Tips for travel to Egypt
•
Currency - Egyptian Pound (LE)
•
Time Zones - 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), or 3 hours during daylight savings time (late April to late September)
•
Electricity - Most areas in Egypt use 220v AC. Wall sockets are the round 2-pin European type.
•
Communication - Egypt has modern telephone systems and most cities can be reached by direct dial. For international calls use 00 + country code + area code + phone number. There are high surcharges for international calls from hotels! A prepaid SIM is a practical option if you need to make calls while in Egypt. The SIM-card will require a SIM unlocked GSM cell phone that supports the 900 frequency. An increasing number of cafes, hotel lobbies and other locations now provide free wifi access.
•
Tipping -
Baksheesh is what tipping is known as in Egypt and something expected by anyone who provides you a service. Small notes are useful for doormen, hotel staff etc that may assist you while on holiday. For other services, Baksheesh is usually already added to your bill. You will find 7% tax and 12% service charge on restaurant and hotel bills. Taxi drivers are usually tipped around 10% of the metered fare, but not if the fare was agreed in advance of your journey.
For more information you can see
Egypt's official tourism website.