Travelling by train has been considerably glorified for many years in movies and books. It is a cost-efficient way of moving around, and also creates opportunities for authentic local experiences. I have travelled on the most famous trains around the world, including the Transsiberian, and every journey has opened doors into the local culture of the country I was in. It was on a night train from Beijing to Hong Kong where a Chinese man with the most perfect British accent taught me how to use chopsticks. And it was the night train from Nanjing to Hanoi where a young girl taught me about the local Vietnamese fruits. It was a train in Norway that offered me the most spectacular views I have ever seen from a train’s window, and it was the train from Varanasi to Delhi which created unbreakable friendships. It was a given that whilst visiting Egypt, I would choose to travel from Cairo to Aswan by night train.
There are several ways to travel between Cairo and Aswan or Luxor, but by far the most picturesque one is by train. The Cairo to Luxor or Aswan train is a slow journey along the Nile, that is an experience in itself. There are several daily trains that connect Cairo to Luxor and Aswan, plenty during the day and one that departs late in the evening. I highly recommend taking the latter, not just to save time but also for one night’s accommodation. Also, the only train that has beds is Ernst Watania – you really don’t want to sit on an uncomfortable chair for such a long journey!
Most of the tourist agencies will recommend taking the plane, warning that the Cairo to Aswan train is uncomfortable and that it takes too much time. I disagree, as the train is a wonderful experience and yes, whilst it does take significantly more time than the flight, the journey is overnight. Also, there is something special about travelling by train, as I mentioned above. You won’t get to see any of the rural landscape, nor meet local people on your one hour flight from Cairo to Aswan or Luxor.
Having travelled from Cairo to Aswan and back from Luxor to Cairo by sleeper train, I thought about creating a guide, to let you know all the details of the trip as well as what to expect from the journey.
The Ernst Watania Sleeper Train
If you have seen Joanna Lumley’s Nile documentary, you will remember her journey on the Ernst Watania sleeper train, from Cairo to Luxor, travelling first class and having an alcoholic drink before going to sleep. Her journey was somewhat romanticized for the camera, as the train doesn’t have classes, just cabins and seats, and there is no alcohol served onboard. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t bring your own.
The journey on the Ernst Watania sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor is like a journey back in time, and it is as fascinating as Joanna Lumley describes it. The warm light of the morning spreading over the green, fertile shores of the Nile, just as the sun has starts to rise, makes the scenery look magical. The Nile is still, almost reflecting the palm trees and crops along its shores into its clear, blue, water.
The train caters mostly for foreign tourists. This is because the price, even though it’s cheaper for locals than it is for foreigners, is still not affordable in most cases. A foreigner ticket costs 84 dollars in a shared cabin or 126 dollars for a single couchette. Many of the compartments have interconnecting doors, which is helpful for families travelling with children.
When you buy a ticket for the Ernst Watania sleeper train, you will be assigned a bed in a same sex couchette. On my way to Aswan, I was supposed to share the couchette with another woman, but she managed to convince the ticket inspector to let her sleep in the same cabin as her boyfriend, so I was alone. On my way back, from Luxor to Cairo, the ticket inspector asked me if I wanted to be on my own, and I said “sure, why not”, so he assigned the other guest to a different couchette. I travelled alone both ways, even though I paid for a shared cabin.
This train and the entire journey sounds quite idyllic, but remember that you are still in Egypt and the travel conditions don’t have the same standards as the UK. The train is clean, but the tapestry on the chairs is outdated and may be stained. There is also the smell of old cigarettes lingering inside the couchettes. In Egypt smoking is permitted everywhere.
Expect for the train to be late. Every single train I travelled on in Egypt was at least a couple of hours late. The Cairo to Aswan sleeper train was supposed to reach its destination at 9:35am, but we didn’t arrive until 12:00.
The cons of the journey are too minor to not recommend going on the train from Cairo to Luxor, for the authentic experience of feeling like you are in an old Agatha Christie book.
