A domestic flight takes about an hour and is the standard choice built into most organized tours. The overnight sleeper train, operated by Abela Trains Services Egypt, is the classic alternative — you cover the roughly 700km overnight and arrive in Luxor in the early morning without losing a travel day.
Sleeper train schedule (Cairo/Giza to Luxor)
| Train | Departs Giza | Arrives Luxor | Journey time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train 84 | 19:50 | 05:15 | 9h25m |
| Train 1086 | 20:00 | 05:35 | 9h35m |
| Train 86 | 20:15 | 06:10 | 9h55m |
| Train 1084 | 21:00 | 06:50 | 9h50m |
| Train 82 | 21:40 | 07:50 | 10h10m |
(Schedule per official government rail data, verified 2026-08-13, medium volatility — confirm current timings before booking.) Fares aren't publicly listed by the operator, so it's worth booking through a travel agent or the official channel directly rather than assuming a fixed price. Smoking is prohibited in cabins and toilets, permitted only in the club car's designated area.
A third option: the road
Traveling by road is possible but takes considerably longer than either the flight or the train, and is rarely the first choice for this specific route — most cruise itineraries are built around the flight or train connection instead.
Most Luxor arrivals connect directly into a cruise; see our Nile cruises for itineraries starting there.