Student discounts on most major routes can be up to 50%. Riding on the unreserved non-air-conditioned second- and third-class trains may be an adventure, but it’s definitely not recommended for long treks. If s better to hook seats on air-conditioned second-class cars; air-conditioned first-class is also available, but the elbow-room is probably not worth the extra cost. Second-class sleeper cars, available on regular trains, are an excellent deal for travel to Luxor or Aswan, but are nearly impossible to book. Unmarried couples may not be permitted to share a cabin. Student discounts on sleepers are less than on regular seats, and you might not get a discount at all on the luxurious wagon-lits. You can reserve space on a sleeper at the wagon-lit offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Alexandria. Other types of train passage can be reserved only at the station of departure, or through a travel agent (for a fee). You can always buy third-class tickets on the train, and maybe even first- or second-class tickets, if there are empty seats. Always reserve seats between Cairo and Upper Egypt several days in advance.

Since round-trip reservations cannot be arranged at the point of origin, always take care of return reservations as soon as you reach your destination, particularly if you intend to take a sleeper. During the last week of Ramadan and the first week after, as well as before Eid al-Adha, reserved seats on all Egyptian trains, especially those to Luxor and Aswan, are completely booked. If you plan to travel during this period book your tickets at least one week in advance.