For anyone who has travelled abroad has seen how public transportation is much more of a priority in other countries. If you go to London, Hong Kong or even Dubai, you will see that public transportation is very safe, comfortable and cheap. These are not the words used to describe any of Egypt’s wide variety of public transportation means, not by a long shot.
In the mid 70s, they said that Egypt’s population would be 36 million! That was shocking back then, but today we can find 36 million only in the subway! Here are some other major problems you may find when navigating Egypt’s crazy public transportation systems:
The Egyptian taxi
In Egypt, the taxi driver has the right to stop for you or just continue on his way as if you don’t even exist. It depends on his own schedule and mood, and even if he stops for you and this happens rarely, you have to accept the driver’s regulations during your trip. First you are forced to listen to his music despite whether you like it or not, and these songs are often by Mostafa Kamel or George Wasouf.
Second, if you are riding in a white taxi you have to answer the main question “hatemshy bel 3adad?” and this means you are going to pay extra money as the driver decides. The second question after you enter the taxi is “2alak feen?” and based on this question you have to explain the address by details before the driver finally decides to take you or not.
Now is the time for the infamous AC debate. In Egyptian taxis, AC is a luxury, and if you win the debate to turn on the AC, that means you are going to pay extra money “aslo bys7ab mn el banzeen!”
The bus station
If you see hundreds of people standing in the middle of the street, raising their hands by strange symbols, please don’t think it’s a demonstration, it’s just a bus station. These people are waiting for the bus and these gang-looking hand symbols are simply referring to the places they are going.
ON the bus
The local bus in Egypt needs some special techniques to ride. First, you have to use the sprinting technique, as you may need to run using top speed to reach it. If you do without any injuries, you have to use some intense talent for the second time in jumping from the bus when you reach your station while it’s still going. Any injury is just considered the bus riding tax!
The subway
Here you have to use a totally different technique. After you miraculously bust through the mob around the ticket window, you have to take a deep breath before you jump into one of the metro cars because you are going to use your gills (if you have any) in order to breath during your journey from one station to another. This is because there are hundreds of people packed inside every car.
As much of a mess as it is, we don’t have much of a choice. We have to survive it one way or another.
Written by Moataz Moneam
