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-   -   Best Way to get from Sharm el Sheik to Jerusalem? (https://www.fodors.com/community/africa-and-the-middle-east/best-way-to-get-from-sharm-el-sheik-to-jerusalem-967080/)

MD Feb 16th, 2013 09:43 AM

Best Way to get from Sharm el Sheik to Jerusalem?
 
I am trying to find what is the best way to get to Jerusalem from Sharm el Sheik?
Are there passenger busses that go all the way?
I see a number of even 1-day excursions that are advertised for Sharm visitors, but I wonder if they are allowed to simply drop off a passenger for a one-way trip?
Would it be better to take a bus or taxi to Taba and walk across? Is that permitted? How complex is it to make the crossing, is it far to Eilat are taxis waiting?
I see there is a bus service from Eilat to Jerusalem.

AlexA Feb 17th, 2013 12:13 PM

Hi, MD. I'm reallly just answering to get this post a little more attention to you.

There would be no public bus transportation since they would not n=be allowed to operate in both countries

Taba Egypt is adjacent to the south section of Eilat, and I took a taxi to the border and did the crossing by foot several years ago and then I walked over to the casino. But Sharm is far from Taba, and I don't know where there might be bus connections. It sounds like a long and complicated trip to me.

Where do you see "1-day excursions that are advertised for Sharm visitors"? From Eilat, from somewhere in Egypt? They must be plane trips or possibly private bus tours

AlexA Feb 17th, 2013 12:33 PM

I realized that I read your trip backwards. You want to go from Sharm to Jerusalem, I think it would be complicated and a long trip either direction if you travel by land.

MD Feb 17th, 2013 03:00 PM

Yes, leaving Sharm el Sheik, going to Jerusalem.
When done, we would either fly home to Canada or make a 2 day stop-over in Istanbul if time permits.

I assume worst case I need to arrange transport from Sharm to Taba - anyone know of any bus schedule? There is an airport transport service that advertises 100L - UK, I assume - from Sharm to Taba. Overall, it seems high - but if the alternative is paying $350 per person to fly via Amman or other routes and the schedule does not work - perhaps by road is better.

I see at Taba (from google earth) there is a traffic loop on the Eilat side.
If we have to walk across are there usually taxis waiting? How much for the approx. 10km trip to downtown Eilat (where the bus station is?

Is there any travel restriction, convoying, or such on the coastal highway to Taba? When going to Mt. Sinai last April, we had to travel in convoys on the way out, but at light on the way in, we were on our own. I also read an article about someone taken off the coastal near Taba(?) highway before that - but the news has been fairly quiet about Bedouins and their expressions of grievances since then...

Any hassles going across the border at Eilat for a plain ordinary Canadian citizen?

I assume once we get to Eilat it`s just a matter of catching the next Egged(?) bus? I saw something suggesting we should book the ticket a few days or hours ahead to ensure a spot. How crowded or busy is that bus?

If you google Sharm excursions to Jerusalem, you get a lot of choices. I assume (a) they are all for a limited number of bus companies (b) for foreign tourists in SHarm (c) they change busses at the border (d) they are not allowed to do one-way trips.

AlexA Feb 17th, 2013 08:09 PM

MD, my border crossing at Taba was a while ago so I don't remember the details. Security at borders into Israel is always strict so it's hard to say what you'd experience."Plain ordinary Canadian citizen" doesn't really mean much as it depends on many factors incuding your age, gender,ethnicity, your previous travel, where you've been and what you've done in Egypt on this trip. It could be quick, or more drawn out.

I hope you'll get other responses about transportation in Egypt. I've never traveled to Sharm el Sheik

"just a matter of catching the next Egged(?) bus"
The buses aren't frequent (4 per day?)and it's a long ride (5 hours),so yes it would be wise to reserve a place


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