Capital: Cairo
Time zone: GMT + 2
Telephone services: Country Code: 20
Outgoing Code: 00
Emergency telephone numbers: Not present
Tourist information: Egyptian State Tourist Offic, 170 Piccadilly, London, W1V 9DD Tel: (020) 7493 5282 Fax: (020) 7408 0295. Opening hours Mon. to Fri 0930 – 1630.
Passport information: Valid passport required by all and must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended stay in Egypt. Return Ticket Required. requirements may be subject to change at short notice. Contact the appropriate consular authority before finalising travel arrangements.
Visa information: Required by all except: nationals of Malta, and Jordan (if holding a passport valid for at least 5 years) for a stay not exceeding 30 days. Nationals of Bahrain, Djibouti, Guinea, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen for a stay not exceeding 90 days. Tourist and Business, single or multiple entry types granted.
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination Required.
Malaria: No risk in Cairo or Alexandria but falciparum and vivax varieties exists from June to October in the El Faiyoum area.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required if arriving from infected areas. Check with embassy as to which areas Egypt considers infected.
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Malaria, Rabies.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: Egyptian Pound (£E) = 100 piastres
There are 5 national banks and 78 branches of foreign banks.
All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques in US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: 88 locations
Cost of living: Tourists can expect to pay higher prices than locals.
Languages: Arabic, English and French are widely spoken
Weather: Hot and dry during the summer with dry winters with chilly nights. Dusty winds from the Sahara prevail during April.
Electricity: 1220 Volts 50 Hz are most common. 110/380 volts AC may also be used.
Post: Approximately 5 days by airmail. There are Post Restante facilities at the main post office in Cairo. a small fee is charged when the mail is collected.
Transport: RAIL: A good rail network exists. TAXIS are available in the cities and are metered although it is advisable to agree the fare in advance.
Special information: NOTE: Because of continuing tensions in the region travellers should keep themselves informed of developments. Within Egypt itself, recent attacks in the last few years by extremist groups have been aimed at police and local institutions but have also been aimed at tourists. Care should be taken when travelling in the southern part of the country in Luxor and beyond in the Nile Valley. Take advice from local security authorities.