Photo: Andreea Munteanu / Unsplash
Practical info for Egypt
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
- Single emergency number122
- Police122
- Police126
- Police128
- Medical emergencies121
- Medical emergencies123
- Medical emergencies129
- Fire brigade180
- Tourist police126
- Single emergency numberin Alexandrie, according to France Diplomatie, 21/09/202616781
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Embassy CairoEmbassy
- Address
- 7 Ahmed Ragheb StreetGarden City, Cairo, Egypt
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/egypt/british-embassy-cairo
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 04/08/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country; FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
Areas where FCDO advises against travel
FCDO advises against all travel to within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border, except for the town of El Salloum, where we advise against all but essential travel.
FCDO advises against all travel to the North Sinai Governorate.
FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the northern part of the South Sinai Governorate, beyond the St Catherine-Nuweibaa road, except for the coastal areas along the west and east of the peninsula.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: Egyptian pound (EGP).
The ECB does not publish a reference rate for EGP.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Local time: UTC+03:00, +3 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
Next clock change: 29/10/2026 (UTC+02:00).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Traffic drives on the right.
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need to have both the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel. You can drive in Egypt using your UK licence and an IDP for up to 6 months.”
Source: GOV.UK, Viaggiare Sicuri · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Vodafone (Sirocco, Airalo); ETISALAT (Sirocco); Orange (Sirocco); Orange/Mobinil (Sirocco); Vodafone/Mirsfone (Sirocco).
eSIM prices for Egypt
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in Egypt?
Single emergency number: 122 ; Police: 122 ; Police: 126 ; Police: 128 ; Medical emergencies: 121 ; Medical emergencies: 123 ; Medical emergencies: 129 ; Fire brigade: 180 ; Tourist police: 126 ; Single emergency number: 16781 (in Alexandrie, according to France Diplomatie, 21/09/2026)
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in Egypt?
British Embassy Cairo, 7 Ahmed Ragheb StreetGarden City, Cairo, Egypt. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for Egypt?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 04/08/2026.
What is the travel advice for Egypt?
Highest level according to GOV.UK (FCDO): FCDO advises against all travel to parts of the country; FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country. Areas where FCDO advises against travel FCDO advises against all travel to within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border, except for the town of El Salloum, where we advise against all but essential travel. FCDO advises against all travel to the North Sinai Governorate. FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the northern part of the South Sinai Governorate, beyond the St Catherine-Nuweibaa road, except for the coastal areas along the west and east of the peninsula.
What currency is used in Egypt?
Currency: Egyptian pound (EGP). The ECB does not publish a reference rate for EGP.
What is the time difference in Egypt?
Local time: UTC+03:00, +3 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). Next clock change: 29/10/2026 (UTC+02:00). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in Egypt?
Traffic drives on the right. Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You’ll need to have both the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel. You can drive in Egypt using your UK licence and an IDP for up to 6 months.”
Which mobile networks operate in Egypt?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: Vodafone (Sirocco, Airalo); ETISALAT (Sirocco); Orange (Sirocco); Orange/Mobinil (Sirocco); Vodafone/Mirsfone (Sirocco).
Photo: Gijs Jakobs / Unsplash
Egypt with the family
From Sirocco, the publisher of eSIMeter
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