Hurghada—Sharm el-Sheikh ferry crossing relaunches next

[HEPZIBAH]

Hurghada—Sharm el-Sheikh ferry crossing relaunches next week

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Tue, 31/05/2016 - 14:12
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Al-Masry Al-Youm
The Ministry of Transport is set to relaunch a ferry crossing between Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada next week, after the seven-year suspension of the service.

The governors of the Red Sea and South Sinai governorate and the head of the Red Sea Ports Authority will attend the inauguration of the service on June 9.

The commander of the ferry "Labesbes", Awad Abdel Samee, said his boat will be one of the fleet operating on the new crossing. He praised the relaunch of the service, saying it will promote the flow of tourism between two of the most important touristic cities on the Red Sea.

"Labesbes" can carry 300 passengers and has been inspected by the Egyptian Authority for Maritime Safety (EAFMS), he added.

According to Samee, one-way tickets will cost LE370 and return tickets LE630. He explained that the crossing takes two and a half hours, as opposed to the 9 hour trip around the bay by bus.

In related news, the Red Sea Ports Authority announced that it expects an influx of Egyptian expatriates in June, returning to Egypt to spend the month of Ramadan at home. Chairman of the authority Hesham Abu Senna said ferries operating on the crossings between Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan have been inspected to ensure the safety of passengers.

Preparations are also being made and precautions taken at the ports of Nuweiba, Safaga and Hurghada; the crossing points from which pilgrims will depart for Saudi Arabia on Hajj this Ramadan.

The month of Ramadan will start on June 6, 2016.


Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/hu ... -next-week

[carrie]

Very good might help Sharm, never been myself not somewhere that appeals.

[Hafiz]

Pardon my maths - and I'm too lazy to check - but is this a bit less than US$50 one way. What a rip off. Do they give you a free flotation vest and good insurance drowning cover?

Does anyone know why it has been 'suspended' for seven years - I can understand why there may have been recent 'problems'. Have backpackers been doing the bus for seven years?

My memory is of a long gone cheap, overcrowded, piratical service entered into at your own risk without all the new positive assurances of safety and service promised in this Ministerial press release.

When the Government of Egypt goes out of its way to assure safety I start to get a little bit worried. Didn't a 1,000 pilgrims drown off Hurghada 10 years ago? Did anyone go to jail for this?

[HEPZIBAH]

(Keefy, I've posted this as a matter of interest and information. If it breaches forum advertising rules please remove the post.)

This is the website for the Ferry with all the contact, pricing, booking info etc.

http://www.lapespes.com/

[carrie]

Thank you Hepzibah. Once again a mine of information. I checked Egypt Air how much to fly from Luxor to Sharm, had to go via Cairo and the price 1900le so the ferry looks pretty cheap by comparison.
Don't know what happened to the 50% discount flights.

[HEPZIBAH]

A couple of years ago I was invited to visit friends in Hurghada and Sharm el Sheik as well as Luxor. It was just impossible to work out within my two week holiday as I would have spent too much time travelling, or more to point sitting in airports, than I would have spent with my friends. With the extra costs too it just was not realistic. Now, if the ferry service is operational, I may just be able to consider it. I'd much rather spend time going between Luxor and Hurghada by road enjoying the scenery, than spending those hour trapped inside.