Trams, buses and minibuses
Trams are integral to Alex life, conveying all classes at a snail's pace and rattling past the houses of rich and poor alike. Services run from 5.30am to midnight (1am in summer), with fares 15-20pt. Destinations and route numbers are in Arabic only, but you can get an idea from the vehicle's livery where it's heading, as all trams running east from Ramleh are painted blue, while those going west are yellow and white. More arcane clues lie in the colour of the background to the numeral(s) on the signboard, which identify routes #1 (green), #2 (red), #3 (blue on yellow), #4 (blue or black on yellow), #5 (black on white) and #14 (blue). On trams with three carriages, the middle one is reserved for women. Some have double-decker carriages, with a fab view from the top floor. Standing downstairs, you may have difficulty seeing the names of the tram stops, which are written in English on certain routes.

Buses (keeping similar schedules and likewise numbered in Arabic; 25-50pt) are dirtier and faster, with passengers boarding on the run between Sa'ad Zaghloul, Orabi, Tahrir, and El-Gumhorriya squares - the major terminals. They are often very crowded, and made worse by gropers and pickpockets. Whenever possible, it's best to use another form of transport. Fortunately, minibuses offer the chance of a reasonably comfortable ride and cover many of the same routes. Those run by the municipality are blue and white, while privately operated minibuses are blue. Both charge the same fares (25-50pt) and run similar hours to trams and buses.

Taxis, caleches and car rental
Regular black and orange (or yellow) taxis seldom use meters and will charge whatever they can get away with (especially going to Masr Station or some other point of departure). You should pay about £E2 for a ride across downtown (say, to Shatby), £E15-20 for a trip to Hannoville or Montazah. The larger, monochrome Peugeots are a lot pricier than regular taxis, so don't take one by mistake.

Leather-hooded, brass-trimmed horse-drawn carriages solicit passengers with cries of " caleche, caleche " outside Masr Station and along the Corniche. Providing you don't get stuck in traffic jams or feel self-consciously "colonial", they can be a good way of touring the quieter parts of Alex and enjoying the sea breezes. You'll have to negotiate a price - roughly £E8-10 an hour.

If you want to rent a car , try Avis in the Hotel Cecil (daily 8am-8pm; tel 483-1467), which offers Toyota Corollas for US$58 per day. You must be over 25 years old and have an international licence held for at least one year. They can also supply English-speaking drivers at US$15 per (10hr) day. Alternatively, Alex Limousine, 25 Sharia Talaat Harb (tel 482-5252), rents luxury cars with drivers.