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Looking for the best ways to get from Cairo to Dahab? Find all your options and what to expect in this complete travel guide!
Often in the shadow of its popular resort town neighbour Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab is a small slice of Red Sea paradise.
Located on the eastern side of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, it’s now easier than ever to reach this laidback coastal town.
Unless you’re flying into Sharm El Sheikh then chances are you’ll be making your way here from the capital Cairo. Especially since the Hurghada to Sharm El Sheikh ferry no longer operates.
We’ve spent nearly one year in Dahab across multiple visits and have made the trip here numerous times. We’ve travelled here from both Cairo and Luxor using various modes of transport.
It may be a bit of a distance to get here from Cairo, but the good news is that the town is well connected to the capital. There are a few different ways to get to Dahab and in this article I’ll go through each one in detail.
I’ll give you all the information you need so you’re clued up, know what to expect, and can get the boring transport stuff booked and back to planning an amazing Red Sea adventure!
How to Get To Dahab From Cairo
There are four ways to make this journey, each with a different price, duration and travel style.
The best ways to get from Cairo to Dahab are by:
- Minivan
- Overnight coach
- Flight and transfer
- Private transfer
These days the Cairo to Dahab buses travel via the new Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel under the Suez Canal in Shallufah. They then travel across South Sinai via Saint Catherine. This speeds up the journey and means they no longer travel all the way around the bottom of the peninsula via Sharm El Sheikh.
Once you cross the Suez Canal and enter South Sinai you will pass through 5-7 military checkpoints. Every checkpoint will check the passengers and passports.
There’s no need to be intimidated by the number of soldiers with guns – the increased security has been a proactive measure by the Egyptian Government since Sinai was liberated from Israel in the 1970s.
Option 1: Minivan
The overall best choice to reach Dahab from Cairo is by minivan. This is the easiest and quickest way to get to Dahab by public transport and there are various companies running services on this route.
The minivan to Dahab should take around six hours. However, this will depend on Cairo’s traffic and how long the queues are at the Suez-Sinai checkpoint.
On one trip to Dahab, it took us eight hours, while another only took us five and a half! So it can vary by a few hours.
This is also the best option if you prefer to travel during the day as bigger coaches mainly operate overnight. Although, you may find coaches occasionally departing in the afternoon.
As well as struggling to sleep on night buses, we prefer this option as you get to see South Sinai’s remote desert scenery and rocky mountains. Ok, there may not be much to see in the desert but we love this landscape!
However, the downside is minivans can be a bit more cramped than coaches. But if you can avoid the back row then it’s not too bad – coming from a guy standing at 190cm tall!
The company we recommend to travel with is Go Bus – our go-to for transport in Egypt.
Go Bus is affordable, decent, reliable, and operate almost everywhere and we were happy to see that they also run several daily departures to Dahab from Cairo.
They have different types of buses but the Go Mini is their minivan service that runs during the daytime to Dahab.
Below I’ll explain exactly how to take the Go Bus to Dahab and what to expect.
Book Your Cairo To Dahab Minivan Ticket
Cairo to Dahab with GoBus Minivan
There are various Go Bus stations in Cairo with the main one being Go Bus Tahrir, located in downtown.
The Google Maps pin for the station is: Go Bus (Tahrir) Office.
Here there is a small office next to the Ramses Hilton Hotel and you can catch buses to various destinations in Egypt, including Dahab.
However, note that the boarding station (and waiting area) is actually located opposite the office, across the busy street.
Once you arrive at the boarding station you’ll realise it’s nothing fancy and all outside. You’ll probably see a few coaches and minivans lined up but by simply asking for Dahab you’ll be swiftly directed to your bus.
There’s a small seating area on either side of the station but as I said, it’s nothing fancy.
The minivans we’ve taken have always been half-empty, but I’d recommend buying tickets in advance just to be safe.
You can purchase Go Mini tickets to Dahab in advance online or from the Tahrir office.
While the journey should take around six hours, after spending some time in Egypt I’ve learned to take this with a pinch of salt! We hadn’t even made it out of Cairo and our driver pulled up at the side of the road and we waited 45 minutes for another passenger to turn up.
At the Suez-Sinai checkpoint, it’s normal to have not only passport checks but also baggage checks. You’ll likely have to take all of your bags out of the bus and open them for inspection.
There will be at least one stop after the Suez Canal at a service station where you can stretch your legs, use the toilet and buy food or drinks.
The journey then continues through the desert landscape of South Sinai before coming into Dahab. The drop off point is at Dahab’s Go Bus station which is located on the main road through town, not too far from the centre.
