Driving in Egypt is an art, and the road is your canvas. Unlike in more structured traffic systems, there are no traffic lights or clear signals to guide you—drivers have the liberty to turn and maneuver as they please. This is why we Egyptians spend endless hours stuck in traffic daily.
Whether you are on your way to work, school, or even running errands, traffic always finds a way to catch up with you. So, you should be ready to fight back with techniques that will help get you fearlessly through the congested roads.
Most drivers in Egypt do not abide by signals when driving. This is why you should pay minimal attention to turn signals, blinkers, and so forth. Always follow your intuition in these cases and do not trust any light they have on, especially if you are on a highway trying to pass a truck driver.
When the roads get jammed, there is a high chance that cars will bump into you. If this happens, do not freak out! It is only normal in Egypt. Most Egyptians space out in heavily congested streets, and they unintentionally start bumping into other cars. If you happen to hit a car in front of you, make sure to politely apologize and avoid parking to check on your car, unless you have caused noticeable damage.
As frustration mounts in gridlocked streets, expect a symphony of honking horns, especially during rush hours between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. on notorious bottlenecks like the 6th of October Bridge. During this time, we feel for you. There is nothing we can say to help your situation other than: quit your job and look for something closer to home, because time is money!
If you drive in Egypt, then you most definitely have come across a warning sign on a highway saying you are being monitored by a radar. At first, you will stick to the speed limit, only to realize that the radar does not work. Do not get us wrong, we are huge enthusiasts of those who abide by the rules. After all, if the rules were applied properly, we would not be pitching you a traffic survival kit.
Tourists often find crossing the streets of Cairo to be a nerve-wracking endeavor. Cars zoom by seemingly oblivious to pedestrians, and the lack of designated crossings can be disorienting. However, there is a method to the madness. Observing locals reveals a pattern: step out, let a car pass, then move to the next “lane” until you reach the other side.
Adapting to Cairo’s traffic becomes akin to a dance; following the lead of locals or simply embracing the chaos can turn the experience into a memorable part of your visit. In Cairo, navigating the streets is not just about getting from point A to point B; it is an adventure in itself.
In Egypt’s bustling streets, mastering the art of driving means embracing the chaos while staying alert to the ebb and flow of traffic. It is a skill that takes time to develop but can turn each journey into an adventure in itself.
Two Fun Facts About The Roads In Egypt: First, I have been to many countries, whether for a few hours, a few days, or to work and live there for years. However, I have never seen roads without painted lines to mark the lanes. In Egypt, it is a rarity to find them, almost like meeting King Ramses in a coffee shop. And even if you do come across a road with these painted lane boundaries, you will be the only one who notices them, because every other driver on the road treats them like a mirage in the desert.
Second, the price of vehicles in Egypt is 20% higher than the world average1, while GDP per capita in Egypt was around $3,500 per year in 20232. At the same time, Egypt has one of the highest rates of road fatalities per mile driven in the world3, 4. According to the National Library of Medicine, implementing a trauma system in Egypt will face challenges, such as a lack of mandatory healthcare infrastructure, inadequate pre-hospital care, poor data quality, and a shortage of trained emergency physicians across the country5. Despite all these challenges, Egyptian drivers continue to ignore basic safety precautions on the roads.
Sources
1. The Global Economy.com. “Vehicle Prices – Country Rank” 2021 average.
https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/rankings/vehicle_prices_wb
2. DC – Data Commons, Egypt. “GDP per capita in Egypt
3. WHO, country office for Egypt. “Egypt Road Safety” 2011
https://www.emro.who.int/images/stories/cah/fact_sheet/road_safety.pdf
4. Country Reports. “Traffic and Road Conditions in Egypt”
5. National Library of Medicine – National Center for Biotechnology Information. “Challenges to the development of the trauma system in Egypt” May 3, 2023.