Sleeper practice from Cairo to Aswan – what it is advisable to know

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

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

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

Right here’s what we discovered taking the in a single day practice in Egypt.

Our journey on the Watania sleeper practice 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 highway journey as much as Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast.

Now it was time to journey south to Aswan the place we had 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 practice time. It’s down the road from Cairo the place lots of people board the sleeping practice so is a bit quieter and there are much less platforms to fret about.

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

Nonetheless, you will want to do that a number of days upfront as cabins promote out. This is identical service because the sleeper practice from Cairo to Luxor.

Though we had a information we had been escorted down the platform by the vacationer police. At the least one among them was armed.

You see quite a lot of armed police and verify 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 practice.

It arrived 45 minutes late – not unusual. Adel advised us it was at all times higher be on the station early as on the events the practice arrives early it doesn’t hold round. He has accomplished 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 trip.

What it’s prefer to trip the Cairo to Aswan sleeper practice?

To be brutally sincere, it’s a bumpy and uncomfortable trip.

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 night time.

Unsurprisingly my smartwatch didn’t register any sleep.

After our practice journey we in contrast notes and determined the Egyptian sleeper practice expertise was one we had 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. Nevertheless it’s additionally has its endearing facet.

We emerged from our slumber to fleeting photographs 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 by way of 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 concerning the in a single day practice from Cairo to Aswan

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

E-book the vacationer practice

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

Guests are intentionally separated from the native inhabitants. We had been advised this was for everybody’s consolation and safety as vacationers have been recognized 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 price $80 per particular person for vacationers and $18 for locals. You may see the value distinction on the Ernst web site.

Our tickets had 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 practice. You’ll not be allowed to board.

What’s in your cabin?

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

Whenever you arrive you discover the highest bunk made and the underside one laid out as seating for as much as three individuals. There’s a desk in the midst of the 2 seats that folds as much as grow to be the third seat.

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

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

There’s aircon and an overhead baggage area of interest that’s sufficiently big for one massive suitcase and some rucksacks. 

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

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

Further issues to deliver for consolation on the sleeper practice Cairo to Aswan

Whereas the sleeper practice is supposed to be ‘First Class’, don’t anticipate 5 star.

We’d suggest bringing a hand towel and ingesting water. Neither of those are equipped.

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.

This can be a actual bonus if you’re travelling on the sleeper practice with youngsters. They didn’t have to go away their cabin and go into the primary hall to search out you within the night time.

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

The connecting door has unbiased locks on each side. So when you don’t know your neighbours they gained’t have the ability to make an surprising name. 

Nonetheless…

Securing your cabin when you go away it

It’s solely potential to lock your essential cabin door from the within.

When you go away to go to the bathroom or the Membership Automotive take your valuables with you for peace of thoughts.

Our information beneficial not hiding issues across the cabin as these could be simply forgotten within the morning. Chasing the practice again up Egypt will not be an possibility.

Decor and filth

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

The practice’s decor is dated and drained. Other than the bedding it’s inconceivable 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 prefer to hazard a guess on the final time the surfaces had been cleaned. Most sported a skinny layer of sand mud. 

This isn’t the Orient Specific. However for one night time thundering by way of the Nile Valley it was purposeful.

Don’t drink the faucet water

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

You may as well purchase this onboard for 15 EGP – about 45p, so it’s not costly.

Meals on the Cairo to Aswan sleeper practice

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 price 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 might even have tea or espresso.

There’s no kids’s meals however you’ll be able to put in requests for various meals if in case you have a particular food plan. Ask your carriage steward if you board. 

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

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

Breakfast was served an hour earlier than we reached Aswan. We’d been advised this could be at 8am the night time earlier than but it surely arrived at 9.10am. Our 10-year-old was able to eat her little sister. One other good purpose to deliver your personal snacks! 

Drinks onboard

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

You should buy sizzling drinks and gentle drinks when you find yourself served dinner or at any time from the Membership Automotive.

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

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

How lengthy does the practice take from Cairo to Aswan?

The practice journey from Cairo to Aswan takes 13 hours. Nonetheless it typically runs late.

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

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

Must you take the Watania sleeper practice in Egypt?

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

There are way more snug methods to journey.

The one hour 15 minute flight between Cairo and Aswan would have price about the identical as our practice tickets. Having stated that, we’d have had the additional price of breakfast, dinner and one other nights’ lodging elsewhere.

Total the sleeper practice is the cheaper and simpler possibility. Simply be ready for one thing much less First Class and extra Economic system.

Yow will discover out extra about our household vacation in Egypt by my Egypt Story Spotlight on Instagram. I’ll be writing extra weblog posts about Egypt quickly.

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

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