Egypt travel tips: money, SIM cards, plugs, water and tickets

What documents and entry rules do you need?

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the day you arrive and have at least one blank page, according to GOV.UK travel advice for British travellers checked on 28 October 2026. Canada’s advice says 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave, so use the longer of the two rules for your trip.

British and Canadian passport holders need a visa for most of Egypt. GOV.UK lists a visa on arrival at 30 US dollars in cash, and says that from 1 August 2026 a digital visa on arrival at Cairo International Airport costs 36 US dollars, paid by card only. Tourist e-visas are valid for up to 3 months. The Egyptian government’s e-visa portal is visa2egypt.gov.eg, and GOV.UK warns that visa agents often charge more than the official fee. Rules differ by passport, so check yours before you fly.

How should you handle money and ATMs in Egypt?

Carry both cards and cash. Experience Egypt, the tourism ministry’s visitor site, says credit cards are accepted in major cities and tourist destinations but Egypt is still a cash-based society, especially for taxis and small shops. The same site says commercial banks offer ATMs with currency exchange 24/7, and that exchange is available at most hotels, tourist destinations and airports.

Canada’s travel advice adds that some merchants accept only cash or charge a fee for card payments. It also says US dollars are preferred at tourist sites. For remote areas, it says access to ATMs, fuel and mobile coverage is limited on the Marsa Matruh to Siwa road and in Siwa itself. Take cash before you leave a big city.

You can bring up to EGP 5,000 into or out of Egypt. There is no limit on foreign currency, but you must declare amounts above USD 10,000 on arrival (GOV.UK). Banknotes come in 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 pounds (Experience Egypt), so keep small notes for tips and small purchases.

How do you get a SIM card and data?

Go to a shop of WE, Orange, Vodafone or Etisalat and ask for a temporary tourist line with minutes and data. The shop needs a copy of your passport, according to Experience Egypt. The same page says most hotels offer free WiFi and that a MiFi device is an option if you need a large data package.

Do this at the airport or in a city shop on day one. Download offline maps before you head out of town, in case the signal drops.

Which plug adapter do you need in Egypt?

Egypt uses 230 V at 50 Hz. Type F, the two-pin grounded plug, is the standard. Type C also works, and the reference site worldstandards.eu notes that new type C sockets are generally not permitted. A single travel adapter with two round pins covers most phone and camera chargers. If your device is rated for 100-240 V, no converter is needed.

Is tap water safe to drink?

No, not outside the large international tourist hotels. The CDC Yellow Book says tap water is adequately chlorinated in most large international tourist hotels, but bottled water is generally provided for drinking. Outside those hotels it may come from private tanks the Ministry of Health has not audited.

The CDC also says thoroughly cooked meat and vegetables are generally safe in tourist hotels, on Nile cruise ships and in tourist restaurants. Raw or undercooked meat and shellfish should be avoided, and uncooked salads are questionable. Canada’s rule of thumb is short: boil it, cook it, peel it or leave it. Travellers’ diarrhoea risk is rated high, so pack oral rehydration salts.

What language do people speak, and what should you wear?

Arabic is the official language. English is widely understood in urban centres and popular tourist areas, and French, Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish and Italian are also common in tourist areas (Experience Egypt).

Light, loose cotton suits the climate. At mosques, churches and synagogues your shoulders and legs must be covered, and a scarf is advised. Canada’s advice is to dress conservatively, with knee-length or longer dresses and long sleeves for women preferable. Experience Egypt recommends comfortable shoes for archaeological sites.

How do tickets work at sites and museums?

You can buy entry tickets at the door or online through the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities site, egymonuments.gov.eg. Each monument page on that site lists its own opening hours and foreigner prices, and some sites sell separate tickets for particular tombs or pyramid interiors on top of area entry. At the Giza Plateau the foreigner area ticket, as listed on 28 October 2026, does not cover the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre or the Pyramid of Menkaure.

The Grand Egyptian Museum sells tickets through its own site, tickets.gem.eg, with an admission ticket and a guided tour ticket. Its booking page shows “Sold Out” messages for some slots, so book ahead for busy days.

Personal photos and videos in public areas need no permit. Inside museums and indoor sites, photography is allowed only with the flash off. Professional equipment and commercial shoots need a permit (Experience Egypt). Photographing Egyptian citizens requires their written permission, and taking pictures of children is prohibited (GOV.UK).

How do you get around between and within cities?

Between cities you have three real options: domestic flights, trains and road transfers. Experience Egypt says air-conditioned trains run from Cairo south to Luxor and Aswan, with first class and sleeper cars of two-bed cabins, and that seats can be reserved up to seven days in advance. Schedules and online booking are on the Egyptian National Railways site, enr.gov.eg. For a full comparison of flights, sleeper train and road, see our guide to domestic flights and the sleeper train.

On the road, take care. Canada says road conditions are often poor. GOV.UK advises against driving outside main cities and resorts at night. Drivers and front-seat passengers must wear seatbelts. In Cairo, an airport shuttle bus line is listed at 19970 (Experience Egypt).

