Important Information about Egypt

Currency

The Egyptian pound is the national currency of Egypt, and the piastres (RT) is the bargaining chip. 100 piastres equal one pound. There are paper piastres with denominations of 25 and 50, and piastres in the form of coins with denominations of 5, 10, 25.

You can pay with credit cards in hotels, but not in all stores. In most banks you can get cash on credit cards Euro/Master Card and Visa.

Currency exchange is carried out both in restaurants and hotels, but it is most profitable in banks, which work on Monday-Thursday from 8.30 to 13.30, and on Sundays from 10.00 to 12.00. In crowded tourist centers you can find banks open until 22.00. It is better to keep the certificates received during the currency exchange, they will be needed when paying the bill at the hotel.

Phone

For local telephone calls, tourists can use telephone booths that can be easily found in cities, or post offices that offer preferential rates for calls to European countries. You can contact Russia and the CIS countries even from the hotel room itself (it will cost about 20 pounds per minute). There are also telephone sets in the hotel lobbies, for such a call you will have to spend 13 pounds per minute. The lowest tariff will be if you use telephone cards and specially equipped pay phones for calls.

Phones that you can call in Egypt in case of emergency:

  • 122 – police
  • 125 – fire brigade
  • 123 – ambulance

Shopping

Shops in the resort areas of Egypt, as a rule, are open from 9.00 to 20.00 in winter, with a break from 12.00 to 14.00, and from 9.00 to 22.00 in summer, with a break from 14.00 to 16.00. Supermarkets are usually open longer.

As a rule, tourists buy only souvenirs in Egypt, it is pointless to spend money on something else.

Most shops in the resorts do not have set prices, so tourists often have to enter into auctions, which can significantly reduce the initial cost of the goods. See liuxers for Egypt customs and traditions.

The most popular among tourists are figurines of Egyptian gods made of basalt, granite or painted alabaster, hookah and papyri, as well as leather, gold and silver items.

Hookahs are best to choose from brass, they are the most durable and durable.

When buying papyri, you should be careful: papyrus of proper quality, with a neat pattern and elastic, will cost about 10-20 LE.

Tips

Leaving a tip in Egypt is a sign of good manners and an expression of gratitude for the service.

An employee at a hotel and airport who carries luggage, opens the door to the car and performs various small services, it is customary to reward with an amount of not more than one pound. A waiter in a restaurant usually gets change from one to five pounds.

You can also give a tip to a cleaning lady in a hotel room, a doorman or an elevator operator (1 pound each).

Money and valuables

As a rule, hotels in Egypt have fairly reliable safes, in which tourists can place valuables, documents, money, and the like for a fee. But in general, especially valuable things are best left at home.

Transport

The main cities of Egypt are connected by rail, it is better to use it when traveling long distances.

Bus transportation operates throughout the country, moreover, tickets are cheaper here than on the railway. For long trips, it is better to choose an air-conditioned bus.

Taxis usually do not have meters and you need to negotiate the price of the trip in advance. It is better to involve a porter or a policeman in negotiations.

Electricity

The voltage in the networks of Egypt is 220 V, 50 Hz.

Time

Time zone of Egypt: GMT +2 (-1 hour to Moscow).

Important Information about Egypt