I am arriving in Luxor airport in Dec and want to catch the 20.55 express train to Aswan. Several guide books suggest that foreigners can only travel on 3 trains to Aswan and the last one of these leaves at 5 pm. Does anyone have any information on this or ideas on how I can get on the train without a ticket ( and pay on the train) or any agencies that could buy tickets fro me which I could pick up when I arrive in Luxor. Thanks

I've had my hotel arrange this for me.

an acquaintance used this company
to book his tickets for around $60
http://www.osoris.com/
and I saw this one recommended on virtual tourist fourm
http://www.egyptlegend.com/contact.htm
when do you return?
just google train egypt or I'm sure these agencies can help with your questions
aloha

here's some websites with train schedules
cut & paste

http://www.seat61.com/Egypt.htm#Cair...or%20-%20Aswan

http://www.sleepingtrains.com/

traveling with aloha
the coconut wireless

Thanks for the replies. I have tried all the options suggested and still not managed to find anyone who can book a ticket for me on this train. Osoris travel has specifically told me tourist are not allowed to travel on the 20.55 train. Some else has suggested that if I have “the bottle” I should just get on the train. I am not sure, if I do have the bottle or even if that will be possible if I have to show tickets to be allowed on the train.

The trains are a mystery. I posted the just back from 21 days and we had strange incidents in booking the tickets. The easiest way to get the tickets is to go to any train station. The Cairo station has people who speak english. As for being restricted, yes you are. We were told there were no more tickets for Aswan to Luxur but we could buy them to the next stop, we did, it was only a couple of dollars more but the train was almost empty.