Sleeper prepare from Cairo to Aswan – what it’s worthwhile to know

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One of many journeys we have been most trying ahead to throughout our 10 day household vacation in Egypt was the sleeper prepare from Cairo to Aswan.

None of us had ever by no means taken a sleeper prepare earlier than, not to mention with youngsters in tow. So we anticipated it to be a memorable expertise – and we weren’t mistaken!

The prepare travels the 879km observe from Alexandria to Aswan calling at Cairo, Luxor and a dozen different stations alongside the Nile.

Right here’s what we came upon taking the in a single day prepare in Egypt.

Our journey on the Watania sleeper prepare from Cairo to Aswan

We arrived at El Giza Station on the finish of the third day of our Egypt itinerary. We’d seen the Egyptian Museum and the Pyramids of Giza on day two and on day three taken a street journey as much as Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast.

Now it was time to journey south to Aswan the place we have been to spend two days seeing the Dam, the Temple of Philae and Abu Simbel.

Boarding at El Giza Station

We arrived at El Giza Station about an hour earlier than our prepare time. It’s down the road from Cairo the place lots of people board the sleeping prepare so is a bit quieter and there are much less platforms to fret about.

Our information, Adel, had purchased our tickets prematurely. In case you are shopping for your individual tickets you are able to do this on-line (remember that the Ernst sleeper prepare web site doesn’t work on iOS) or on the Ernst Sleeping Trains Reservation Workplace at Cairo or Aswan stations.

Nonetheless, you will have to do that a number of days prematurely as cabins promote out. This is similar service because the sleeper prepare from Cairo to Luxor.

Regardless that we had a information we have been escorted down the platform by the vacationer police. At the very least considered one of them was armed.

You see lots of armed police and test factors in Egypt. This was the one time we had our personal escort. The youngsters didn’t discover and I discovered it extra attention-grabbing than alarming.

We purchased some drinks at one of many station cafes and took a seat to attend for our prepare.

It arrived 45 minutes late – not unusual. Adel informed us it was at all times higher be on the station early as on the events the prepare arrives early it doesn’t hold round. He has carried out this journey lots of of instances.

As soon as on board we met our steward (there’s one for every carriage). He identified our cabins and we settled in for the 13 hour experience.

What it’s wish to experience the Cairo to Aswan sleeper prepare?

To be brutally trustworthy, it’s a bumpy and uncomfortable experience.

At instances the rumbling movement makes it really feel like your physique is being mined for gold nuggets. On the much less bone jangling sections I managed to float off into a light-weight sleep solely to be woken by jarring stops and bustling stations within the evening.

Unsurprisingly my smartwatch didn’t register any sleep.

After our prepare journey we in contrast notes and determined the Egyptian sleeper prepare expertise was one we have been glad to have ticked off our bucket checklist. However subsequent time we’ll fly. 

It’s a very uncooked journey expertise. Consider the Orient Specific. And now think about its grubbier, extra fidgety three-year-old sibling.

At instances it’s exhausting and it might positively profit from a radical scrub. But it surely’s additionally has its endearing facet.

We emerged from our slumber to fleeting photos of farm employees tending their fields by hand, donkey drawn carts stuffed with crops, miles of banana tree plantations, and felucca and cruise ships slipping via the turquoise waters of the Nile. 

And our ladies appeared to sleep quite a bit higher than us. How do youngsters try this? 

10 issues to know in regards to the in a single day prepare from Cairo to Aswan

If I haven’t put you off reserving the sleeper prepare from Cairo (every thing is an journey, proper?!) right here’s some issues we learnt that you just would possibly discover helpful: 

Guide the vacationer prepare

There are two kinds of sleeper prepare that journey from Alexandria to Aswan – one for locals and one for vacationers. 

Guests are intentionally separated from the native inhabitants. We have been informed this was for everybody’s consolation and safety as vacationers have been identified to choose arguments with locals. This isn’t arduous to consider as we noticed this elsewhere on our journey. 

Nonetheless, it additionally permits the Watania Sleeper Trains firm so as to add a premium to the value of vacationer tickets.

Once we travelled in April 2023 tickets value $80 per particular person for vacationers and $18 for locals. You possibly can see the value distinction on the Ernst web site.

Our tickets have been organized for us and included in our Egypt tour. In case you are shopping for your tickets individually don’t attempt to purchase a less expensive ticket for the locals sleeper prepare. You’ll not be allowed to board.

What’s in your cabin?

Each cabin on the evening prepare from Cairo to Aswan comes with bunk beds, a sink with packets of cleaning soap, a plug socket, bin and tray tables. 

Once you arrive you discover the highest bunk made and the underside one laid out as seating for as much as three folks. There’s a desk in the midst of the 2 seats that folds as much as change into the third seat.

After dinner the carriage steward or ‘captain’ pulls down the ready-made backside bunk.

You will have sheets, a comforter and one pillow. The beds are agency and the pillow is skinny.

There may be aircon and an overhead baggage area of interest that’s large enough for one giant suitcase and some rucksacks. 

