Thread by @PaliparanDotCom

Egypt, day 8. Waiting at Luxor's #railway station for one of the daily daytime trains to Cairo.

For around 10 USD, I'm booked in first class (AC1). Seats are in a 1-2 configuration as opposed to 2-2 in second class. Grubby and old train, but comfy. My seat was broken and in full recline (60 degrees or so!) but fortunately there are mechanics w screwdrivers on hand.

Officially, foreigners are only allowed to take the sleeper train between Cairo & Luxor/Aswan due to "security risks" on day trains. Buying a ticket at the station might therefore not be possible, but I had no problem buying one online and was warmly welcomed by the conductor.

Another option is to let a travel agency or hotel buy your tickets. Many locals board without a ticket and simply buy one from the conductor. Also possible! Although risky when the train is full and all seats are reserved.. which is often the case on packed Egyptian trains.

First class vs second class on an Egyptian train.

Views after departure from Luxor. At the beginning of the journey down to Cairo the Nile is on your left hand side, but some ~2 to 3 hours into the journey the traim crosses the Nile and remains on the western bank until shortly after Cairo's Giza station.

Crossing the Nile at Nagaa Hammadi.

Some more views from the train. The windows are very dirty, making it hard to take pics. For the entire journey the train remains on the lush banks of the Nile.

Due to the bad state of the tracks, the speed is sometimes excruciatingly slow. Just like on the night train, it's also a bumpy ride!

The train also has a @_DiningCar - which is more of a small bar counter where you can get tea/coffee/water and sandwiches. It's also the place for locals to smoke and chat (also lots of smoking in vestibules). Good fun! There is also a trolley service offering same drinks/snacks.

Departing Asyut. For sure the busiest stop between Luxor and Cairo judging by the crowded platforms!

Train toilet. Basic is quite an understatement, but surprisingly clean and stocked w toilet paper!

The seats have airplane-style fold out tray tables in the armrests. Not very stable, but big enough to put your laptop on it. No WiFi, but decent 4G coverage meant I could do quite some work. Beautiful sunset as we approached Cairo!

Arrival at Cairo's Giza railway station. From here the train continues to its final stop of Ramses station.

And a quick change to the Cairo metro for the 6 stops to Sadat station for my Tahrir Square hotel with a view over the Egyptian Museum. Thanks for riding along on the train ride! 🍝, 🍺 and 😴 now..