Help Centre

Use the search box on the homepage to select your route and date. You'll see available trains with cabin options. Select your cabin, enter your passport details, and pay securely via Stripe.

You'll need the following for each traveller: full name as it appears on the passport, passport number, and nationality. You'll also need an email address for ticket delivery and a phone number. Keep your passport handy when booking. The details must match exactly.

Yes. You can book for up to 8 passengers on one booking. Everyone must travel in the same class, so if you book Elite Sleeper all travellers are in Elite Sleeper, and if you book Standard Sleeper all travellers are in Standard Sleeper. You'll enter passport details for every traveller during checkout.

We email you a confirmation as soon as you pay, from bookings@trainsegypt.com. It shows your journey, your cabin, and what you paid.

As early as you can. Cabins for a given date are limited, and once they're gone, they're gone.

For travel between November and March, or over Egyptian public holidays, book as soon as your dates are fixed. Months ahead is normal for those periods, and double cabins go first.

Booking early with us secures your cabin straight away. Egyptian Railways issues the ticket itself closer to your travel date, and we email it to you automatically when it's ready.

Yes. Choose your outward train first, then add your return on the passenger details page. Pick your date, choose your cabin, and both journeys are paid for together.

You only fill in passenger details once, and they carry across to both journeys.

You'll get two tickets, one for each journey. If your return travels further ahead than your outward, that ticket may arrive later. Your confirmation email tells you when to expect each one.

You'll see the price in your own currency at checkout, and that is what you're charged. Your card statement will show that amount.

You can also switch to GBP, USD or EUR using the currency toggle on the results page.

We don't add any fees of our own.

Yes. All payments are processed by Stripe, the same payment technology used by Amazon, Booking.com, and thousands of other trusted sites. We never store your card details.

Yes. The total on the results page is the total you pay. No booking fee, no card fee, no charge at the station.

Dinner and breakfast are included in that price.

No printing needed. Show the PDF on your phone at the station entrance gate. Your name is also registered on the train manifest, the conductor checks names, not paper tickets.

Egyptian Railways requires us to add your first name's initial to your ticket. James Smith appears as James J Smith.

This is normal and your ticket is correct. Your passport is what the conductor checks against.

If you're travelling within the next few weeks, your ticket arrives within 2 hours. Check your spam or junk folder first. If it's been longer than that, email us at bookings@trainsegypt.com with your booking reference and we'll sort it out.

If you're travelling further ahead, your ticket isn't ready yet. Egyptian Railways doesn't release sleeper tickets until closer to the travel date, around three months ahead for Elite and around four weeks ahead for Standard. Your cabin is secured either way. Your confirmation email tells you which month to expect your ticket, and we send it automatically the moment it's issued.

Once your ticket has been issued, it cannot be changed. Egyptian Railways sleeper tickets are non-changeable, so the date, the passenger names and the cabin are all fixed from that point.

Please check all details once you have entered them on the passenger details page.

Sleeper train tickets are non-refundable once issued, in line with Egypt Railways' policy. Please double check all dates and passenger details carefully before completing payment. If you spot an error immediately after booking, contact us urgently and we'll do our best to help.

Most visitors do. You can buy one online before you travel or on arrival at the airport.

Our arrival guide covers the current prices, which passports are eligible, and what happens when you land.

Read the Cairo airport arrival guide

All sleeper trains now depart from Bashtil Station (also called Upper Egypt Station), not Ramses Station. This changed in October 2024. Most travel websites and guides still show the wrong station. Please plan your journey accordingly and allow extra travel time.

Bashtil Station is in the Imbaba area of Cairo. The easiest way is by Uber or Careem, search for "Bashtil Station" or "Upper Egypt Station". Allow at least 45–60 minutes from central Cairo, more during peak traffic hours. We recommend arriving at the station at least 45 minutes before departure.

Arrive at least 45 minutes before your scheduled departure. This gives you time for the entrance check, finding your carriage, and getting settled. The trains generally depart on time.

Once through the entrance gate, look for the departure boards or ask any member of staff, they are used to helping international travellers and will point you to the right platform. Your ticket shows your coach number. Walk along the platform until you find it; your cabin attendant will be at the door and will show you to your cabin. The train is not enormous, so if you start at the wrong end it's a short walk. Don't stress about finding it, the staff actively help passengers board.

Cairo to Luxor: approximately 9–10 hours overnight.
Cairo to Aswan: approximately 13–14 hours overnight (the train stops at Luxor en route).
Luxor to Cairo / Aswan to Cairo: similar durations in reverse.

Trains typically depart in the evening and arrive in the morning. You travel while you sleep and wake up at your destination. Exact times depend on the specific train; your ticket will show the scheduled departure and arrival.

Minor delays of 30–60 minutes do occasionally occur, particularly on the return journey from Aswan. Significant delays and cancellations are rare. If your train is cancelled or severely delayed, email us at bookings@trainsegypt.com and we'll advise on options. We recommend building a buffer into your travel plans. Don't book a flight out of Luxor or Aswan on the same morning you're due to arrive.

There are no strict luggage rules, but cabins are compact. A medium suitcase or large backpack per person fits comfortably under the lower bunk. Overpacking makes the cabin uncomfortable. We'd suggest travelling light. You don't need much for an overnight train. Leave bulky luggage at your hotel if you can.

Yes. Egypt's sleeper trains are a well-established and popular way for tourists to travel between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. Cabins are private and lockable from the inside. The service has operated for decades and is used by thousands of international travellers each year.

Your ticket includes a private lockable cabin with a fold-out bed, pillow and blanket, plus dinner and breakfast served in your cabin. Both Standard and Elite cabins include meals. Elite Sleeper offers an upgraded interior.

Yes, and children tend to absolutely love the sleeper train experience.

Under 4 travel free and sleep in with a parent. No ticket needed.

Age 4 and over need their own ticket and their own bed, at the same price as an adult.

A double cabin has two beds. So:

Two adults and a toddler under 4 → one double cabin
Two adults and one child aged 4 or over → one double and one single, or two doubles
Two adults and two children aged 4 or over → two double cabins

Cabins booked together are always in the same carriage, next to each other where possible.

Elite Sleeper cabins have been recently refurbished and offer a noticeably more premium experience. For a special trip or if you simply want the best experience on the train, Elite is worth it.

A single cabin has one berth for one person. A double cabin has two berths for two people sharing. Both are private and lockable. If you are travelling alone and want maximum privacy, book a single cabin.

Yes. There are shared toilets and washing facilities at the end of each carriage. They are basic but functional. We recommend bringing your own toiletries, a small towel, and hand sanitiser.

No, there is no WiFi on the sleeper train. Mobile signal is available in towns and cities along the route but can drop in rural stretches. Download anything you want to watch or read before you board. Most passengers find the journey a pleasant opportunity to disconnect.

Standard cabins have limited socket availability; it varies by carriage. Elite Sleeper cabins are more reliably equipped. We recommend fully charging your devices before boarding and bringing a portable power bank. Egypt uses Type C plugs (European round-pin, 220V).

If we can't secure your cabin, we refund you in full automatically. You don't need to do anything.

Once issued, most banks show the refund within 5 to 10 working days.

Read our full refund guarantee

No. If we cannot book your ticket, the refund happens automatically.

The guarantee covers the rare case where we cannot issue your ticket at all. The refund policy covers changes after your ticket has been issued. Read the full Full Refund Guarantee.