What health risks should you plan for day to day?

Heat, dust, bites and untreated water are the practical ones. The CDC Yellow Book says desert summers exceed 38 °C and desert winters can fall below 0 °C, that thirst is a late sign of dehydration, and that a hat, sunglasses, loose clothing and sunscreen are the recommended protection. Desert sand, dust and smog can irritate the eyes and worsen asthma, so contact lens wearers should pack glasses and lens care supplies.

Mosquitoes and other biting insects can be a problem, and the CDC reports dengue as increasingly reported. It does not recommend malaria prophylaxis for Egypt but advises bite precautions. Rabies is endemic, stray dogs and cats are common in cities and tourist areas, and the CDC advises avoiding contact with all animals. Travellers prone to motion sickness should carry medication for a Nile cruise.

Is it safe to swim anywhere?

Yes, with limits. The CDC says to avoid wading, swimming or other fresh water contact, including in the Nile and irrigation canals, because of schistosomiasis. Chlorinated pools, saltwater desert oasis pools, the Mediterranean and the Red Sea do not pose that risk.

So a hotel pool or a Red Sea swim is fine, and a dip off a Nile boat is not.

What happens if you get ill or need medicine?

Tell your hotel first. The CDC says Egyptian hotels are required by law to have an on-site clinic and a resident physician, who refer patients to a hospital when needed, and that hospitals are available throughout the metropolitan areas. Most medications are available without a prescription, but you should bring enough of any routine prescription medication and check the rules on restricted drugs.

Keep medicine in its original labelled packaging and carry it in your hand luggage. GOV.UK warns that drug offences are very serious in Egypt, so do not carry anything you cannot explain.

How do you cross the road and ride in a car safely?

Treat every crossing as unprotected. The CDC says traffic incidents are common because of overcrowded roads and reckless driving, that traffic rules differ and that pedestrians do not have right of way in crosswalks. Wear a seat belt in every vehicle. Experience Egypt says trains, buses, taxis and app-based ride-hailing cars are the most common means of transport for tourists.

Cross with a local, behind a group of people crossing, and at a steady pace. A driver can read a steady walker, but not someone who stops mid-lane.

Is the Cairo Metro worth using?

For some trips, yes. The Cairo Governorate portal reports that, after the Ministry of Transport raised fares in March 2026, metro tickets are priced by the number of stations travelled, so check the fare board at the station. Wikipedia says the metro runs from 05:00 to 01:00 and to 02:00 during Ramadan. The 4th and 5th cars of each train are reserved for women, and the 5th becomes mixed after 21:00. Women can still ride any other car.

Wikipedia also says three lines are operating, and that Line 3 ends at Adly Mansour, so there is no metro station at Cairo International Airport. The Government of Canada warns of robberies on both taxis and the metro, and says pickpocketing and purse snatching happen most often in tourist areas and on the metro. Use it at off-peak hours with your bag in front of you, and check the fare at the ticket window, because the Ministry of Transport can change it again.

What are the rules that surprise visitors?

Several, and GOV.UK lists them plainly. Drinking alcohol in public places other than restaurants, bars, private homes or certain resorts is illegal. Drones need prior permission from the Ministry of Defence, and unauthorised use or import can mean up to seven years in prison or a fine of EGP 5,000 to 50,000. Photographing military property, including the Suez Canal, is illegal. Police check ID regularly, and you may be detained if you cannot show your passport and visa, or a copy.

During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight, and avoid loud music, dancing or swearing in public.

What goes in a day bag?

For tipping amounts, read the tipping guide.

What are the common mistakes?

1. Drinking tap water or brushing teeth with it away from the large hotels.
2. Swimming in the Nile or a canal.
3. Carrying the original passport all day.
4. Flying a drone without permission.
5. Assuming the metro reaches the airport.
6. Eating uncooked salads at a street stall: the CDC calls them questionable.

What should you skip?

Skip driving yourself between cities, especially at night, because GOV.UK advises against it outside main cities and resorts. Skip last-minute visa agents, since GOV.UK warns they often charge more than the official fee. Skip stray animals, however friendly they look.

How do the tips fit a trip?

Handle the paperwork before you go, the cash on day one and the health habits every day. For a first short trip that puts these pieces to use, the 6 days Cairo, Luxor and Aswan by flight program lays out the route.

Who do you call if something goes wrong?

The tourist police number is 126 and an ambulance is 123 (Experience Egypt, GOV.UK). The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities hotline is 19654. Tell your hotel reception first for most problems. Carry your passport and visa or a copy of both, because GOV.UK notes that police check ID regularly.

What do these tips not cover well?

This guide is not a medical or visa service. Entry fees, visa fees and ATM limits change, and the official pages sometimes disagree: the Experience Egypt FAQ gives 25 US dollars for a visa on arrival while GOV.UK gives 30, which is why we cite GOV.UK’s figure and date. Confirm the numbers that matter to you a week before you fly.