Train or carالقطار أم السيارة
| Train | Two to two and a half hours each way from Ramses Station to Misr Station. Comfortable, cheap, and immune to road traffic. Book first class or the express service, and buy tickets in advance in peak season. |
|---|---|
| Private car | About three hours each way on the Desert Road. More flexible — it can include El Alamein, or reach sights without taxis at the other end — and more expensive. |
| Organised day tour | Usually by private car with a guide, covering three or four sights with lunch. The simplest option. |
| Not recommended | Driving yourself, or going by bus if the schedule matters to you. |
A day that worksبرنامج اليوم
- 07:00 — leave Cairo. Earlier if by car.
- 09:30 — Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, the single best sight in the city.
- 11:00 — Pompey's Pillar and the Serapeum, ten minutes away.
- 12:00 — Qaitbay Citadel on the harbour point, with the sea views.
- 13:30 — seafood lunch near Anfoushi or on the Corniche.
- 15:00 — Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
- 17:00 — a walk on the Corniche, then back to Cairo.
That's a full but achievable day. Adding the Roman amphitheatre or Montaza means dropping something else.
When to stay over insteadمتى تبيت ليلة
Stay overnight if you want the Greco-Roman museum and the amphitheatre as well, if you care about the old cafés and the evening Corniche, or if you want El Alamein. Alexandria is also markedly cooler than Cairo in summer, which makes an overnight a genuine relief in July and August.
Full sight-by-sight detail on the things to do in Alexandria page.
Common questionsأسئلة شائعة
Is Alexandria worth a day trip from Cairo?
Yes if you start early and accept a short list — the catacombs, Qaitbay, the library and a seafood lunch. If you want the museums and the evening city, stay over.
How long is the train from Cairo to Alexandria?
Two to two and a half hours each way on the faster services, from Ramses Station to Misr Station in Alexandria.
Is it better to take the train or a private car to Alexandria?
The train is faster, cheaper and avoids traffic. A private car is more flexible and lets you add El Alamein or reach sights directly.
What should I see in Alexandria in one day?
The Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Pompey's Pillar, Qaitbay Citadel and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, with a seafood lunch on the Corniche between them.