Your trip to Egypt is from Chicago. Generally, flights abroad leave in the early evenings. In this case you will be flying from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany. After the 8 hour flight, which leaves Chicago around 7:00, you will arrive in Frankfurt around 8:OO. Your bags have been checked through to Alexandria, so when you arrive you will have only your carry on. In Frankfurt you have the day to enjoy nearby sites. In the evening you will fly directly to Alexandria. You will arrive late at night.

The flight from Frankfurt to Alexandria is about 6 hours. Upon arrival you will need to claim your bags and go through customs. Going through customs involves showing your passport and visa and allowing officials to go through your bags, if necessary. Before you leave the airport, you may want to exchange some money, so that you have some Egyptian currency on hand for the next several days.

Alexandria Transportation

Eyptian travel includes different modes of transportation: the bike alongside of the modern car. Travelers have the option of buses, trucks, cars, carts and bikes. Of course, walking is always a popular means--although some young people find it too slow.

Getting Around Alexandria
Once in Alexandria, a superb public transport system of rail, bus, Supershuttle and the river boats allow easy access to all areas of the city and beyond.

Cairo - Cairo International Airport
Cairo International Airport (CAI) is located in the area of Heliopolis, twenty-three kilometres (fourteen miles) northeast of central Cairo. A busy two-terminal airport, Cairo International Airport is used by most major international airlines as well as a large number of local operators.

Cairo International Airport has excellent facilities for the traveler, these include a fully functioning banking area, ATMs, bureau de change, restaurants, coffee shops, 24-hour bars, a pharmacy and some of the finest airport shopping in the world. n addition, for the business traveler, Terminal One has an exclusive business center.

For those looking to rent a car on arrival in Cairo, there are a number of car rental companies with representation at Cairo International Airport. These include Avis, Budget, Europcar and Hertz.

The car parking area of Cairo International Airport is split up into two distinct areas. The short-term car parking area is located close to the terminals and has room for 1,000 cars. Terminal One also has a car park (predominantly, though not exclusively, for long-term car parking).

Cairo Transportation
Be prepared for delays if you travel during the annual pilgrimage to Mecca as Cairo's airport becomes extremely busy at this time. Cairo is easy to reach by road, rail and air.

Arriving by Air
Cairo, Egypt, is served by the popular and efficient Cairo International Airport (CAI).

Getting Around Cairo
Public transport is the wisest way to get around Cairo than hiring a car and attempting to drive yourself. The taxis are a legendary part of life in Cairo and are good, safe methods but you should always agree a fare with the driver before the journey.

Transport:

Ships:
Both cruisers and long-distance ferries connect Egypt with Europe. Car ferries run from Crete and Piraeus in Greece, as well as from Venice in Italy and dock in Alexandria. The journey takes up to three days with many scheduled runs in a month. Passenger ships that visit Egypt use Alexandria and Port Said on the Mediterranean or Suez on the Red Sea.
Rather than the traditional ferry, Cairo offers its visitors the river taxi. The blue, glass-topped boats run from Maspero Station through to University Bridge, Manial, Rhoda, Giza and Old Cairo.

Airlines:
The majority of international airlines fly into Cairo, Egypt's main link to Europe, Asia and Africa. British Airways, TWA and Egyptair all have daily flights and there are non-stop flights from most African, Asian and European cities. Transport to downtown Cairo is by airport bus, public bus or taxi. Airport buses leave every 20 minutes stopping at the Meridien Hotels, the Nile Hilton and the Ramses Hilton. Public bus #400 will also go to the city center. Taxis are plentiful but it is essential to bargain, or even better, fix a price before leaving the airport. There is also a limousine service called LimoMisr which consists of a fleet of Mercedes Benzes. Fixed prices are the norm and simply ask for the going rate.

The following international airlines serve Egypt:

AIR FRANCE: 2 Talaat Harb Square,Cairo (743 300).
AIR INDIA: 1 Talaat Harb Square, Cairo (754 864; 754 873).
ALITALIA: Nile Hilton Hotel, Cairo (740 984/7).
BRITISH AIRWAYS: 1 Abdel Salam Aref St, Tahrir Square, Cairo (777 045).
CATHAY PACIFIC: 26 Mahmoud Bassiouni St, Cairo (758 939).
EGYPTAIR: 16 Adly St, Cairo (920 999); 12 Kasr El Nil, Cairo (759 806); Nile Sheraton Hotel (985 408); Heliopolis (668 552); Airport (454 049/4); Zamalek (412 027).
EL AL AIRLINES: 5 El Makrizi St, Zamalek (411 429).
IBERIA: 15 Tahrir Square (749 955; 749716).
JAPAN AIRLINES: Nile Hilton Hotel, Cairo (740 845).
KLM ROYA DUTCH AIRLINES: 11 Kasr El Nil, Cairo (740 999).
LUFTHANSA GERMAN AIRLINES: 9 Talaat Harb St, Cairo (750 366).
SINGAPORE AIRLINES: Nile Hilton Hotel, Corniche El Nil (762 702).
SWISSAIR: 22 Kasr Nil St, Cairo (757 955).
UNITED AIRLINES: 16 Adly St, Cairo (938 964).