You can then walk to your accommodation if it’s close by or flag down a taxi – which in Dahab are the pick up trucks going up and down this road. But don’t worry they will soon be touting for your business whether you’re after a taxi or not!
You can also distinguish that it’s a taxi if it has three numbers displayed on the driver and passenger doors.
Option 2: Overnight Coach
Alternatively, you can travel to Dahab by overnight coach which is the cheapest possible option.
As I mentioned, I’m really not a fan of night buses as I don’t sleep well and normally feel pretty rubbish the day after. However, I know other travellers swear by them and I can admit that they do have their benefits.
As well as being slightly more spacious and comfortable, an advantage of travelling by overnight coach is that it’s a great way to maximise your time in Egypt!
There are many incredible places to try and fit into an Egypt itinerary and there can be a lot of distance to cover. Therefore an overnight bus could spare you some precious time.
The coaches tend to take longer than the minivans and around 10 hours is normal. And if you’re hitting the Suez-Sinai checkpoint around sunset, expect to have longer queues at this time.
We’ve also heard from other travellers that your sleep could be disturbed at each checkpoint with passport checks.
As with the minivan, Go Bus is our recommended company for taking an overnight coach.
Book Your Cairo To Dahab Overnight Coach Ticket
Option 3: Flight and Transfer
If you’re looking to get to Dahab in the shortest travel time then you can fly from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh and travel onto Dahab from there.
This is the most expensive option and you will also have to factor in the time of getting to and waiting at the airport.
However, it’s convenient and you can normally find pretty reasonable prices.
We’ve flown into Sharm twice from Luxor (via Cairo) when heading to Dahab as the price was pretty reasonable. It was definitely worth saving us the huge overland journey – which would have to be via Cairo.
The flight time from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh is only 75 minutes and onwards to Dahab will be a further 90 minutes.
Once you’ve landed in Sharm there are two ways that you can travel onwards to Dahab: by bus or taxi.
Bus companies such as Go Bus, Blue Bus, East Delta Bus operate on this route. Although, their stations are located on the opposite side of the city which you’ll need to take a taxi to.
We don’t normally choose taxis, especially for this distance, but the price is actually not too bad and we didn’t have a choice as both times our flights arrived in the early hours.
Taxis at the airport are the most expensive and we instead found a reliable driver recommended in the Dahab Facebook groups. We pre-arranged with him and he was waiting for us upon our arrival.
Another option is the city-city feature on Indrive – a taxi hailing app similar to Uber but where you set the price you want to pay.
At the time of writing a pre-arranged driver or Indrive should cost in the region of 1200 Egyptian pounds. However, prices in Egypt have increased regularly over the last couple of years so this may well increase soon.
Option 4: Taxi / Private Transfer
Finally, you can arrange a private transfer to get to Dahab.
This would be a minivan service for up to eight people with a set price whether no matter if two or eight people are travelling.
This makes it an option to consider for groups, families, or those who simply prefer a private transfer.
Check Prices For A Private transfer
Return Journey – Dahab To Cairo
Unless you are flying onwards from Sharm El Sheikh, heading back to Cairo is the logical next step after your trip to Dahab.
Each of the options above can be completed in reverse and if booking through Bookaway or Skyscanner, you’ll usually grab a cheaper ticket if you book a return!
Similarly to Tahrir station in Cairo, you’ll board the Go Bus minivan/coach across the road from the Dahab Go Bus Office. But you can check in at the office and use their seating area until it’s time to board.
Cairo to Dahab FAQs
What is the distance from Cairo to Dahab?
Dahab is about 360km from Cairo as the crow flies. However, the most direct route by road is about 550km.
How Long Does it take to get from Cairo to Dahab?
Driving directly non-stop, the journey should take about 6 hours. However, this will depend on Cairo’s traffic and the queues at Suez.
How safe is the road between Cairo and Dahab?
For many years the road between Cairo and Dahab has been secure and safe. There are several military checkpoints on the route which are proactive measures taken by the Egyptian government to ensure this.
Is there a train from Cairo to Dahab?
There is no rail network currently in South Sinai so you cannot travel to Dahab by train.
What is the nearest airport to Dahab?
Sharm El Sheikh International Airport is the closest airport to Dahab which is located about 90km away.
To Finish
Getting from Cairo to Dahab does take a few hours but it’s a pretty easy journey to make! And one that is absolutely worth it in my opinion!
The transport options are all timetabled with online booking options making everything easy and convenient!
I hope you enjoy your trip to this magical town and, if you’re like most people who find themselves here, it probably won’t be your last!
If you have any questions about this journey feel free to reach out in the comments below and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can!
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