Dahab transportation- getting there and around
Facing the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea), on the eastern coast of Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, Dahab is conveniently connected to regional and international destinations.
Prices mentioned in this post are approximate at time of publishing, and are in US$ due to exchange rate fluctuations, but you pay the equivalent in local currency. Foreign currency may be accepted in some cases.
Schedules and routes change periodically, so it’s best to contact the transport providers directly to confirm before you travel.
By air
The most convenient way to reach Dahab is through Sharm El Sheikh international airport (SSH), which serves domestic and international destinations. You’ll find both low cost carriers (including EasyJet, Pegasus and Wizz Air) and major airlines (including Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines and Aeroflot), as well as charters.
From Sharm El Sheikh, it’s a beautiful one hour taxi ride to Dahab (see below).
By sea
You can connect to Jordan via the ‘slow’ ferry service from Nuweiba port (one hour by road north of Dahab) or with the faster ferry from Taba (2 hours by road north of Dahab), operated by AB Maritime. Local currency may not be accepted.
By land- Sharm El Sheikh/SSH to Dahab
From the airport, the most convenient way to get to Dahab is a pre-arranged taxi. It’s cheaper to book a driver from Dahab than one from Sharm.
Many travellers coordinate to ride together and share the costs of the taxi, which is around $20-25 or equivalent. You can post/search for travel buddies here.
There are several bus companies operating between Sharm and Dahab, but it will cost you an airport taxi haggle to get to the stations (expect to pay equivalent of $6 at least, or you can try the InDriver ridesharing app), plus bus schedules are not 100% reliable (Go Bus, We Bus, and the least reliable, East Delta Bus Co.). The last thing you want after a flight is to find yourself stuck with no ride to Dahab.
For non-airport travel between Dahab and Sharm El Sheikh, these bus companies will do the job and cost you around $2-3. Reserve in advance.
By land- Taba border/Nuweiba area to Dahab
The Taba and Nuweiba areas are best accessed by taxi. Leaving Dahab, however, it is possible to catch a bus (We Bus/GoBus) in that direction but it’s best to confirm at the ticket office in person.
For the Taba border crossing, taxis will often be waiting there, but it’s still a good idea to pre-arrange your ride. A taxi will cost around $50 from Taba to Dahab.
By land- Saint Katrin (St. Catherine’s) to Dahab
Again, a taxi is your best option. Going from Dahab to Katrin, you can take a bus (We Bus/GoBus) in that direction, but it’s best to confirm at the ticket office in person. They will drop you at the Katrin checkpoint, from where you can ask your hotel to send you a taxi, or someone at the checkpoint will help by calling one for you.
Another option is to contact the travel agencies arranging the overnight Dahab to Katrin trips and ask for just the ride in either direction.
By land- Cairo to Dahab
You can check for carpooling options or take one of the many bus companies servicing this route.
The trip takes 7-10 hours (with at least one bathroom/snack break) depending on a number of factors, but mainly the time it takes to get through the checkpoints. Smaller minivans (‘microbuses’) take less time than full-size buses as there are less passengers to screen at the checkpoints. Some may find the larger buses more comfortable, while others prefer the front seat on the minivans, or the first single seat behind it, which offers good leg space.
Plan well in terms of traffic time getting in and out of Cairo. Apart from midnight to 7 am, it’s at least an hour from downtown/Tahrir to the highway. Also, if you’re catching a flight in Cairo, give yourself at least a couple of extra hours, because you never know! And in that case, don’t book the last option leaving Dahab, as they sometimes get canceled or rescheduled at the last minute!
Getting around Dahab
Within Dahab, most places are easily accessible by foot/bike.
Most of the pick-up trucks around town are taxis. As with all places where there are no taxi meters, it’s best to state your price/destination and agree before getting in. Rides range from $0.75-1.5 depending on the distance. You can take a driver’s number and have them pick you up if you get dropped off somewhere isolated, like Laguna, but it’s fair to pay more in such cases.
Around Dahab, to areas such as Blue Hole, Caves or Wadi Gnai, it will cost around $3-5. Keep in mind that for Blue Hole, you also need to buy a $10 National Park ticket, and may need a permit that costs around $7 per car.
There is also a (not so frequent) public transport service in the form of minivans that you hail down on the main road (Peace Road) for EGP 5 ($0.10) per person. They are marked by a sticker across the top of the windshield. The route starts in Madina and travels along Peace Road from Mashraba in the south to Zarnouk in the north.
This post will be updated regularly with current information as it becomes available.
