Cairo to Luxor by train: sleeper, Talgo, fares and booking (2026)

By the TrainsNews rail expert · updated 17 October 2026

The train is the classic way to travel from Cairo to Luxor: 671 km along the Nile Valley, with the option of carrying on to Aswan. You have two choices. One is an overnight sleeper run by Abela, from about USD 110 per person. The other is a seated day or night train run by Egyptian National Railways (ENR), such as the Talgo or a VIP Express. Either way the trip takes about 10 to 11 hours. Foreigners pay in US dollars or euros, and the official ENR website does not sell to non-Egyptians. Here is everything you need to know about times, fares and how to book.

Cairo to Luxor by train at a glance

Which train to choose?

The Abela sleeper. It is the comfortable choice and saves you a night in a hotel. The East German sleeping cars date from the early 1980s and come in three interiors: Elite, refurbished in 2025–26; Spanish, refurbished in the 2000s; and the original German fit-out. Twelve cars had been rebuilt to Elite standard by early 2026, and the target is 46 of 101 cars by the end of 2027. A Standard booking may put you in a Spanish or a German car, and you cannot choose which. Two-berth compartments have a washbasin and bedding; dinner and breakfast are served in the compartment. The club car serves no alcohol.

The Talgo. ENR's six Spanish-built Talgo trainsets entered service from December 2022. They are rated at 160 km/h and seat 490 passengers in air-conditioned first and second class, and first class has a screen at every seat. On the Nile Valley route they mainly run an overnight seated service between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. The first Cairo–Luxor Talgo left Ramses at 22:50 and was due in Luxor at 08:50.

VIP Express and Express trains. These have air-conditioned first and second class with reserved seats, and the VIP trains have a café counter. Travel by day if you want to see the Nile Valley, but expect delays. One traveller's VIP train 980 was scheduled at 10 h 55 and took just over 12 hours.

Timetable: the 2026 sleeper

Going north, trains 83 and 87 run every day, leaving Luxor at 19:45 and 20:35 and reaching Giza at 05:10 and 06:05. Times can change, so check when you book.

Stations

• Cairo Ramses: the main station, where day and Talgo trains depart. Foreigners buy tickets at the Arab and Foreign Reservation Office, upstairs on the mezzanine.
• Cairo Upper Egypt (Bashtil): in 2026 the main boarding point for the sleeper, not Ramses. Check the station printed on your ticket.
• Giza: every sleeper stops here, and it can be reached by metro from central Cairo.
• Luxor: trains continue via Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo to Aswan, about three hours further south.

Fares

Since January 2023, foreigners have paid for train tickets in US dollars or euros, at fares well above Egyptian prices. Egyptians pay in Egyptian pounds and travel in separate sleeper cars. Prices below are one way, per person and indicative.

The fare to Luxor is the same as the fare to Aswan. In 2026 the Ministry of Transport raised long-distance fares by 12.5%, applied from 1 July according to Ahram Online. It is not clear whether the dollar fares for foreigners changed too. No current official Talgo fare for foreigners has been published, so check at the station.

How to book

• Sleeper: book on abelatrains.com or the Abela app (iPhone and Android). On the website, choose "Upper Egypt" or "Giza" as your departure station, because "Cairo" shows no trains. Agencies such as trainsegypt.com are easier but add a mark-up. Tickets arrive by email; booking usually opens four to five months ahead. Abela offices in Cairo, Giza, Luxor and Aswan also sell tickets.
• Day and Talgo trains: the official ENR website and app sell only to Egyptian citizens at Egyptian prices. Foreigners can use them to check times. Buy at the Ramses foreign reservation office (USD, EUR or card with a 2.5% fee; one traveller found it cash only) or through agents such as 12Go or Bookaway. Booking opens about two weeks ahead.
• Peak periods: tour groups can fill the sleepers at peak times such as Easter, so book early.

Luggage and on board

We found no published luggage limit from ENR or Abela. On seated trains, bags go on the overhead racks, and backpacks and suitcases are fine. In the sleeper they stay in your compartment, in a large space above the door. Get to the station at least 30 minutes early. Carriage numbers hang from the platform canopy, and Abela staff check tickets at the carriage door. Do not show your ticket to unofficial "helpers" with notebooks: a known scam passes your details to accomplices who pose as your driver in Luxor. Smoking is allowed only in the vestibules.

