The official language of Egypt is Arabic. French and English are widely spoken, especially in tourist areas. Rarely is German or Russian understood. There are some English and French language weekly newspapers, such as the Al-Ahram Weekly, but these are only available in the big cities; most publications are in Arabic. Arabic is spoken by around 320 million people worldwide as their mother tongue, and another 60 million people speak it as a second language. Because of its importance as a sacred language in the Islamic faith world, Arabic has developed into a world language. Arabic is next to Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations. Apart from Egypt, it is also the official language in Algeria, Bahrain, Eritrea, Israel, Iraq, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates, among others, although the local dialects sometimes differ greatly from one another. The Cairo dialect is generally understood due to the large Egyptian film production. Standard Arabic is rarely used as a means of oral communication, such as when reading the news on television or at church services. Written Standard Arabic is the written language for all dialects. It is written from right to left. In the Arabic alphabet there are only consonants and long vowels. Arabic is a cursive script, ie the individual letters of a word are connected with each other.
Public Holidays
01/07/2022 Coptic Christmas Day
04/24/2022 Coptic Easter
04/25/2022 *Sham el-Nassim (Coptic Easter)
04/25/2022 Sinai’s Liberation Day
05/01/2022 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan)
05/01/2022 Labor Day
07/09/2022 Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice)
07/23/2022 National holiday
07/30/2022 islamic new year festival
09/11/2022 coptic new year festival
06.10.2022 Armed Forces Day (memorial day honoring the military)
10/08/2022 Milad un Nabi (Birthday of Prophet Muhammad)
[*] These holidays are not official, although Coptic Christians are permitted to observe them.
The dates given for Islamic holidays are calculated according to the lunar calendar and therefore shift from year to year.
During the fasting month of Ramadan, which precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims are forbidden to eat, drink or smoke from sunrise to sunset, which causes disruptions or deviations in the normal course of business (including reduced opening hours of shops and authorities) and therefore there may be restrictions for travelers.
Many restaurants outside the hotels are closed during the day, and the consumption of alcohol and cigarettes is restricted or e.g. T. even strictly forbidden, even for non-Muslim vacationers. In hotel complexes it must be taken into account that meals and drinks during Ramadan may only be taken in the hotel restaurant or in the room.
Travelers should expect increased sensitivity in religious matters as well as in respect of Islamic traditions.
Some interruptions may also occur during Eid al-Fitr. This festival, like Eid al-Adha, is indefinite and can last from 2-10 days depending on the region.
Duty free shopping
Overview
200g of cigarettes or 25 cigars or 200g of tobacco; 1 liter of alcoholic beverages; Personal effects such as hairdryers and razors and valuables up to E£1500. Note: Persons traveling with valuable electronic items such as cameras, video cameras, computers and mobile phones must have these items recorded in their passport if they plan to stay longer than 4 weeks. If the items remain in the country, customs duties will apply.
Import Restrictions
A permit from the Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority is required to import drones. More information is available from Countryaah.com.
Prohibited Imports
drugs, narcotics, medicines (other than for personal use), cotton, and live, frozen and stuffed birds; bird products and products made from birds; a full list is available from the Egyptian Tourist Office (see Contacts).
Prohibited Exports
There is a strict export ban on antique objects (more than 100 years old), all plants and animals (e.g. corals) that are under nature and species protection. An export license is required for the export of such items. Drugs and food are not allowed to be exported. Gold and silver bought at markets may only be exported in small quantities for personal use.
Export Regulations
A permit from the Department of Commerce is required to export carpets. Further information is available from Egyptian Customs.
Contact addresses
Embassy of the ArabRepublic of Egypt
Elfenauweg 61
Bern
Switzerland
+41 (31) 352 80 12/13. Consular section: +41 (31) 352 80 55.
Mon-Fri 09.00-15.30. Consular Section: Mon-Fri 10am-2pm. Embassy of the ArabRepublic of Egypt
Hohe Warte 50-54
Vienna
Austria
+43 (6) 7763474130 (only via WhatsApp). Consular section: +43 (1) 370 81 08-60/61/62
Islamic customs should be respected. Many business people speak English and French, but business cards in Arabic are welcome. Suits should not be black as these are only customary at funerals. Female business travelers should dress modestly and show as little skin as possible (here, too, black should be avoided). You should be punctual for appointments, but don’t necessarily expect this from your Egyptian negotiating partner. Invitations and gifts are offered, but should not be accepted until the third time they are offered. Hierarchies are extremely important; Business travelers should allow plenty of time for negotiations.
Opening hours
Business hours: State offices are open from 09:00-14:00 except Fridays and sometimes Saturdays. Business hours in the private sector are normally 09.00-16.00/17.00 and some in the evenings. Muslim shops may be closed on Thursday afternoons and Fridays, while Christian minority shops may be closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. Shops close earlier during Ramadan.
Business contacts
Communication
Phone
According to Abbreviationfinder.org, the country code is 0020. There are public payphones. Long distance calls can also be made at post offices and hotels. Telephone costs are highest in hotels. Public telephones can be found in many cafes and restaurants. Telephone cards are available in pharmacies, tobacconists and kiosks.
Mobile phone
GSM 900/1800, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G. Network operators are WE, Orange Egypt, Etisalat and Vodafone Egypt. The reception/transmission range of the network operator is limited to the populated areas along the Nile, the coast and the north of Egypt. Speech delays can occur during a phone call. Roaming contracts exist. Orange Egypt offers a tariff for tourists. For longer stays, buying an Egyptian SIM card can be worthwhile at the branches of the mobile network providers in the airports, in large shopping centers or in the center of large cities. Passport must be presented upon purchase.
Internet
Internet cafes can be found in the larger cities and in the tourist centers. Many hotels also offer their guests access to the Internet. The main providers include Telecom Egypt and Internet Egypt. Note: The Internet is subject to censorship by the Egyptian government.
Post office
Post to Europe is about 5 days on the way. Poste restante shipments are possible, a fee will be charged for collection. Post offices are open Sat-Thurs 08.30-15.00. The main post office in Cairo is open 24 hours. Letters can be posted most easily in hotels.
Radio
Numerous German-language radio stations can be received via Astra satellites in northern Egypt or via the Internet.
