This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by Ondřej Kadlec
Driving in Egypt: the three basics
Drives on the
right
The driver sits on the left and overtakes on the left. Roundabouts turn anticlockwise.
Your licence
Licence plus an IDP
Your own licence works with an International Driving Permit beside it. Get the permit at home before you fly - no country issues one for another country's licence.
Motorways
Tolls by distance
Motorways charge for the distance driven, at barriers or by camera. Budget for it on a long drive; it is rarely trivial.
Egyptian roads are tolled on the desert highways, Cairo traffic works by negotiation, and most visitors hire a driver.
Tolls on the desert highways, and a driving culture that a visitor is rarely ready for.
Cairo traffic ignores lane markings entirely and merges by contact and horn. Almost every visitor who tries to drive it regrets the decision within an hour.
A car with a driver is cheap and standard for Cairo, Luxor and the Red Sea transfers.
The desert highways are tolled at plazas and are fast, straight and monotonous.
The alcohol limit is zero.
Night driving between cities is discouraged - unlit vehicles, animals and police checkpoints - and some routes still require a permit or convoy.
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