Need transport advice. Luxor airport to Hurghada.

[*Floater*]

Okay, my girlfriend and I have our Red Sea vacation almost planned. We just need to figure out a way to get from Luxor airport to Hurghada. Our plane arrives around 2.30AM and we'd like to make it to Hurghada as quickly as possible in time for some diving.

So far I know there's the basic bus for 10 euro in the morning, but I've been adviced against it. I've also heard that there some other private transport for about 60 euro round trip per person, which sounds pretty good, but I'm not sure how to book it - I heard about it from one of the dive ops, but since I'm probably not going to dive with them I can't ask them to arrange it for me either.

Does anyone know about the 60 euro private 'bus' or does anyone have good suggestions on the best way to make it from Luxor to Hurghada and back short of taking a cab? We have quite a bit of luggage as we are bringing two sets of dive gear with us, except for tanks and weights of course.

 

[MRs2]

I have been travelling on a local bus with all my scuba gear from Sharm El Sheik to Dahab once, on my own as a European woman. No problem at all.
But I normally get collected from Hurghada airport and am transferred to the south by the dive organization I happen to go to. Which is out of the question here it seems.

I agree that it gives a more comfortable feeling to have your own transport arranged. I will see if I can get you something. It must be possible, the last few years I have been arranging transports in Cairo by mail from Amsterdam. I know a few people there now, and they may get you something from Luxor.

I'll let you know when I get an answer.

 

[*Floater*]

I have been travelling on a local bus with all my scuba gear from Sharm El Sheik to Dahab once, on my own as a European woman. No problem at all.
But I normally get collected from Hurghada airport and am transferred to the south by the dive organization I happen to go to. Which is out of the question here it seems.

I agree that it gives a more comfortable feeling to have your own transport arranged. I will see if I can get you something. It must be possible, the last few years I have been arranging transports in Cairo by mail from Amsterdam. I know a few people there now, and they may get you something from Luxor.

I'll let you know when I get an answer.

Thank you. I appreciate it very much.

 

[*Floater*]

Also, how much should we tip the DM? Do we tip him/her at the end of each day, or at the end of 5 days of diving? At restaurants, do we tip 15-20% as in the US, or some other amount? Any other tipping tips?

 

[mania]

In Egypt you tip DMs and the boat staff at the end of all your diving when paying for them.
The amount is around 10%.
Mania

 

[*Floater*]

In Egypt you tip DMs and the boat staff at the end of all your diving when paying for them.
The amount is around 10%.
Mania

Thanks. So if we do 5 days of diving for about 300 euro between the two of us, then we'd tip 30 euro for DM and 30 euro for boat staff at the end when leaving? And if there are different DM's leading our dives on different days, then we'd still tip 30 and ask them to share it?

 

[mania]

You give 30 euro for both - DMs and boat staff. It's divided by the owner of the centre - at least this is how it works in my centre.
Mania

 

[*Floater*]

You give 30 euro for both - DMs and boat staff. It's divided by the owner of the centre - at least this is how it works in my centre.
Mania

Okay, that's good to know.

What about restaurants and other other services? Do you usually tip a few euros, or do you tip some X% of the total cost of the meal or other service? Is it okay to tip in USD?

 

[mania]

It's OK to tip in USD. In resaturants I tip something like 10%. I don't tip taxi drivers because they already ask for the price that is much higher than the real one. As for hotel - I always leave some egyptian pounds or USD at the end of my stay.
But please do not tip them with coins. coins can't be exchanged so are completly useless for locals. Use only bills - and this is why it's worth to have a bunch of 1USD bills.
Mania

 

[*Floater*]

update: we were able to secure the private 'bus' so the transport shold now be in order.