Getting Around Luxor: An Overview
Luxor sits astride the Nile in Upper Egypt, with the modern city and its temple complexes on the East Bank and the monuments of the Theban Necropolis — including the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens — on the West Bank. That geography shapes everything about how you move around: most visitors base themselves on the East Bank and cross the river to sightsee. There is no metro or tram in Luxor, and the city's public transport is built around minibuses, taxis, and the local ferry, supplemented by e-hailing apps, rental bikes, and motorcycles.
By Rail
Luxor's railway station is the city's main transport hub, and the rail line follows the Nile north to Cairo and south to Aswan. The train is a pleasant way to travel between Aswan and Luxor, though since 2022 ticket prices for foreigners were drastically increased, so expect to pay European-level fares.
From Cairo there are several classes of service:
- Daytime expresses — air-conditioned first- and second-class coaches (AC1 and AC2) with comfortable aircraft-style seats, a relaxing way to watch the Nile valley go by. Soft drinks and snacks are served and there may be a dining car, but it's best to buy food and drinks beforehand.
- Overnight expresses — identical to the daytime trains and priced the same; they are not sleepers.
- Deluxe sleepers — run by a private company, Watania, with modern air-conditioned sleeping cars, a choice of one- and two-berth cabins, and a club/lounge car. An evening meal and breakfast are included in the fare. One sleeper runs nightly year-round in each direction, and extra sleepers run at busy times — though these may start from Giza rather than Cairo Ramses.
- Local trains — non-air-conditioned trains that stop at most stations. They are not much slower but are incredibly cheap.
Most of these trains continue on to Aswan, and since they originate in Cairo they are often late leaving Luxor. The expresses are run by Egyptian National Railways (ENR). ENR also runs the ordinary trains, but these cannot be booked in advance and don't appear on timetables — buy your ticket at the station. Deluxe sleepers should be booked online with Abela Trains.
Buses and Intercity Coaches
For longer journeys, intercity buses are a practical option. GoBus and SuperJet both serve Luxor and depart from somewhat different locations near the train station. GoBus runs to Hurghada, and SuperJet offers simple, air-conditioned, reliable service to Hurghada and to Cairo (with a stop in Qena and Giza). Buses also leave regularly from behind Luxor Temple to most major cities.
Minibuses: The Local Network
Minibuses are how locals get around Luxor and the cheapest option for the adventurous visitor. They are all the same shape, so they're easy to recognize, and different routes are marked by a different colour on the side of the vehicle. There are no published route maps — locals know the routes by heart — but almost all bus routes converge at the railway station, which makes it a useful place to pick one up.
To board, look at the minibus as it approaches and raise your arm. When a bus is full it won't stop, so you may need to wait for the next one. Once aboard, take an empty seat and pass your money to the driver; the fare is a flat rate per person and no haggling is required.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are plentiful in Luxor. They have no meters, but there are current accepted rates if you stay firm — the driver's first offer will inevitably be higher. Short trips within Luxor and round trips to the West Bank are the typical journeys. As a handy reference, the Sheraton Luxor Resort keeps a list of current taxi rates from the hotel to various destinations, though these are overpriced.
If you'd rather avoid negotiating, ride-hailing works well. Uber doesn't operate in Luxor, but its sister app Careem does — it takes card payments and saves you having to explain your destination or bargain with the driver. InDrive also works in Luxor.
By Bicycle or Motorcycle
Luxor is full of rental shops for bikes, and many hotels hire them out too. Rates depend on your bargaining skills, the day's demand, and the quality of the bike. Check the tires before you set off, and be aware that it's normal to be asked to leave behind your passport, driver's licence, or student ID as a deposit. Bikes can be rented on both the East and West Banks — the latter near the local ferry landing, though prices can be a little inflated on the more isolated West Bank. If you want a high-quality bike, look for Dutch brands at the Dutch Rental Agency on Sheraton Street (East Bank), or Mohammed Setohe bicycle on the West Bank, a short walk from the ferry, which has good, nearly new mountain bikes.
Bikes can be taken on board the local ferry, so you can hire on the East Bank and transport your bike across yourself. Think carefully before riding in Egyptian traffic: the East Bank is the metropolitan side, with crowds and heavy traffic, while the West Bank is much more rural and many tourists prefer to cycle among the fields there between the sites. At the archaeological sites, guards will try to convince you not to lock your bicycle, promising to watch it — and then demand a tip for doing so. Lock it yourself to avoid the unnecessary expense.
For the even more brave, Luxor has plenty of small Chinese motorcycles available to rent. With the right bargaining skills you can hire one by the hour, or for less over a full day or evening. In summer the roads around the West Bank are relatively empty, making motorcycling among the ruins and mountains easy and efficient. In a slow season, many owners are willing to rent you their own motorcycle for the right price. Ask for a helmet — you won't get one otherwise.
Walkability
Luxor rewards walkers on the East Bank, where the ruins of the Karnak and Luxor temple complexes stand within the modern city and the city's temples, churches, and mosques sit side by side. The main sights, hotels, and the railway station are all clustered on this side, so much of a visit can be done on foot. The West Bank is a different proposition: it is more rural and spread out, and most visitors use the local ferry to cross the Nile and then rely on bikes, motorcycles, taxis, or tours to reach the tombs and temples.
Getting from Luxor International Airport into the City
Luxor International Airport (LXR) lies east of the city and has a terminal divided into domestic and international sections. Passenger facilities include a post office, a bank, ATMs, cafeterias, a VIP lounge, a duty-free shop, a newsagent/tobacconist, a chemist, a gift shop, a travel agency, and car rental.
The airport receives direct flights from several European cities — mostly inclusive package holidays, though these are often bookable as flight-only — as well as direct flights from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport (Pegasus Airlines) and the Gulf states. Egyptair and its competitors fly frequently and directly from Cairo, with day trips feasible in both directions and good connections onward to Europe. Reaching Luxor from Alexandria or Sharm el-Sheikh usually involves changing in Cairo, sometimes with lengthy stopovers. Airlines serving Egypt include Nile Air, ALMasria Universal Airlines, Air Arabia, and Petroleum Air Services (PAS), which charters flights to Cairo and other Egyptian destinations such as Hurghada.
On arrival, you'll find an Egypt Telecom stand behind the international arrival security check where you can buy a SIM card, and two ATMs in the arrival hall (one of which charges no withdrawal fees). Currency exchange is available only in front of the immigration control.
To get into the city itself, note that there are no public buses between the airport and the city centre. If your hotel doesn't provide a shuttle, take a taxi. Ignore the picket of taxi drivers and touts just outside the airport doors charging inflated dollar prices — keep walking until you find a taxi driver in his car and negotiate directly. Keep a firm grip on your luggage, as people will helpfully wrench it from you, carry it the short distance to the taxi and bus stand, then demand a fee. A firm "lah shukran" ("no thank you") will serve you well in Luxor.
If you're arriving from another country, visas on arrival are available to many foreign nationals. Ignore the stand just after you enter the terminal building from the bus that brings you from the plane, which charges an inflated rate. The visa is cheaper when purchased at the bank counter a short walk further on, where you can also exchange money. The visa is a sticker to be placed in your passport before you proceed to immigration control.