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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Port Said
بورسعيد
Give Port Said one night, or two if you want the free ferry to Port Fouad and a canal-side walk: it is a stop, not a base.
Port Said sits at the Mediterranean mouth of the Suez Canal, about 2–3 h from Cairo by bus and up to five trains a day. The draw is the canal itself: ships sliding past the Corniche, the 1869 lighthouse, the Suez Canal Authority building and a free 10-minute ferry to Port Fouad on the Asian bank. The old town was largely rebuilt after 1956, so this is a half-day of sights plus a waterfront evening, not a sightseeing city.
- Country
- Egypt
- Local name
- بورسعيد
- Best months
- Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (humid heat, Egyptian summer crowds), Dec–Feb (cool, occasional rain)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 900–1,500 excl. bed · Mid EGP 1,500–3,000 excl. bed · High EGP 3,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126 · Fire 180
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea in a café | EGP 20–50 |
| Koshari or a falafel sandwich | EGP 30–80 |
| Fresh fruit juice | EGP 20–40 |
| Pizza or pasta main | EGP 120–250 |
| Taxi across the city | EGP 30–60 |
| Museum entry (military museum) | EGP 5–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PSD · El Gamil Airport
- About 6 km from the centre; limited domestic flights only. Most travellers arrive by bus or train from Cairo.About 3.7 mi from the centre; limited domestic flights only. Most travellers arrive by bus or train from Cairo.
Typical fares
- Ferry Port Said → Port Fouad
- free, under 10 min
- Taxi in the city
- EGP 30–60, agree first (check)
- Bus Cairo → Port Said
- EGP 20–35 advertised, 2–4 h (check)
Get around
The city is small and flat; most of the centre is walkable. White-and-blue taxis are cheap and metered by negotiation — agree the fare before you get in. Local buses and 14-seat minibuses run along the main streets for a few pounds; drivers rarely speak English, so know your stop. The ferry to Port Fouad carries people and cars free and takes under 10 minutes.
See and do
Known for
- Suez Canal entrance and passing ships
- Lighthouse of Port Said (1869)
- Free ferry to Port Fouad
- Duty-free port and canal heritage
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Port Fouad | Free ferry from the Corniche, under 10 min each way | About 30 min including waits |
| Tennis Island (Lake Manzala) | Boat or launch from Port Said, about 9 kmBoat or launch from Port Said, about 5.6 mi | Half a day |
| Mansoura | Bus or shared taxi via the Delta | 2–3 h |
| Cairo | Bus (hourly, early morning to midnight) or up to five daily trains | 2–4 h |
Sleep
- Corniche (Atef Sadat St)
- Waterfront hotels with canal views; walkable to the lighthouse and ferry. Best for one night.
- El Shark / 23 July St
- City centre: shops, cafés, the Latin Cathedral and the war memorial within a few blocks.
- Port Fouad
- Quieter twin city across the canal; free ferry, but you cross for every meal and sight.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| No, thank you | لا شكراًla shukran |
| Go away | امشيemshi |
| How much is it? | بكام؟bekam |
| Where is the ferry? | فين المعدية؟fein el ma'adiya |
| The bill, please | الحساب لو سمحتel hesab law samaht |
| I don't understand | أنا مش فاهمana mesh fahem |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- Agree taxi fares first; there is no lost-property number and little chance of getting valuables back.
- Some taxis pick up extra passengers mid-ride — refuse and wait for an empty one.
- Conservative city: women should cover shoulders, midriff and legs; expect heckling, especially alone.
- Do not photograph military or canal-security installations; signs and guards are strict.
- Summer is humid and hot even by the sea; carry water and plan indoor stops midday.
Crime is rarely violent, but pickpocketing and persistent street hassle are common: keep valuables out of sight, ignore hecklers, and use a firm "la shukran". Women should cover up and avoid walking alone after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Port Said yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Suez Canal entrance and passing ships
- Lighthouse of Port Said (1869)
- Free ferry to Port Fouad
- Duty-free port and canal heritage
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Port Said Governorate (official): www.portsaid.gov.eg/default.aspx
- Egyptian National Railways (ENR): enr.gov.eg
- Wikivoyage: Port Said, revision 5242774 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5242774
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Port Saidبورسعيد
لهذا العنوان لو سمحت
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Several countries keep consulates in Port Said (China, France, Greece, Turkey). The US, UK, Canada and Australia have embassies in Cairo; check before you travel.
Emergency numbers are national. Consulate hours and addresses change: check locally.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/port-said). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.