Getting to Sharm el Sheikh and once there, getting around:
To/from:
By plane
Sharm el-Sheikh Airport (IATA: SSH) (ICAO: HESH) is the largest in the Sinai and receives planeloads of charter tourists daily in the winter high season. The only airline for local flights is EgyptAir [1]. Your travel agent may have trouble booking flights with them but they can also be booked on some of the online booking engines.
For departures: timetable shows only nearest 1-2 hours, makes you watch over the row of check-in desks for your flight number.
Airport cafes
Cafes after security check are: Sbarro (overcrowded), Cafe Europa’ (on the back of the lounge, less crowded): sandwiches, coffee, Egyptian sweets; outlet of Caffè Ritazza international chain coming soon (also in Athens, Budapest, Madrid, Milan, London, Paris, New York, Stockholm, Zurich, Vienna).
Shops in the airport
After security check: Patisserie offers lucums, khalva and other Egyptian sweets.
By boat
International Fast Ferries [2] runs fast boats to Hurghada on the mainland Red Sea Coast, currently running four times weekly. The ride takes 1.5 hours and costs 250/450 LE one-way/return for foreigners. Warning: this ride is notoriously bumpy and prone to cancellations.
By car / By bus
Sharm el-Sheikh can be reached by driving down the eastern coast from Eilat (Israel) via Nuweiba and Dahab, or via the western coast from Cairo. There are daily buses for both routes. From Cairo,East Delta buses take approximately 8 hrs (80 LE) while Superjet buses take 6 hrs. When taking the bus from Cairo, keep your bus ticket and passport handy, as you will pass through a number of checkpoints, which require passengers to present identification and ticket. The drive is interesting with beautiful scenary, throughout the route.
The Sharm el-Sheikh bus station is removed, by about a kilometer, from the Peace road. If you should arrive during the evening hours your only option may be to take a taxi, as micro-bus service can be spotty. Since Sharm is a tourist-driven economy, you should be prepared to do some bargaining. If you are of the hiking type, the main road is, roughly, twenty minutes from main road. Just ask anyone to point you in the direction of Peace road. Once at Peace road you should have no problem hailing down a micro-bus.
When heading to the bus station via micro-bus, it should be noted that, as of February 2009, there were no direct routes, which go down Peace road, to the bus station. In order to reach the station, you must indicate that you are going to the bus station, and want to be left off at the gas station. This may take some work, given the limited English skills of the drivers. Once at the gas station, you should see micro-buses, which will take you on the final leg. Remember, transfers are not issued, you will need to pay another fee for the final leg.
About micro-bus fees If your journey is within a kilometer or two, the cost should be about (LE 3 to 5 LE). If your stop is further out, or if you are traveling during the late night hours, be prepared to get a demand for more money, in some cases drivers may demand up to (LE 10 or LE 20). Demands for higher fees can also take place, if the driver feels he you have money! So, be prepared to negotiate. If the drivers fee is unreasonable simply get out, this will often bring down the cost. One final note on fees, when arriving, ask a local how much the bus costs before hailing one down. The information provided will give you a base-line price, from which you can bargain with.
Getting around
By taxi
In Sharm the taxis are generally modern models, either Hyundai or Chevrolet. Be prepared to insist that the taxi uses its meter (it is the law)especially from the airport to the town centre. Always note the drivers ID number. Don’t assume they have meters. Locals tell you they don’t. Make sure you have transportation waiting for you as Sharm el Sheikh airport is the worst part of Egypt for getting a reasonably priced taxi. They will ask for 150-400 LE for the 10 minute ride to Nabq. You will walk away from the experience feeling violated.
By bus
There are also a fleet of blue and white tuk-tuk’s, which are basically small buses which are used to ferry the locals around the region. These are a most economical method of transport compared to taxis, which are very expensive. To hail a tuk-tuk simply wait next to the side of the main street and raise your hand to flag one down as it approaches. A single fare to anywhere in Sharm will cost around 20 LE. When you take the bus, go inside and find a seat and simply pass your money forward to the driver (with the help of other passengers if you sit in the back). If you start asking for the price the driver may very well try to make you pay much more than needed.
