Cairo to Luxor and Aswan by Sleeper Train

The sleeper train from Giza reaches Luxor in about 9h25m to 10h10m and Aswan in about 12h25m to 13h30m. Five southbound services run, leaving between 19:50 and 21:40, so you arrive between 05:15 and 07:50 in Luxor or between 08:15 and 11:10 in Aswan. The operator is Abela Trains Services Egypt.

Key Takeaways

• Departures are from Giza on five numbered services: 84, 1086, 86, 1084 and 82.
• Luxor arrivals run from 05:15 to 07:50; Aswan arrivals from 08:15 to 11:10.
• The operator publishes schedules but no public fare table; fares appear inside the booking flow.
• Smoking is not allowed in cabins or toilets, only in designated areas of the club car.
• The network serves 14 key stations, and Alexandria and Sidi Gaber are covered by trains 1088 and 1089 in addition to Giza.

The five southbound trains

Journey times are computed from the operator's published station times, so use the range rather than one figure. The times are the schedule at the time of writing; check them with the operator before you book.

Opening hours that matter on arrival day

The earliest train, number 84, reaches Luxor at 05:15, before Karnak and the Valley of the Kings open at 06:00. The latest, number 82, arrives at 07:50 in Luxor and 11:10 in Aswan, which still leaves time for Philae, whose last entry is 15:00. These are official hours at the time of writing.

What arriving at dawn means

An early Luxor arrival gives you a full sightseeing day. Our Luxor East Bank Tour is a half day covering Karnak and Luxor Temple and picks you up from any hotel or Nile cruise boat in Luxor, and the Luxor West Bank Tour Full Day Tour runs a full day on the West Bank with the Valley of the Kings. If the train gets you in late, the Full Day Tour to East and West Banks of Luxor does both banks in a day. Read what each Luxor site is like on Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple; Karnak opens at 06:00, which suits an early arrival.

For Aswan, a mid-morning arrival suits the High Dam and Philae Temple Tour, which pairs the High Dam with a boat to Philae, or the Nubian Village Tour by Boat by motorboat. Our guide to Aswan in one day and Luxor in one day shows how to plan the first day.

Train, flight or boat

The train trades a hotel night for the journey: you sleep while it travels, so no daytime hours are lost. Many of our itineraries between Cairo and Upper Egypt fly between the cities, and the Nile cruises begin at Luxor or Aswan. See how the two cruise directions differ in Aswan to Luxor or Luxor to Aswan, or how long to allow in how many days you need in Egypt. The cruise fleet works between Luxor and Aswan, so a train to either end puts you in the right place to board.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor? About 9h25m to 10h10m, depending on the service.

How long to Aswan? About 12h25m to 13h30m.

Where does it leave from? Giza.

Which train is quickest? Number 84, leaving Giza at 19:50: 9h25m to Luxor and 12h25m to Aswan.

Which arrives latest? Number 82, leaving at 21:40 and arriving at 07:50 in Luxor and 11:10 in Aswan.

Is there a train from Alexandria? Alexandria and Sidi Gaber are served by trains 1088 and 1089, in addition to Giza.

What are the fares? The operator does not publish a fare table; fares appear in its booking flow.

Can I smoke on board? Only in designated areas of the club car.