Subway/Metro, Cairo

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I took the metro several times -- to/from Giza (pyramids), Mar Girgis (Coptic Cairo) and New El MArg (near the airport). There are currently 2 lines (3rd coming soon), Line 1 that goes to Coptic Cairo and Line 2 goes to Giza station. Metro traverse limited routes for tourists but you could always combine it with taxi to save some fares. It's not hard to find the stations, it has the ""M" signs, the carriages have electric fans as sometimes it gets really crowded and hot. Be careful though not taking the all-female carriage, normally in the mid of the carriages and with red (or pink?) coloured bar on above the entrance. You will know too once your on the platform, the female locals wait at a certain platform.

Going to the pyramids - Giza Station (plus taxi), I took the Metro from Sadat Station at Tahrir Square, it's the 6th stop - the Shubra to El Mounib way (not the other way around).

From Sadat station to Coptic Cairo, Line 1, New El Marg to Helwan way, 4th stop - Mar Girgis. (SEE ROUTE MAP on the photo on ur left).

When you're at the station look for the signboards so you won't end up at the wrong platform.

Fare is EGP1.

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Must say that we only used the metro once while in Cairo from Sadat station (near the Egyptian Museum) to Coptic Cairo (Mari Girgis station). The cost was 1LE to travel one way on any line, but the fare must be paid again if you change lines. At the moment there are 2 lines, the red and green and the journey was very straight forward with no hassle and clean trains. The first carriages in each train are for females only. The system is open from 5.30am - midnight and until 1am in summer.
The metro system does not seem to link up directly with many tourist sights to be honest, so you will have to take cabs most of the time or buses if you know the stops and schedules!! Saying this, a third line is under construction with plans for lines 4, 5 and 6 in the future.
Look for the red "M" in a star shaped sign for the metro. See metro map on photo link.

If you're sick of haggling with taxi drivers and jamed roads just enjoy a metro ride! There are currently two lines running, but I must admit that those are not linking tourist spots. The Egyptian Museum can be reached (Sadat Station near Tahir Square), also Ramses Train Station (Mubarak Station) and Coptic Cairo. To save time and money going to the pyramids of Giza take the metro to Giza Station and catch a taxi from there.

Riding the metro costs 1 EGP only within the whole city, no matter how often you're changing lines.

There are women only compartments which are clearly marked as such. I would recommend to women travelling without male company to use those.

Getting to the Giza Pyramids from Downtown Cairo can be an expensive and time consuming. A taxi will cost you at the minimum 50 LE ($10) each way and takes about an hour to and from the Pyramids. The best option is to take the red line metro to the Giza Station stop for 1 LE each way (.20 cents) and then from Giza Station you can catch a cab to the Pyramids for 20 LE ($4). The average trip time is between 30 to 40 minutes and so not only is it faster but its far cheaper as the total price each way is $4.20 for a total of $8.40 round trip. Without this is the best way to get to the Pyramids if your on a budget and want to get their fast from the downtown area.

On most Metro/Underground/Subway maps you'll see a line going out towards the airport. Ignore this as there are only two lines in Cairo, the third is under construction and will probably be finished at the same time as the Pyramids fall down.

Do you find using Cairo's taxis exhausting (i.e. haggle every fare)? Time consuming (i.e. Cairo is notorious for its traffic jams, rush hour or not)? Scary (i.e. the city's roads are like one giant bump-car arcade)?

Cheer up, there's the Metro - Cairo's surprisingly reliable and clean mass transport system! And not to mention, cheap - you pay only EGP 1 (~20 US cents) per ride per person regardless of distance.

Metro stations are conveniently located at the city's major areas such as Midan Tahrir (near the Egyptian Museum), Midan Ramses (adjacent to Ramses train station), Doqqi, Mar Girgis (beside Coptic Cairo), etc. To access the stations look for the big orange "M"signs.

The Cairo Metro network, the only one in Africa, is surprisingly efficient and clean. For anyone who knows the city, these two qualities are impossibly rare. The system currently has two lines, with plans for expansion well underway. Although taxis are cheap, for tourists, the Cairo Metro is a better hassle-free mode of transport when getting around the city of Cairo. A couple of places are in fact better visited by Metro, such as Coptic Cairo (Mar Girgis stop).

Riding the subway should not be missed, at only EP 1 per ride, regardless of distance or transfers and a faster and more "intimate" experience. First cars are always women-only. It allows you to easily and cheaply explore dozens of different neighborhoods. Service is rarely more than 15 minutes between trains until midnight. Often they are packed (and the rider expressions usually somewhere between resigned, sullen and grim); rarely are the riders reading and among the readers, the Koran is the most popular book. We didn't see a single laptop here, or anywhere else.

For more information and links, check my website:
http://www.cairotour.org/transportation.htm