Future projects: high-speed rail

Egypt is building a 2,000 km high-speed network with a consortium led by Siemens Mobility (Siemens's share: €8.1 billion). The first line, about 660 km from Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to Alexandria, Alamein and Marsa Matrouh, missed its June 2026 target. Passenger-free trials were due to start in September or October 2026 (Ahram Online, Egypt Independent), and no opening date has been announced. A second line of about 1,100 km will run from Cairo to Abu Simbel, and a third, 225 km line will link Luxor with Hurghada. The fleet will have 41 Velaro trains running at up to 230 km/h. No official date or journey time for a high-speed Cairo–Luxor service has been published.

An expert's view

On the Nile Valley main line, everything runs on the same tracks: Talgos, sleepers, VIP expresses, stopping trains and freight. Do the arithmetic on the sleeper timetable and you get an average of about 65 km/h between Cairo and Luxor, far below the Talgo's top speed of 160 km/h. On a conventional line with mixed traffic, the slowest trains, the many intermediate stations and the long-standing level crossings set the pace more than the rolling stock does.

That is why the new trains improve comfort more than journey time. The high-speed programme takes the opposite approach: a dedicated, electrified line, with signalling and catenary installed by the Siemens consortium and operations entrusted to Deutsche Bahn and Elsewedy Electric for 15 years. It is the infrastructure, not the train, that will eventually cut the trip to Upper Egypt.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the train from Cairo to Luxor?

About 10 to 11 hours by sleeper (for example 19:45 to 06:10 on train 86) and 9 to 11 hours by seated train, with delays of one to two hours not unusual.

How much is the Cairo to Luxor sleeper?

About USD 110 per person sharing in Standard and USD 125 in Elite, or USD 150 to 170 for sole use (indicative).

Can foreigners book on the ENR website?

No. The ENR website and app sell only to Egyptian citizens; foreigners buy at the station, through agents, or from Abela for the sleeper.

Which Cairo station does the sleeper leave from?

In 2026, Cairo Upper Egypt station (Bashtil) and Giza; day trains leave from Ramses.

Is the Talgo better than the sleeper?

The Talgo is a modern seated train with air-conditioned first and second class; the sleeper gives you a bed and two meals, so it is better for an overnight trip.

Is there a high-speed train to Luxor?

Not yet. A Luxor–Hurghada line and a Cairo–Abu Simbel line are planned, but no opening date has been announced.

Key takeaways

• Cairo–Luxor in about 10 to 11 hours, by sleeper or seated train.
• Abela sleeper from about USD 110 per person; foreigners pay in USD or EUR.
• The ENR website is for Egyptians only: book through Abela, an agent or at Ramses.

Read also

• The Ghan: Adelaide to Darwin by train
• Haramain High Speed Railway: Makkah–Madinah
• Etihad Rail passenger guide
• All our train travel guides

For rail enthusiasts

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Sources: Seat61, Cairo to Luxor and Aswan by sleeper train (accessed 17 October 2026); Seat61, Train travel in Egypt (14 September 2026); Ahram Online, tourists to pay train tickets in USD or euros (26 December 2022); Ahram Online, train fare increases (1 July 2026); Cairo Governorate, train and metro fares (28 March 2026); Almanassa, Abela sleeper train contract (21 August 2025); Railway Gazette, Egyptian Talgo enters service (9 January 2023); Egyptian Streets, first Talgo to Luxor (6 February 2023); Andy's World Journeys, Ramses station (30 January 2024); Siemens Mobility, 2,000 km high-speed rail contract (May 2022); Ahram Online, Sokhna–New Capital trial run (30 August 2026); Egypt Independent, high-speed train trial operation (7 September 2026). Information checked on 17 October 2026.

Photo: Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Written with AI assistance from the official sources cited, reviewed by the TrainsNews editorial team. Real photo, credited below the image. Spotted an error? contact@trainsnews.com — Our AI policy