General Information

AIRPORT SHUTTLES

Complimentary shuttle service is provided to all meeting attendees on behalf of the local host.

Shuttles from Cairo International Airport to Official Hotels

Service Starts: Thursday, 30 October 2008

24-Hour Shuttle service will be available from the airport to all official hotels. Look for the Cairo Meeting Logo at the Help Desks located after immigration in the baggage claim areas of terminals 1, 2, and 3 of the airport for assistance.

Shuttle Service between all Official Hotels and InterContinental CityStars

Service Starts: Saturday, 1 November 2008

Shuttles will run between all official hotels and the meeting venue from Saturday, November 1st through Friday, November 7th.

Shuttles will depart from all hotels twice in the morning at 7:30 and 8:00.

Return Shuttle Service from InterContinental CityStars to Cairo International Airport

Return shuttles to the Cairo International Airport will be available now through Saturday (midnight). Help desks will be located at both the InterContinental CityStars and the Holiday Inn, in the lobby area. Please see the help desk 2 HOURS prior to your scheduled departure.

Official Hotels:

The Baron Hotel

Concorde El Salam Hotel

Holiday Inn CityStars

InterContinental CityStars

Sonesta Cairo Hotel & Casino

CURRENCY

Egyptian currency is known as the Egyptian pound (EGP) and is divided into 100 piastres. Banknotes come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 pounds, while coins are available in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 25 piastres.

It is possible to exchange money when you arrive at Cairo International Airport,as there is a bank, several ATMs and a 24 hour bureaux de change. Banks can be found throughout the city and ATMs are in abundance. Credit cards are accepted by most large businesses. Prices in restaurants include a 12% Service charge although if service is particularly good, it is customary to round the bill up.

DIALING CODES

Egypt: +2
Cairo: 02
To call Cairo from abroad dial +202
Outgoing international code: 00

ELECTRICITY

220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are used.

EMERGENCY CONTACTS:

Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122
Ambulance . . . . . . . . . .123
Tourist Police . . . . . . . . 126
Telephone Assistance . . .140/141
International Calls . . . . .144

Nearby Medical Facilities:

Hasabo Hospital

15 Ahmed Fakhry Street.

tel +20 2 227 16134

Pharmacy:

Seif Pharmacy is located in the CityStars Mall on the Ground Floor Level.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Egyptian cuisine is excellent. Combining many of the traditions of Middle Eastern cooking, you’ll find a variety of large hotel restaurants & specialties throughout the town. Local specialties are a must try like: foul, falafel, kebabs, stuffed vine leaves & roasted pigeons. You will also find a variety of excellent restaurants serving the best cosmopolitan dishes; American-style snack bars are also spreading & cuisines from all around the world such as: sushi, Chinese, Italian, French, Lebanese, Saudi …etc.
Some of the Egyptian restaurants and outlets do not serve alcohols, others serve it normally & the legal drinking age is 21. 

GROUND TRANSPORTATION

Limousines and Car Rental:
Limousine is the most luxurious means of transportation in Cairo.  Car Rental companies such as Hertz, Avis and Budget, can be found at the Airport in Terminal 2.

Taxis:

City Cab/Cairo Cab
You can easily get one of these yellow cabs by phone. Cairo Cab and City Cab cars are air-conditioned and most of the drivers speak English. Most of the vehicles are new. Fees are determined by distance and thus are not negotiable. You can either pay in cash or via credit card. Due to traffic complications in Cairo streets, please bear in mind to book three hours in advance.
You can easily get a Cairo Cab or a City Cab from specific terminals, such as airports and in front of most major shopping centers and tourist sites.

Cairo Cab-Hotline:19730  |  City Cab – Hotline:16516

Local Taxis:
These black and white taxis are probably the most common means of transportation in the city. They are available at any time any where. You just need to wave to a taxi so that it stops. It is not recommended to wave to a taxi with passengers already in.
Once you get in the car, it is highly recommended that you negotiate the amount that you will pay before moving as these taxis do not adhere to tariff/distance rules. You can ask your hotel information or tour guide for fair prices that vary according to destination. Please note that most of the local taxi drivers do not speak English.

Subway:
You can easily use the subway if you driving downtown. You can ask for subway station locations at the hotel. Just remember that smoking, littering and graffiti can lead to serious fining. Also, there are two cars in the mid-section of every metro exclusive for females, and males caught in these are subjected to fining.
Metro:
The cheapest & fastest mean of transportation in Cairo, stations are all over town & it runs daily from 5.30 am till 12:30 am.

Buses:
Several bus companies offer scheduled bus service to all around Egypt.

Trains:
Trains to Alexandria, Luxour & Aswan are available from Ramses Train Station.

Boats:
Most of the Cruise ships are run by the major hotels or by private companies. You can ask at your hotel for assistance in this regard.

Domestic flights:
There are around 2 to 5 daily domestic flights from Cairo to Sharm el sheikh, Hurghada , Luxor, Aswan, Marsa Alam & El Gouna depending on the destination, tickets can be handled through your travel agent or hotel & bought by Egyptian pound or whatever currency available with you.

