almost 27 m high raised for Emperor Diocletian, is a few minutes away.

12:30 pm: Drive along the Corniche to the Qaitbay Citadel, built in the 1470s on the ruins of the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Stop at the Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque nearby, then have a fresh seafood lunch in the old Anfushi fishing quarter.

3:30 pm: Finish at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the modern library that revives the ancient one, with its museums of antiquities and manuscripts.

6:00 pm: Head back to Cairo, arriving around 9 pm.

If you would rather leave the driving and tickets to someone else, our day tour to Alexandria from Cairo follows this route with an Egyptologist and a private car. The Alexandria and Royal Jewellery Museum tour adds the dazzling collection of the Muhammad Ali dynasty in the Zizinia palace. For more time, the 4 Days Cairo and Alexandria Tour Package, the 5-day Cairo and Alexandria Classic Trip the 6 Days Cairo and Alexandria Itinerary and the 6 Days Luxury Tour Package to Cairo and Alexandria all include the transfer. If one day feels too rushed, read how to spend a night in Alexandria, or browse the full list of things to do in Alexandria.

Tips for a Smooth Cairo to Alexandria Journey

Pick the season. As our Alexandria travel guide explains, Alexandria is cooler than Cairo all year, and spring and autumn are the most pleasant. In July and August, the Desert Road and the trains fill with Egyptian families heading for the coast. Our guide to the best time to visit Alexandria covers the weather month by month.

Avoid the rush. The worst times to leave Cairo by road are weekday mornings from 7:30 to 10 am and Thursday evenings. Coming back, Friday evenings in summer are the slowest.

Travel light on the bus. Coaches have a hold, but the trains have only overhead racks. A large suitcase is easier in a car.

Carry cash. Keep small notes for taxis from the station, tips and road snacks. Foreign ticket windows take dollars, euros or cards, but drivers and kiosks want Egyptian pounds.

Stay safe and relaxed. Alexandria is an easygoing city, and our guide to whether it is safe to travel to Alexandria covers the details. For general advice before you go, read our Cairo travel tips.

Arriving by sea. If you land in Alexandria on a cruise ship and want to go the other way, our Alexandria Port shore excursions include return trips to the pyramids and Cairo.

Travel From Cairo to Alexandria With Trips In Egypt

The road from the pyramids to the Mediterranean is short, yet it carries you between two worlds, and the best way to enjoy it is to arrive rested and with time to spare. Trips In Egypt can meet you at your Cairo hotel, drive you to Alexandria with an Egyptologist and bring you back the same evening, or fold the city into a longer holiday. Explore all our Egypt tour packages or design a tailor-made tour around your own dates. Book us now or contact our operation department today to uncover the majestic greatness of the golden capitals of Egypt.