Getting Your Bearings
Port Said is a relatively quiet and compact city, and the practical upshot for a visitor is that you can reach pretty much anywhere using the local transport that is available on almost any street. The city stretches along the Mediterranean coast at the northern mouth of the Suez Canal, and its twin city, Port Fouad, sits directly across the water on the canal's eastern bank. The two together form a single metropolitan area, so a bit of your getting-around will involve crossing the canal itself.
Is There a Metro or Tram?
No. Port Said has no metro and no tram system. Getting around relies on road transport, the cross-canal ferries, and your own two feet. Plan accordingly rather than looking for a rail-based urban network.
Rail Connections
Port Said does have a mainline railway station, which is useful for arriving in or leaving the city rather than for moving around inside it. The station sits on Mustafa Kamal Street.
- From Cairo, there are up to five daily trains to Port Said.
- There are also one to two daily direct connections from Alexandria.
If you are basing yourself in Port Said and exploring on foot or by taxi, the train is best thought of as your link to the rest of Egypt.
Buses and Microbuses
Local bus services have improved significantly in recent years, but the network can be confusing for anyone who hasn't lived in Port Said for a while. There are no widely published route maps, so the practical approach is to ask locals or your hotel staff which route serves your destination.
- City buses run on fixed routes, generally along the main streets.
- Microbuses are 14-person vehicles that work on a hop-on, hop-off basis: wave one down and it will stop when you want to get off.
- Fares are low and paid in cash to the driver or conductor.
- Services generally run from early morning until late evening, with frequent departures on popular routes.
- Drivers rarely speak English, so know the Arabic name of your destination or know where you want to get off.
- Expect crowding at peak times, and note that these vehicles are generally not wheelchair accessible.
The central bus station and busy intersections act as unofficial hubs where you can pick up services.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are a good and cheap way to travel around Port Said. Traditional taxis are white and blue, and you can hail them on the street or find them at stands. Meters are not always used, so negotiate the fare before you set off, and pay in Egyptian pounds in cash.
- To hail one, wave at the driver and call out your destination; if the driver agrees, they will pull over as soon as they can.
- Some taxis will stop even when they already have a passenger. Such offers are best refused.
- Always check behind you when you get out. There is no number to call if you lose something of value, and almost no chance of getting it back.
- Taxis are available at Port Said Airport and at the bus and train stations.
Ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem also operate in Port Said, offering fixed upfront prices, cashless payment, and trip tracking. For visitors without Arabic, these are often the simplest option.
Ferries Across the Canal
The ferry link between Port Said and Port Fouad is one of the city's most enjoyable forms of transport, and it is free. The ferries carry both people and cars across the Suez Canal, run all through the day, and the crossing takes under ten minutes. Port Fouad is the Asian part of this Afro-Asian governorate, and the two cities coexist so closely that Port Fouad has hardly any town centre of its own. A crossing makes an easy, pleasant outing in its own right.
Walking
Port Said is a walkable city in its central areas. The Corniche, running along the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal, and the downtown and city centre are both good for walking, and the Suez Canal entrance, the Old Lighthouse and the Military Museum can all be explored on foot.
- Bicycle infrastructure is limited, and cycling on main roads is hazardous; avoid major highways and busy roads at peak times.
- Accessibility infrastructure for mobility needs is limited, so pre-arranged tours or private transfers are the more reliable choice if you need them.
- Motorcycle and scooter rentals are uncommon and not recommended for tourists, and there is no widespread bike-sharing scheme.
Other Options
Tour buses serve cruise-port excursions and pre-arranged group tours. Small boat taxis operate for short trips around the Suez Canal entrance. There are no cable cars or funiculars, and no tuk-tuks or similar specialty vehicles, since microbuses fill that role.
Reaching the City from the Airport
Port Said's airport, El Gamil Airport (PSD), sits a short distance from the centre of the city. The practical way into town is by taxi, which takes about 15 minutes. Taxis are available at the airport. The airport has only a limited selection of domestic flights, and it is the main operating base of the airline Petroleum Air Services, which is itself based at Cairo International Airport. If you are flying into Egypt from abroad, you will most likely arrive in Cairo and continue to Port Said overland.
Arriving Overland from Cairo
Several bus companies run services into Port Said at very low fares, with air-conditioned buses and a hostess trolley service. Companies include East Delta, Super Jet and Pullman, and there are trips between Cairo and Port Said virtually every hour from early morning until midnight. Operating times vary between companies.
- Most buses start from the El-Torgoman Bus Station in Cairo and stop at the Almaza Bus Station in Heliopolis before setting out for Port Said.
- Your total journey time depends heavily on where you board: joining at El-Torgoman makes for a noticeably longer trip than the average.
- Port Said Bus Station is where you catch the bus onward to Cairo and other major cities in Egypt.
By car, the drive from Cairo usually takes around three hours depending on speed and traffic. The Desert road crosses the desert, is less crowded and faster, and has cafeterias every few kilometres. The usual cautions for driving in Egypt apply. If you plan to rent a car, you will need a valid national driving licence plus an International Driving Permit, you will typically need to meet a minimum age requirement, and a credit card is usually required for the deposit. Multinational rental companies are mainly found in Cairo, with local agencies in Port Said. Driving is on the right, seatbelts are mandatory, and speed limits are enforced. City traffic is congested and chaotic, so a GPS is recommended; street parking is common but difficult, though paid garages exist.
There are no international ferries to Port Said, so arriving by sea is not an option for independent travellers.