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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Beni Suef
بني سويف
Skip Beni Suef unless you have a specific reason to stop: the town has a few sights but no major draws. A half-day is enough if you pass through.
Beni Suef is a Nile-side industrial and agricultural centre about 115 km south of Cairo. It was known for linen in the Middle Ages and still produces cotton and carpets. The town has a handful of mosques, an archaeological museum and some 19th-century mansions, but nothing that justifies a dedicated trip. Most travellers use it as a quick stop between Cairo and Minya or Assiut.
- Country
- Egypt
- Local name
- بني سويف
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (very hot)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 400–800 excl. bed · Mid EGP 800–1,500 excl. bed · High EGP 1,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126 · Fire 180
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Microbus from Cairo | EGP 60–100 |
| Train from Cairo (2nd class) | EGP 50–80 |
| Tuk-tuk ride in town | EGP 10–20 |
| Simple meal (koshari, falafel) | EGP 30–60 |
| Tea at a café | EGP 10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CAI · Cairo International Airport
- Nearest airport with scheduled service; about 2 h by road or train from Beni Suef (check)
Typical fares
- Cairo → Beni Suef by microbus
- about EGP 60–100, about 2 h (check)
- Cairo → Beni Suef by train
- about EGP 50–80 2nd class, about 2 h (check)
- Beni Suef → Beni Hasan by taxi
- about EGP 100–150, about 30 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The town is walkable in the centre; taxis and tuk-tuks (tuk-tuks) for longer trips. The railway station is central.
See and do
Known for
- Cotton-spinning and carpet production
- 19th-century mansions
- Mosque of Sayyida Huriyya
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Beni Hasan | Taxi or microbus from Beni Suef, about 30–40 min north | About 1 h |
| El-Ashmunein | Taxi or microbus, about 30 min north-west | About 1 h |
| Minya | Train or microbus, about 45 min south | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Near the railway station
- A few basic hotels; limited options. Most travellers stay in Cairo or Minya instead.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | السلام عليكمas-salamu alaykum |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | بكام؟bi-kam? |
| Too expensive | غالي أويghali awi |
| Where is the station? | المحطة فين؟al-mahatta fein? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- Hotels are very basic; book ahead if you must stay.
- Baksheesh expected for small services.
- Check opening hours of the Archaeological Museum before going.
Beni Suef is a quiet provincial town. Standard precautions apply: avoid walking alone at night, keep valuables out of sight. The main risk is heat in summer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Beni Suef yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Cotton-spinning and carpet production
- 19th-century mansions
- Mosque of Sayyida Huriyya
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Beni Suef, revision 4696391 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4696391
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/beni-suef). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.