Megadoor airport:
http://www.azworldairports.com/index.htm

Cairo International Airport (CAI/HECA):
http://www.azworldairports.com/airports/p1500cai.htm

Railways:
Tourists can enter the country either through Europe or Sudan by rail. From Europe, tourists under 26 can purchase discount tickets through BIGE which are available through Eurotrain or, alternatively, Eurail passes are also recommended. Keep in mind that despite the tickets covering some ferry connections, sleeping accommodation on both trains and ferries will be extra. From Africa there is a train from Khartoum to Wadi Halfa which is not particularly reliable, nor comfortable. This connects with a steamer boat across Lake Nasser.

Buses:
There are two bus systems in Cairo: The minibuses which are reliable and uncrowded as they do not permit standing passengers, and the public buses which are numbered in Arabic, overcrowded and not for the weak or faint-hearted. The main station for the white and orange mini buses is in Midan Tahrir where each destination is written in both English and Arabic. The mini buses also stop at designated places. The public buses, on the other hand, travel only on fixed routes and can prove confusing as seldom do outward or inward routes correspond.

A place to Stay

Hotels:
If the main attraction for visiting Egypt is the pyramids, then it would be better to stay in Giza.
Some hotels in Giza are: Expensive:
MENA HOUSE OBEROI HOTEL: Pyramid Road, Giza (3877444)

RAMADA: Alexandria Desert Road, Giza (3877700)

SHERATON: Galaa Bridge Square, Giza (3488700)

Moderate:
DELTA PYRAMIDS: King Faisal Street, Giza (3870983)

MOVENPICK JOLIE VILLE: Alexandria Desert Road, Giza (3875977)

OASIS HOTEL: Alexandria Desert Road, Giza (3871777)

Inexpensive:
AMOUN: Sphinx Square, Mohandessien, Giza (3461434)

CHATEAU DE PYRAMID: Alexandria Desert Road, Giza (3874236)

CONCORDE: 146 Tahir Street, Dokki (708751)

EGYPTIAN YOUTH HOSTEL ASSOCIATION: 7 Shari Abdul Hamid-Said, Cairo (758099)

Where to visit:

MUSEUMS AND ART GALLERIES:

CENTER FOR ART AND LIFE: Formerly the Manisterli Palace on Rhoda Island, next to the Nilometer (986 931). Open 9am - 2:30pm, except Fri.
Exhibits of Pharaonic art, ceramics, batik, painting, photography, handicrafts, glass, pottery and textiles.
COPTIC MUSEUM: Old Cairo (841 766). Open daily 9am - 4pm except Fri; 9am - 11am and 1pm - 4pm on weekends.
Collection of objects from the Christian era including Coptic textiles.
EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM: Found at the north end of Midan Tahrir (754 310). Open Thurs - Sat 9am - 4pm; Fri 9am - 12pm and 2pm - 4pm).
This museum houses some 20,000 Pharaonic works and is the largest collection in the world. It came into existence in 1902, the brainchild of a French archaeologist, Auguste Marriette, who dedicated most of his life to studying Egyptian artefacts.
EGYPTIAN CIVILIZATION MUSEUM: Agricultural Society pavilion in Gezira (805 198). Open daily 9am - 2pm.
A collection of paintings and sculptures of Egypt from the prehistoric periods to modern day.
MANIAL PALACE MUSEUM: Follow the eastern Corniche and shore and it can be found about a kilometer away from the Nilometer. Open 9am - 2pm.
One of Cairo's most beautiful buildings. It includes the Sultan Muhammad Ali's palace, reception rooms, a private mosque and hunting museum. Exceptional Islamic styles and furnishings.
MIITARY MUSEUM: The Citadel (920 955). Open daily 9am - 2pm.
A record of military history of Egypt with displays from both ancient and modern times. Displays include swords, cannons, rifles, equipment and costumes.
WAX MUSEUM: Helwan (385 93).
The museum has a collection of statues made of plaster, depicting the history of Egypt from ancient times.

For more information visit:

http://www.osirisweb.com/egypt/travel.html