Informations about trains in Egypt

Please click here to find a wonderful website about trains in Egypt and their schedules:
http://www.seat61.com/Egypt.htm

It is good to compare departure times with this website: http://www.egyptrail.gov.eg/docs/index.html

Unfortunately it seems very hard to get train tickets from the adresses given on seat61. Emails like this one are the rule:
"Yes, I am aware of the Abela website and email. I have tried contacting them numerous times and have gotten no response. I suppose I could call Egypt, but assumed we'd be able to get tickets. I did go to the other website mentioned below, but it clearly says that you cannot buy train tickets online. I'll just have to hope all goes well. We'll get to Aswan somehow!"

 

Recommendations for Amani Salem
from our guests:
how to buy Sleeper train tickets from abroad
(no responsibility taken !!!!!!!!!):

One thing we need to say that is close to our hearts. Petra has recommended an Egyptian lady from Cairo to us for the sleeping car reservation Aswan-Cairo - in short, Amani. We have ordered 4 tickets and paid through Western Union. Fast smooth e-mail contact. Later we had to cancel the journey because of the revolution (February 2011). Amani returned all the money without any problems. And even though I have insisted she should keep a tip of $ 20, she sent us the full amount back. She is so friendly and helpful, we really want to recommend her services.
(Review in tripadvisor, translated from German to English. jacky_schnecke in http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g294204-d1951355-r106938944-Aswan_Individual-Aswan_Nile_River_Valley.html)

This is how we heard about Amani the first time:
"We had arranged our sleeper train tickets through a lady called Amani Salem (contour100@gmail.com) a couple of weeks before we came to Egypt. We had got her name from Trip Advisor. We paid her in advance for the tickets and for a small fee she bought them and delivered them to our hotel. We found her friendly and trustworthy. (Abela had not wanted to reserve the tickets over the telephone, saying we could book them the day before travel at the station as it wasn’t busy in July. Our train appeared to be full with tour groups – lucky we decided to book via Amani, especially as we needed 3 compartments next to each other). We thought the train was good (even the food was OK) and don’t understand the number of complaints on Trip Advisor – it was no worse than European or Asian overnight sleeper trains (although we never travel first class)."

Another guest tried and asked me:
Here is the message I received from Mme Amani Salem concerning the train tickets. Do you think I can trust her to take care of it?
I appreciate your opinion, thanks, C.

Hi Mrs. C.
Many tks. For your kind e-mail and your value trust in me !

Yes sure We can arrange for Sleeper train ticket for sure :
At the rate of $60.00 Per person sharing in double cabin "one way"As per the web site : http://www.sleepingtrains.com/!! And as for the cost for child aged 08 yrs. Will pay in USD 45.00 since he/she will be under 09 yrs. On the day of traveling, so, I'll need copy of passport for the child aged 08 yrs.

And $10.00 have to added as a deliver fees for you at the hotel you accommodate in it (pls. Advice).

And for such sleeper train reservations we do accept payment with "Western Union" only and in this case you will JUST use my full name to transfer money !!!!

Many tks. Again for your value trust
Regards,

Amani Seada
Cell phone: +2 0100-5152252

So I sent this email to the first guest who had given the advice to ask, if this is correct:
Yes, this mail looks the same as the one we received from Amani (except we didn’t have to send copies of passports as our youngest child was 11 and so had to pay full fare). The copy of passport/proof of age sounds a reasonable request though.
I would normally have reservations about this kind of money exchange but a few Trip Advisor members had recommended her and also mentioned having to pay in advance by Western Union.
We had a few mail exchanges with Amani and we went with our ‘gut feeling’ – that is we felt we could trust her - and decided to buy our tickets through her and paid in advance (via Western Union – it was very quick and easy – make sure you use all the names she gives you).
Amani sent us details of our tickets (train number, cabin numbers etc) by e-mail once she had bought them. Our tickets were delivered to our hotel after we arrived in Cairo on the date agreed in our mail – just as she promised. She also gave us her contact details (by mail and with the delivered tickets) in case we had any problems.
Of course we can’t guarantee anything, but we found Amani trustworthy and she offered an excellent service (and didn’t ask too much money for her service).
We would use her again if we had to book tickets.
Hope all is well with you.
Best regards, K.