How to Buy Tickets to the Cairo to Aswan Train
The easiest way to buy tickets for the Cairo to Luxor or Aswan train is online, on the official Ernst Watania website, which you can access by clicking this link. You must first create an account before you can book a ticket. The website can be a bit slow and sometimes won’t show any available trains – if this happens just change the browser. It happened to me when I bought my return ticket, as it did to my Nile cruise travel buddy too.
You can also book the ticket much easier though Bookaway, without having to go through the glitches. You can click here to see the availability.
The other option to buy a train ticket to the sleeper train is directly from the train station. I would recommend this option only if you are travelling off season. Ernst Watania has a dedicated ticket office, in an archway on the right-hand side of the main entrance to the Ramses station. Be aware that if you want to buy the ticket in person, you must pay in dollars.
If you book online, you don’t need to print your ticket. The train attendant will have your information anyway, so to get on, all you need to do is show him the PDF you have received in your booking confirmation email.
The Ticket Includes:
- A bed in a two berth couchette
- Hot Dinner
- Continental Breakfast
The Ramses Train Station in Cairo
The outside of the train station in Cairo can be quite intimidating, mostly because of the fuss going on around its gates. There are so many street vendors, men shouting to fill up the next minibus, women selling bread, people rushing in all directions, and a general very busy environment. It can be daunting, even if you only have to walk through this chaos for a few meters to the gates of the station after the Uber has dropped you off.
The building of the Ramses train station is so beautiful, on the outside as well as the inside. The outside architecture was designed in 1892 by British architect Edwin Patsey, in a neo-Classic style featuring Mamluk and Moorish accents. The inside is a mixture Art Deco with an upside-down obelisk hanging from the centre of the ceiling, pointing down towards, and almost meeting the pyramid on the floor.
To enter the station, you have to pass through security, the same way as at the airport. Your bags will be scanned, and your ticket checked. There are very efficient tourist police in the station who spot foreigners from the line and help them navigate through the station. The night train left late, and the police gathered all foreigners in the same place, took our couchette numbers, and took us to the platform to ensure we got on the right cars when the train finally arrived.
There is a food court upstairs with very affordable prices. I didn’t know how the food was going to be on board and, with one hour to spare before my train left, I ordered a portion of traditional Egyptian Fattah and a cup of tea.
If you want to travel somewhere else in Egypt, such as Alexandria, please note that the VIP train tickets office is upstairs, in the long corridor off the right-hand side of the station, just after the food court.
The Cabin in the Sleeper Train
The couchette is quite small, and I can imagine that two people sharing it might struggle. The bottom bed is made only after dinner and is pulled down over the chairs. Until then, both passengers can share the seating area.
The cabin has a small sink with a mirror and a plug, and also a towel and a small soap provided for each passenger. Whilst there is a sign that the plug is only for shaving machines, I still used it to charge my phone overnight, and it did work.
Near the sink there are also a few hooks, where you can hang your jacket.
The top bunk has a large luggage storage area above the door of the compartment, enough room for a couple of big suitcases. The beds have clean linen and an extra blanket to use if you are cold overnight. The pillows are fluffy and of good quality. Just before the train reaches its final destination someone comes and collects all the used linen from the beds.
My tip is to pick the top bed if you are travelling alone in the couchette. You will sleep much, much better than in the lower one, as the rail lines in Egypt are not the best, which makes the train rock and shake. In the upper bed you will feel the motion less than in the lower one.
The compartments have a lock, which I highly recommend you use if you are travelling on your own. They also have a three way light switch, an assistance call button and an air-conditioning control button.
The Toilets on Board
Each train car has two toilets, at one of the ends. They are basic, and have no plumbing, so the waste goes onto the tracks. There was toilet paper on both of my trips, but I would suggest bringing your own, as you never know. There is water and soap to wash your hands.
The toilets are clean when you board, but there is nobody to clean them during the journey, so it’s down to the decency of other passengers after they use them.
Meals on Board
The train ticket includes dinner and breakfast, as well as a hot drink in the morning. For more hot drinks, you can head over to the restaurant car on board, which is open the entire night.
