Getting Around

BY “SERVEES”/MINIBUS

You can travel to Hurghada in two or three stages by service taxi (minibus) stopping first at El Quseir and then possibly at Safaga. Marsa Alam’s mowqef or minibus station is just on the northern edge of the town.  It should cost you from around 150 LE per person total.
However if going on to Cairo, you’ll need to go to one of the major bus stations in Hurghada. El Gouna is probably the best with buses for Cairo leaving every couple of hours and taking around 7 hours and the price varies between 175 and 400 LE one way.

BY BUS

There are four buses daily to Hurghada from Marsa Alam but the times are uncertain. According to one person, I asked they leave at 5 am, 7 am, noon and 8.30pm and according to another at 5 am, 12.30pm, 2.30 pm and 5 pm.

El Gouna normally operates two buses daily going to Cairo. There is now a bus ticket office opposite the Mosque in Marsa Alam where some buses depart from.  However, the best bet is to ask in town.

It’s risky to ask the taxi drivers at the mowqef (where the minibus taxis wait) as one of them may deliberately give you misinformation.

BY TAXI

A taxi from Marsa Alam to Hurghada should cost you around 500 LE one way as of early summer 2012. However, you’ll need all your bargaining skills. Try to make sure he’s properly licensed for the journey to prevent problems later on at the police checkpoints.

Also, find out whether he wants you to change to another taxi in El Quseir as this could delay your journey.