General

Transport facilities in Egypt are centred in Cairo and largely follow the pattern of settlement along the Nile. The main line of the nation's 4,800-kilometer (2,800-mi.) railway network runs from Alexandria to Aswan and operated by Egyptian National Railways. The well-maintained road network has expanded rapidly to over 21,000 miles, covering the Nile Valley and Nile Delta, Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts, the Sinai, and the Western oases.

Egypt Air provides reliable domestic air service to major tourist destinations from its Cairo hub, in addition to overseas routes. The Nile River system (about 1,600 km. or 1,000 mi.) and the principal canals (1,600 km.) are important locally for transport.

The Suez Canal is a major waterway of international commerce and navigation, linking the Mediterranean and Red Sea. The ministry of transportation, along with other governmental bodies are responsible for transportation in Egypt. Major ports are Alexandria, Port Said, and Damietta on the Mediterranean, and Suez and Safaga on the Red Sea.

An Overview

Railways :
total: 5,063 km
standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2004)

Highways :
total: 64,000 km
paved: 49,984 km
unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

Waterways :
3,500 km
note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2004)

Pipelines :
condensate 289 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,115 km; liquid petroleum gas 852 km; oil 5,032 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined products 246 km (2004)

Ports and harbours :
Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit

Merchant marine :
total: 77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 34, container 2, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 8
foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2, Turkey 1)
registered in other countries: 34 (2005)

Airports :
87 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways :
total: 72
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways :
total: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Heliports :
2 (2004 est.)