The meals are airplane style, with a hot option and several sides, including a salad and a dessert. I got a rather good chicken dish with rice on my way to Aswan, and a beef stew on my way back to Cairo from Luxor.
For breakfast, I was offered a selection of continental products such as bread, a croissant, ham, cheese, butter, and jam, alongside a cup of orange juice. On my way to Aswan the selection was much better than on the journey back.
The Restaurant on Board
I was really tired after a day of exploring Cairo, but I didn’t want to miss the chance of checking out the lounge car, so I went there in the evening for a cup of tea, before going to bed. The restaurant was located halfway along the train. It was as vintage as it gets, with green armchairs that rotate towards the windows, and wooden tables.
All the tables were occupied, so I took a seat at the bar. The menu was very simple, with a few options of soft drinks, coffee, and tea. Most of the people sitting at the tables were drinking beer which they had purchased before boarding the train. The atmosphere inside the lounge car was very lively, with everyone chatting loudly and smoking – yes, in Egypt smoking inside is permitted. At the top of the car there was a thick cloud of smoke.
Whilst I waited for my tea to cool down, I observed the people around me. I like doing this when I travel on my own. Next to me, an older Egyptian man was trying to explain to his American wife what a great experience travelling to Luxor by train was. She wasn’t convinced and complained all the time about the bed, the toilet, and the lack of alcohol on board. They ended up sharing a coke and a cigarette, before returning to their couchette.
Because the train was late in the morning, I also enjoyed taking my time over a coffee in the restaurant on board, gazing at the rural landscape as it passed by.
Security on the Train
The train has security on board, but you won’t really notice them. Unless they get up from their comfy seats in the restaurant car, to pull up their pants and fire up a new cigarette, and you notice their gun shoved in the back of their belt, as I did.
Our eyes met, and the man smiled at me when he noticed my surprise at seeing his gun. I smiled back, before taking another sip from my still burning hot coffee.
I felt very safe on the train, even before knowing that it did have armed guards on duty. I kept the compartment door locked during the night and every time the train guard came with dinner, breakfast, or to make the bed, he knocked and waited to enter until I opened the door.
Final Thoughts
I know that travelling by sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan is not for everyone. However, if you are in for an adventure, I highly recommend it. There are many things that make this journey less than perfect, however, the experience on board is pretty special. I met some great people during my journey, with whom I am still in contact: a couple from Bulgaria, one from Argentina, and a solo traveller from the States.
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This is an excellent guide. Thank you for providing all the necessary information about Cairo to Aswan Train journey. I love visiting places by train. Because it gives you enough time to absorb the beauty. Loved the read.
Thank you for this guide on what to expect on this Cairo to Aswan train journey. Train journeys are the best way to experience a country and we love to do that when abroad. We have always loved the Europe train journeys with the most memorable being from Oslo to Bergen. Indian train travel is always so different but interesting to understand different cultures.
Train travel sounds exciting! Yes, I agree that riding a train is more enjoyable than flying if you want to take in the countryside. It’s comforting to know that some trains have sleeping accommodations and other amenities for long-distance travelers. The food on board, on the other hand, appears to be delicious!
I haven’t been to Egypt yet, and I didn’t think you could travel around this country on such an exciting train. An excellent idea for a trip, as if from a book or movie. A fascinating route. Good to know that it goes via Luxor. It’s great that you give tips on where to buy a ticket and what is included in the price. The Ramses Train Station in Cairo looks impressive. It’s great there’s security on the train.
Great train service and security review, that’s awesome they have ready onboard security. And the food looks nice as well. Thank you for sharing this full review!
One on my bucketlist is to have long travel via train. I want to experience and compare it with other means of trasportation!
I can see why you are so fond of it, through your interesting memories of past experiences. I haven’t done a long distance train ride, but do enjoy the scenic landscape you get to see as you wiz by.
It is really interesting to hear about this sleeper car service. I would try it but it’s sad that human waste goes on the tracks. And also, it is weird to be on a late train as I live in a country where punctuality is king. But it was really interesting to read because I love learning about different sleeper car services from around the world.