LANGUAGE

Arabic is the mother tongue of Egyptians yet most of the Egyptian people can communicate with tourists in English.

LOCATION

Egypt lies in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge to Western Asia. Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west.

Area: Total: 1,001, 450 sq km
Land: 995, 450 sq km
Water: 6, 000 sq km

REGISTRATION FEES

Registration and attendance at the meeting is free. You are required to pay for your accommodations and meals. Coffee breaks are provided during the meeting.

SAFETY

As in any other big city, it is important to consider personal safety. For this reason:

• Keep an eye on your luggage. Use large and colorful labels to identify them easily on airport conveyor belts or delivery balconies.
• Change your money only in exchange houses or authorised bank agencies. Do not accept help from strangers like luggage porters and agents in airports.
• Only use official taxi stands or taxis from the cooperatives indicated by the event organisation.
• Always keep your belongings in sight, especially in open areas like restaurants, snack bars, parks, and even in the event's venue. Don't leave backpacks, purses, bags, photo or video cameras hanging on chairs or on the floor.
• Don't wear expensive looking jewelry and watches.
• Try not to carry large amounts of cash.
• Don't disclose your personal data to unknown persons and avoid carrying passports and travel checks when you go for a walk or a drive. In case of loss, theft or robbery, report the fact immediately to the local police.
• For your peace of mind, use the hotel's safe to keep valuable objects, your documents, passport and airplane tickets, and use photocopies of your documents when you go out.
• If you go out for a walk or to public and open areas, keep your belongings near to your body and avoid going out alone. It's recommended to avoid going out carrying your laptop or other electronic devices.
• If you need to go to a cash machine, preferably use those located in malls (shopping centers) or banks. Avoid cash machines on streets or dark places. If you need help, always ask an employee of the bank.

POPULATION

Egypt is one of the most populous countries in Africa and the Middle East. The great majority of its estimated 80 million live near the banks of the Nile River, where the arable agricultural land is found. The large areas of the Sahara Desert are sparsely inhabited. About half of Egypt's residents live in urban areas, with the majority spread across the densely-populated centers of greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta

SHOPPING

Cairo is a shopping haven, with several malls full of trendy and traditional clothes, jewelry, accessories, appliances and more. Malls are full of coffee-shops where you can enjoy traditional and international drinks and foods.
Most Shopping malls have cinemas playing the latest international and local films. There are several showings per day, including a midnight show. Tickets usually range between LE 15 and LE 35.
Most malls and shopping centers are open all week long including the weekends.

TIPS AND GRATUITIES

Tipping is called baksheesh. In hotels & restaurants the acceptable amount of a tip is from 10% to 15%. However, tips are acceptable in many other services, attendants at Cairo historical buildings, Footwear supervisors in mosques, Baggage handlers & tour assistance will all accept that extra thing from whoever is satisfied & giving. A tip between 1 LE & 10 LE is appropriate depending on the service.

Tips when using Egyptian money
•    Look carefully at the banknote. Read the note value on the English face if you don’t read Arabic.
•    Some Egyptian banknotes are a bit old so they look different than new ones. When you exchange your currency with Egyptian currency go to an exchange bureau, which are plenty in Egypt, a bank or ask for help at the hotel.

USEFUL TIPS

•    While sightseeing, make sure you have plenty of water with you, as well as sun lotion and a hat. Comfortable walking shoes are a must, as well as loose, light clothes.
•    Avoid public displays of affection and clothes that are too revealing. It is advised to dress conservatively, especially when visiting a church or mosque. It is recommended that women should wear a scarf on their heads while entering a mosque /church. Topless sunbathing is forbidden anywhere in Cairo.
•    Handshaking is a sufficient way of greeting than kissing in general.
•    If you intend to drive, make sure you know the regulations and have an international license.
•    For travelers who are into photography, be sure to ask for permission before taking any pictures in places that requires so.
•    Tipping: In Egypt, Tipping is called baksheesh. In hotels & restaurants the acceptable amount of a tip is from 10% to 15%. However, tips are acceptable in many other services, attendants at Cairo historical buildings, Footwear supervisors in mosques, Baggage handlers & tour assistance will all accept that extra thing from whoever is satisfied & giving. A tip between 1 LE & 10 LE is appropriate depending on the service.

•    Bargaining & Shopping: Always get a good Idea about how much things really cost before you go shopping. Bargaining or haggling is part of the life in the old town in Cairo & virtually everything is open to negotiation in small bazaars (not in shopping malls), especially in khan el khalili.

WHICH MEETINGS CAN I ATTEND THAT ARE OPEN TO ALL ATTENDEES?

Any meeting that is not marked “CLOSED” in the meeting schedule and agenda is open to all. However, if the group hosting a meeting chooses to close that meeting (or a portion of it), they will notify the people in the room that this portion of the meeting is closed.