Transport security in the Nile Valley
Since the the first attacks on tourists in the early 1990s, transport in the Nile Valley has been subject to various controls , which were tightened dramatically after the Hatshepsut Massacre in November 1997. The exact nature of these controls fluctuates, but generally involves the following:

Buses : All tourist traffic in the Nile Valley travels in police-escorted convoys, which run between the main tourist centres (Luxor and Aswan). However, in practice it is often possible to catch any bus from Luxor, and sometimes from Aswan. Between Luxor and Aswan, the towns of Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo enforce the rules less strictly.

Sevice taxis : Foreign tourists are currently banned from service taxi depots in Luxor and Aswan. It may at times be possible to travel by service taxi between other towns in the region, so details of routes and fares have been included in most town accounts.

Trains : Tourists are only allowed to travel on two regular (guarded) A/C trains a day between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, as well as the deluxe wagons-lits service.

 

Trains
Trains from Ramses Station run as far south as Aswan. Following terrorist ambushes in Middle Egypt, tourists are only allowed to travel on two trains a day (guarded by plainclothes cops with Uzis) between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. The journey is quite comfortable if you travel in 1st or A/C 2nd class, which have padded swivel seating and carpets. Besides the two "tourist" trains, there is a deluxe wagons-lits service with a restaurant and bar, which was subjected to sniper attacks, but has not been targeted recently.

Buses
Buses leave from the Aboud and Turgoman Terminals . There are several daily services to Luxor and Aswan that are A/C. The journey time is the same as by train, and the risk of attack much less; but the buses are a lot less comfortable than 1st or 2nd class train travel. Additionally, there are non-A/C buses to the main towns of Middle Egypt: Beni Suef, Minya, Assyut and Sohag. In theory all tourists in the Nile Valley must travel in police-escorted convoys, which run between the main tourist centres (Luxor and Aswan). However, in practice it is often possible to catch any bus from Luxor, and sometimes from Aswan. Between Luxor and Aswan, the towns of Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo enforce the rules less strictly.

Service taxis
Service taxis also leave from Aboud , bound for Minya or Assyut, whence there are connections further south - but this is a dangerous route, due to the hazards associated with Middle Egypt and also reckless driving. Foreign tourists will not be admitted to the service taxi depots in Luxor or Aswan, but in the towns between the two it is usually possible to escape the attention of the police.

Flights
A quicker, safer but considerably more expensive way to travel is by plane. There are up to a dozen flights a day to Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel, affording amazing views over the Valley's green belt of cultivated land.

Nile cruises
With the slump in tourism, prices for Nile cruises have never been lower, whether arranged before you leave or on the spot. Most boats start off in Luxor, and sail down to Aswan, with stops at Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo, over three to five days.

At the time of writing, Dendara and Abydos could be visited by taxi or cruise boat on day-trips from Luxor; cruise boats carrying foreign tourists are restricted from travelling any further north than Qena.