There’s two shared bathrooms with sinks on the finish of the carriage however no bathe amenities. The bathrooms gave me flashbacks to utilizing UK trains within the Eighties. They empty straight on to the observe beneath.

There was bathroom paper and a sink with working water however no cleaning soap.

Further issues to convey for consolation on the sleeper prepare Cairo to Aswan

Whereas the sleeper prepare is supposed to be ‘First Class’, don’t count on 5 star.

We’d advocate bringing a hand towel and consuming water. Neither of those are provided.

Moist wipes and hand sanitiser are additionally a good suggestion. I’ll cowl extra about hygiene beneath.

Cabins with inter connecting doorways

One thing we weren’t anticipating was an interconnecting door between pairs of cabins.

It is a actual bonus in case you are travelling on the sleeper prepare with youngsters. They didn’t have to go away their cabin and go into the primary hall to search out you within the evening.

We wedged the connecting door open so we might hear our ladies after they’d gone to mattress. 

The connecting door has impartial locks on each side. So when you don’t know your neighbours they gained’t be capable to make an surprising name. 

Nonetheless…

Securing your cabin when you depart it

It’s solely attainable to lock your most important cabin door from the within.

If you happen to depart to go to the bathroom or the Membership Automobile take your valuables with you for peace of thoughts.

Our information really helpful not hiding issues across the cabin as these will be simply forgotten within the morning. Chasing the prepare again up Egypt shouldn’t be an choice.

Decor and grime

If you happen to’re a clear freak your twitchy eye will go into overdrive on the Cairo to Aswan sleeper prepare.

The prepare’s decor is dated and drained. Other than the bedding it’s not possible to discover a floor that isn’t scratched or stained. Many of the fixtures and fittings have seen higher days. Knobs and screws are lacking, and the home windows are cracked.

I’d additionally not wish to hazard a guess on the final time the surfaces have been cleaned. Most sported a skinny layer of sand mud. 

This isn’t the Orient Specific. However for one evening thundering via the Nile Valley it was useful.

Don’t drink the faucet water

Adel additionally warned us to not drink and even brush our tooth utilizing the faucet in our cabin. Carry loads of bottled water in your journey.

It’s also possible to purchase this onboard for 15 EGP – about 45p, so it’s not costly.

Meals on the Cairo to Aswan sleeper prepare

Your First Class vacationer ticket contains dinner and breakfast.

Our dinner was easy breaded hen, rice and greens. This got here with a roll and hummus and dice of chocolate cake for dessert. Drinks value further at dinner.

Breakfast was very carb heavy with two bread rolls, a croissant, a chunk of cake, cream cheeses, jam and a field of juice. You possibly can even have tea or espresso.

There’s no youngsters’s meals however you possibly can put in requests for various meals in case you have a particular eating regimen. Ask your carriage steward whenever you board. 

Dinner is served very quickly after you be part of the prepare. But it surely was nonetheless practically 9pm by the point we ate as our prepare was 45 minutes late. 

In case you are travelling with youngsters or anybody who will get simply ‘hangry’ I’d recommend getting them a big snack on the station.

Breakfast was served an hour earlier than we reached Aswan. We’d been informed this might be at 8am the evening earlier than but it surely arrived at 9.10am. Our 10-year-old was able to eat her little sister. One other good motive to convey your individual snacks! 

Drinks onboard

Drinks aren’t included along with your dinner, however there’s tea and low with breakfast. 

You should purchase sizzling drinks and smooth drinks if you end up served dinner or at any time from the Membership Automobile.

Nonetheless we have been warned that the Membership Automobile is someplace to keep away from. People who smoke hang around right here as its the one compartment the place they will have a puff. As a consequence it was not a really wholesome place to take youngsters.

There’s no alcoholic drinks served onboard. We introduced our personal bottle of gin from responsibility free on the airport after which realised we had no glasses. An empty water bottle was the perfect substitute.

How lengthy does the prepare take from Cairo to Aswan?

The prepare journey from Cairo to Aswan takes 13 hours. Nonetheless it usually runs late.

We should always have arrived in Aswan at 9.30am however left the station for the subsequent stage of our Egypt tour at 10.30am.

We weren’t frightened because it simply meant we had further time to admire the view on the best way. If you happen to had a time dependant tour or switch on arrival you would possibly need to issue this in.

Do you have to take the Watania sleeper prepare in Egypt?

We don’t remorse taking the sleeper prepare from Cairo, however we’d not need to repeat the expertise.

There are far more comfy methods to journey.

The one hour 15 minute flight between Cairo and Aswan would have value about the identical as our prepare tickets. Having mentioned that, we’d have had the additional value of breakfast, dinner and one other nights’ lodging some place else.

General the sleeper prepare is the cheaper and simpler choice. Simply be ready for one thing much less First Class and extra Economic system.

You could find out extra about our household vacation in Egypt by taking a look at my Egypt Story Spotlight on Instagram. I’ll be writing extra weblog posts about Egypt quickly.

Have you ever taken a sleeper prepare in Egypt or elsewhere? What was your expertise?

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