Where you start
Luxor railway station is in the East Bank city centre. The Corniche, where the boats leave from, is a short walk west: Luxor Temple is about 0.9 km from the station on foot.
Option 1: taxi over the bridge (usually best with luggage)
- Take a taxi from the rank outside the station, or meet a transfer arranged by your hotel.
- Agree the fare and say clearly that you want to cross by the bridge to your hotel, giving the hotel name and village.
- The drive crosses the Nile on a road bridge outside the city. Allow around 20 to 40 minutes depending on where your hotel is and on traffic.
Best when: you have large bags, you arrive after dark, you are travelling with children, or your hotel is not close to a landing.
Option 2: ferry or motorboat (good for light bags)
- Walk or take a short taxi ride from the station to the Corniche. Sources differ on which East Bank landing the public ferry uses (near Luxor Temple or opposite the Luxor Museum), so ask your hotel which one to head for.
- Cross by the public ferry or by a motorboat. Motorboats wait along the Corniche and leave when you are ready; agree the fare and the landing point first.
- On the West Bank, continue to your hotel on foot if it is close to the landing, or by a short taxi or tuk-tuk ride. Ask your hotel to meet you if the last stretch is unclear.
Best when: your bags are light, it is daytime, and your hotel is near the West Bank landing.
Late arrivals
Overnight sleeper trains from Cairo arrive in the early morning (for example, train 86 is timetabled to reach Luxor at 06:10), when the ferry and taxis are running. Evening and late-night arrivals are different: the public ferry's last departure is not fixed and may have passed. A taxi over the bridge, or a transfer booked through your hotel, is the reliable choice after dark.
When a pre-booked transfer is the better option
- You arrive late at night.
- You do not know exactly where your hotel is, which is common for small West Bank guesthouses.
- You are travelling with several bags, children or limited mobility.
Most West Bank guesthouses can arrange a driver to meet you at the station. Ask for the driver's name and phone number.
Sources
- Station location and walking distance: OpenStreetMap / OSRM, calculated 22 October 2026 (station 25.6965, 32.6450 to Luxor Temple about 0.9 km on foot).
- Sleeper arrival time: Seat61, "Cairo to Luxor and Aswan by sleeper train", accessed 22 October 2026.
- Ferry landing: sources disagree (Frommer's; MileHacker), so the landing is not stated as fact.
- Road bridges: OpenStreetMap (crossings north and south of the city), accessed 22 October 2026.
Questions
Can I walk from the station to the West Bank?+
No. There is no footbridge in the city. Walk to the Corniche and cross by boat, or take a taxi over the road bridge.
Is the ferry or the taxi faster?+
With light bags and a hotel near the landing, the ferry can be quicker. With luggage, after dark or for a hotel inland, a taxi over the bridge is usually simpler and more predictable.
How do I find my guesthouse?+
Send the address and a map pin to your phone before you travel, and ask the guesthouse to meet you at the landing or send a driver.
