Major city · Egypt
Port Saidبورسعيد
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.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- EGP
- Best months
- Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov
- avoid Jul–Aug (humid heat, Egyptian summer crowds), Dec–Feb (cool, occasional rain)
- Airport
- PSD
- Nights
- 1–2
Rules in force · 8Nine African countries on this site have no trip line bec…
- Africa ↗When a route touches a yellow-fever country — even a transit of 12 hours or more — keep the original yellow card (ICVP) in your hand luggage; health desks and airlines can refuse boarding or entry without it.
- Africa ↗Nine African countries on this site have no trip line because governments advise against travel; several others have no-go regions. Read your government's advice for every country on the route before paying deposits.
- North Africa ↗Plan links between North African countries by air or by ferry via Europe; the only regularly usable land borders for visitors are Tunisia–Algeria and Morocco–Mauritania via Western Sahara.
- North Africa ↗Book Saharan nights (dunes, desert camps, oasis tours) between October and April; from May to September desert day temperatures regularly exceed 40 °C and many tours stop.
- Egypt ↗Check visa rules for your passport on the official Egypt e-visa portal before flying; visa on arrival availability depends on nationality and can change.
- Egypt ↗Drones need prior permission and are routinely confiscated on arrival; leave them at home.
- Egypt ↗Do not photograph military sites, police, bridges or government buildings; some museums and tombs charge for or ban photography.
- Egypt ↗During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight; hotels and tourist restaurants still serve.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Port Said122 ▾
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Port Said, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E).Egypt-wide
- SIM or eSIMcheckVodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.Egypt-wide
- Tap waterTap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.Egypt-wide
- TippingRestaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).Egypt-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets C/F. US/Canada (A/B): adapter · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 220 V: US 120 V-only devices (hair dryers) need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.Egypt-wide
- SafetyCrime is rarely violent, but pickpocketing and persistent street hassle are common: keep valuables out of sight, ignore hecklers…
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsWestern toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20.Egypt-wide
- Emergency numbers122 police · 123 ambulance · 126 tourist police (not 911, 999 or 000)
- Sundays & holidaysFriday is the weekend day (with Saturday for offices); sites open daily, some close earlier in Ramadan.Egypt-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportPSD El Gamil Airport (About 6 km (3.7 mi) from the centre; limited domestic flights only.PSD El Gamil Airport (About 3.7 mi (6 km) from the centre; limited domestic flights only.
- Getting aroundThe city is small and flat; most of the centre is walkable.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or tea in a caféEGP 20–50
- Street or quick mealKoshari or a falafel sandwichEGP 30–80
- Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, about 3 mi (5 km)Taxi across the citycheck; agree before boardingEGP 30–60
- Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (military museum)check; camera fee may applyEGP 5–50
- Budget bedBudget hotel or hostel bed, a night, per personEGP 400
- Mid-range bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomEGP 1,800
- High-end bedMid-range double room, a night, per roomEGP 3,500
A day, not counting the bed: Budget EGP 900 · Mid EGP 1,800 · High EGP 3,500
Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- PSD El Gamil Airport (About 6 km (3.7 mi) from the centre; limited domestic flights only. Most travellers arrive by bus or train from Cairo.)PSD El Gamil Airport (About 3.7 mi (6 km) from the centre; limited domestic flights only. Most travellers arrive by bus or train from Cairo.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Feb
Avoid
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Mar
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Apr
Best
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
May
Best
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Jun
Best
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
Jul
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Aug
Avoid
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Sep
Best
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Oct
Best
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
Nov
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Dec
Avoid
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
Best: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. Avoid: Jul–Aug, Dec–Feb. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)), coolest Jan (12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C) low), wettest Jan (16 rain days), driest Jun (0). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Port Said: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
16 rd
Feb
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
12 rd
Mar
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
11 rd
Apr
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
4 rd
May
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
2 rd
Jun
29°C (84°F)84°F (29°C)
23°C (73°F)73°F (23°C)
0 rd
Jul
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
0 rd
Aug
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
0 rd
Sep
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
0 rd
Oct
28°C (82°F)82°F (28°C)
22°C (72°F)72°F (22°C)
4 rd
Nov
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
5 rd
Dec
20°C (68°F)68°F (20°C)
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
8 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting 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.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Port Fouad
goDoor to door: About 30 min including waits
Free ferry from the Corniche, under 10 min each way
The Asian bank of the canal; walk the waterfront and come back the same way.
Tennis Island (Lake Manzala)
cautionDoor to door: Half a day
Boat or launch from Port Said, about 9 km (5.6 mi)Boat or launch from Port Said, about 5.6 mi (9 km)
Ruins of a medieval textile town; arrange the boat locally and agree the price first.
Mansoura
goDoor to door: 2–3 h
Bus or shared taxi via the Delta
Nile-side city with a corniche of its own; pairs with a Delta run.
Cairo
goDoor to door: 2–4 h
Bus (hourly, early morning to midnight) or up to five daily trains
Bus time depends on your Cairo pickup; trains leave from Port Said station on Mustafa Kamal St.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
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.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- EGP 900–1,500 excl. bed
- Mid
- EGP 1,500–3,000 excl. bed
- High
- EGP 3,000+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Mid-range double room1 × 1 night × EGP 1,800 | EGP 1,800 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × EGP 1,800 | EGP 3,600 |
| Cairo–Port Said bus, one way2 × EGP 60 · check | EGP 120 |
| City taxi hop1 × EGP 40 · check | EGP 40 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × EGP 350 | EGP 700 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | EGP 626 |
| Trip total≈ EGP 3,443 per person per day, bed included | EGP 6,886 |
2026 estimate in Egyptian pounds; long-distance transport excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| 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 citycheck; agree before boarding | EGP 30–60 |
| Museum entry (military museum)check; camera fee may apply | EGP 5–50 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- 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.
Emergency numbers
- Police
- 122
- Ambulance
- 123
- Tourist police
- 126
- Fire
- 180
Pocket card
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Port Saidبورسعيد
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
لهذا العنوان لو سمحتTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police122
- Ambulance123
- Tourist police126
- Fire180
Embassy
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.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- 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)
Say or show
- لا شكراً — No, thank you (la shukran)
- امشي — Go away (emshi)
- بكام؟ — How much is it? (bekam)
- فين المعدية؟ — Where is the ferry? (fein el ma'adiya)
- الحساب لو سمحت — The bill, please (el hesab law samaht)
- أنا مش فاهم — I don't understand (ana mesh fahem)
Emergency numbers are national. Consulate hours and addresses change: check locally.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Port Said. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (humid heat, Egyptian summer crowds), Dec–Feb (cool, occasional rain) · month by month →
- 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- An airport-to-bed path that says whether a late landing still works
- Walking clusters with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Field-verified times and fares