Observations from the Cairo metro/subway

The Cairo Metro (subway) is among the more efficient institutions in the city, though it still has some uniquely Egyptian quirks, which always make for an interesting experience.

Currently the metro has two lines, which cross over each other at two locations (map). The subway does not have complete coverage of the city, nor is the coverage proportional to population or significance. The areas served by the subway include 'Ataba, Doqqi, Downtown, Garden City, Gezira, Giza, Helwan, Maadi, el-Marg, Old Cairo, and Shubra. The major areas which conspicously lack subway coverage are Agouza, Heliopolis, all of Islamic Cairo, el-Manial, Mohandeseen, Nasr City, and Zamalek. However, the subway maps include a third line, to be built in the foreseeable future, which will provide access to Heliopolis (via the airport) Islamic Cairo, Mohandeseen, and Zamalek. One can only wonder when this work will begin. The common phrase bukra in sha' allah is appropriate here: "tomorrow, if God wills it." In other words, not anytime soon.

The cost of the Cairo metro is 1 LE per ride, for all stops, which converts to about $0.18. There are seasonal tickets available, though I am unsure of their prices. The low fare is the primary reason I enjoy using the metro. A typical cab ride between two or three subway stops may cost around 10 LE, which is still a low price for an American, though not as low as the subway.

While playing a game of "who can spot a rat first?" in the New York subway always results in a winner, the Cairo metro is very clean for a public transportation service. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the rest of the city.

Since most Cairenes use cash exclusively for transactions, automatic ticket machines are not available for the metro. Thus, everyone has to purchase a ticket at the office prior to riding. When I first arrived in Cairo, I thought that I was being cut in line when waiting for a ticket. I have come to realize that Egyptians have no concept of forming a line. What would be a queue elsewhere is a massive mob of people who force their way into the front of the ticket office, particularly during rush hour. Being assertive is important, or else you won't get a ticket. Occasionally, a polite Egyptian will offer to buy your ticket if you give him or her the money, thus reducing the number of transactions by one.

It's inevitable at some point that you'll be holding a 1 LE bill somewhere at the front of the mob ready to buy, when someone will throw a 50 LE bill on the desk and say waheda - one ticket. Of course the metro employee will take his time to return change. Having more employees working at the ticket booths would reduce these types of bottlenecks.

Tickets have to be inserted into the machines before entering the platform and after exiting the platform. I don't understand the point of needing a ticket to exit the platform. There are security guards who are supposed to make sure everyone has a ticket, but I've seen them on many occasions look the other way while riders just jump over the turnstiles.

As one descends to the train platforms, one begins to hear the sound of the televisions blaring. Sometimes they show advertisements, but most times they show the metro TV station, which broadcasts Arabic pop music videos. These always provide a good laugh.

The cars in the middle of the train are reserved for women only. Luckily, I have never made the mistake of getting on one of these cars, but I have heard of some foreigners who have done so, causing some embarrassment.

The downside to having women's only cars is that the rest of the cars are sometimes packed, especially in the late afternoons during rush hour. When the train arrives, riders will literally run and push their way onto the car until it's full. For some reason, it's quite impolite to use this same mob method to exit the train. Before you arrive at your stop, you are supposed to ask the person in front of you "inta nazeel?" meaning, "are you descending?". If the answer is no, he will switch places with you.

Sometimes one may see people selling various trinkets on the subway, though this sort of thing happens in the US also. The difference is that most people are fascinated by these trinkets and actually buy them.

On more than one occasion I've seen men carrying machine guns or shotguns on the
subway, some wearing uniforms, and some wearing street clothes. None of the other passengers ever seem to be fazed by this.

While the bridges across the Nile are by far the most popular dating locations in Cairo, bizarrely enough the subway stations seem to be popular as well.

As one exits the subway station, it's likely that one will encounter a poor person on the stairs who will try to sell something. For some strange reason, all the beggars in Cairo sell tissues to try to make some money. I've wondered if this the government subsidizes the sale of tissues for this purpose.

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I'm now over halfway through my study abroad period, and the time has gone by rather quickly so far. There are still some things I have planned to see and do in Egypt before heading back to the United States. Among them include visits to Luxor, Aswan, Fayoum, and the Western Desert (possibly Siwa). Before then, though I have a spring break of ten days, where I will be visiting Jordan and Turkey. I have purchased my ticket to Amman on the night of April 9th and will be running the Dead Sea 50k Ultramarathon the next day. More to follow.