taxi or...similar, Alexandria

We came to Alexandria with a private tour organised by GSC tours a tour operator based in Alexandria. We came from Cairo which meant that driver and guide left Alexandria around 3 am, picked us up in hotel in Cairo at 6 am, took us to Alexandria, did the tour, then took us back to our hotel around 3 pm, then, drove back to Alexandria again. I am telling you this because you can realise that the tripp will not be so safe if a driver starts working at 3 am and never stops all the day.During our trip we were asked if we wanted to visit the citadel and the library which were not in the schedule, saying we should pay just the tiket, we did, and ofcourse, later we were asked for extramoney because the stops were not included, thank God we did not ask to stop for a lunch or toilette or may be we would have been charged also for that. So I am not so happy of this agency, though the staff was really nice and the guide(will talk about her in my fondest memory tip) really great.We paid 160€ for the excursion and I would have been happy of the price if I did not have surprises, but as I said in Cairo page, that happens often, at least there.

To go around Alexandria take a taxi. They are cheap but agree about the fare before you enter the car, there are no meters. It might happen that your taxi (mostly a Soviet Lada, 20 to 25 years old), breaks down before you reach your destination. In this case give the driver a tip to make him stopping an other taxi for you (which mostly is not better than the one you just left). The drivers make incredible big and hectic movements with the steering wheel just to hold the car on a straight line along the Corniche. Safety belts can be spotted in the cars but I would not trust them, in one car I had a rusty peace of metal at the other end of the belt when I tried to close the lock....

Round trip cab rides throughout the city will run you from $10-15 USD. Alexandria for the most part is not really a place to bargain due to the low tourist factor. Here most often for a cab ride "the price is the price."

Be aware that traffic in Alexandria is like traffic in Cairo, take extreme caution when crossing streets. Most cars in Alex tend to drive at top speed whenever possible, it is not unlikely to see at least a car accident or two. Be very careful during rain storms in Alexandria also, drivers don't slow down in the rain either!

Yes, I was lucky enough to have a local friend Karim. He is from Alexandria and he made our stay and tour of Alexandria very comfortable and easy. It was unforgettable and very pleasant stay as we tour literally the whole city non-stop for the whole day and part of the night using his private car.

Mind you, not too many people are like Karim. I cannot say more about him. He is totally a fantastic guy.

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If you are in Alexandria, you will see black/yellow taxi. This is the colour of taxi used by everyone in the city. Each taxi should have a meter but it is a common practice that it is not being used. You may ask a local person on the approximate fare from point to point and when the time comes that you need to board a taxi, make sure you agreed on the fare before you get in.

I posted photos of taxi in Alexandria with this tip.

Get to know your way around the city. Look at google, buy a map. It will save you head ache to spend a little time getting to know your way around.

It's best to tell the cabbie where to go as apposed to them running you around.
If you are English speaking, make sure cab driver speaks English, knows where the place is and can read!

If you find a great one, ask for an appointment.

Taxis are a main means of public transportation in Alexandria.

They are painted black and yellow.

A fare usually starts from 2 Egyptian pounds, but you’ll have to pay some extra fee if you’re a foreign tourist.

There was an abundance of taxis awaiting us at the port, each one eager to have us as their passengers. But fate would have it that we selected (or were ushered into) Ali's little yellow and black taxi. Price was resonable but we made sure we agreed a price before arriving at the our destination to avoid any sudden fare increases.

Ali's trusty taxi sped off through narrow streets with nothing between us and the road but a piece of linoleum covering a large hole in the floor. Ali was sure to stop at his friend's souvenir shop and tried to persuade us in. After much insistence that we didn't need more alabaster camels, we resumed our journey.

When riding in a taxi in Alexandria, I advise that you make use of any available foothold/handhold in the car as our model was not only lacking a floor, but also those inconspicuous lifesaving devices callled seatbelts. Ali scored a total of two points for collisions with pedestrians. After the second guy rolled off of our bonnet he picked himself up off the road and very politely apologised for delaying our journey (and probably his head denting the car).

In the end, we arrived safely in the city centre. Ali said we should make sure to come to him next time we needed a ride. I have to say that out little taxi journey was certainly the most exciting and Ali was the most charming taxi driver I've met abroad.

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If you want a safe tour to alexandria from cairo, take a trip with the rented car. It will be included in a package tour, just ask any travel agencies you deal with. It will be the most convienent way to travel to Alexandria from Cairo. You will spend around 3hours on the road, faster than the bus or train. Take a joyride!! Many farms (interesting gate decoration), awesome birdhouses, great arabic architecture buildings, and colorful fruit stand on the roadside. You may see the Giza pyramids from alexandria-cairo Road too. I thought I will see a bored desert schene on our trip but I was wrong.

When we decided to go to Montaza from Saad Zaghloul , the taxi driver agreed on 20LE. This was what my husband and I had paid from Sidi Gaber Station to Montaza two weeks before, so we agreed.
However we decided on the way back to be daring and try a minibus, It was comfortable enough, though the driver was driving quite fast, and one of us was kept busy collecting the fares and returning the change to the passengers. But, it cost us 3LE for the three of us!