An enjoyable and informative account about traveling from Cairo to Aswan on the sleeper train.
This was our introduction to the alternative way to travel up the Nile from Cairo. Not for us one of the slow-boat cruises, stopping off to take in the temples in the company of motivated adults. No, we, in a group of families with children ranging from eight to 14, were taking the overnight sleeper to maximise every minute of child-friendly time between tomb-raiding in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. Trains are fun. . . .
Our train, one of the two sleepers that make the 11-hour, 600-mile journey to Aswan each night, was due at 8pm. At 8.30pm the giant diesel hauled into the station (Giza is deemed easier to use by novice Egyptian tourists than central Cairo’s confusing Rameses station) and we piled into our pre-booked compartments.
The carriages were refitted in the early Eighties (when the train carried chefs) and today, although still billed as four-star luxury, nothing has apparently been updated over the intervening 15,000 journeys (a rough estimate). Not even, one suspects, the beaming but decidedly elderly steward. The bottoms of curtains are frayed by the sun, and everything, but everything, is sand colour.
Still, as the train swung out southwards into the Egyptian night, the children were delighted with the sleeping arrangements: opening cupboards to find wash basins and handtowels, skittling through interconnecting doors and choosing bunks (two to a compartment). Dads were delighted to discover that cans of cold Luxor beer were available; everyone was relieved to see crisp white cotton sheets and soft pillows.
See the above page for the entire account.
5 comments:
no 11 hour,bath 14 to 16 hour it is normal,y ditÃt 5time's, all wans menny more than 11hour,drie times by day ,to times by night.
this is a ferry,ferry long trip,bad excelend femus.
fred sierevogel from holland.
I've made this trip a couple of times. While not up to American "standards," whatever that is, I found it quite fun and different. Our groups were large enough for us to have the whole car, which means we were acting like we were back in a college dorm! Just remember to bring some extra toilet paper or tissue. :)
I've only ever done one train ride in Egypt - from Cairo to Ismailia. That was during the day, but it was an excellent journey across the Delta, which I had never seen before - and a chance to see ships in the Suez canal, which was terrific but somewhat surreal.
I'd love to do the Aswan trip one day. The article made the train sound a bit like the Old Cataract - something that had been built to high standards in its day but was being allowed to slowly decay. I must find an excuse for doing it one day!
no excuses Andie,yo most doing dis!!!
greetings fred sierevogel
That's very sad. I used this train the first time I went to Luxor in August 1982. It was luxurious in those days. The catering was by Egyptair and so of a consistent and acceptable standard. The club car eas made up of two coaches, one for the disco and the other for the bar. A huge cheer of greeting went up every timr somebody came into the bar. A memorable and fun trip!
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