How to Ride the Cairo Metro

If you are staying in Cairo, you might be interested in public transportation. And knowing how to ride the Cairo metro might be one of the more useful things you will learn.

Because it’s useful, and can take quite a few places.

Sure, you don’t really have to ride the Cairo metro. And indeed, with Cairo’s cheap and accessible transportation system, there are plenty of foreigners who don’t. That being said, it’s one of those experiences that Cleo Lingo highly recommends. It gives you a fresh insight into Egyptian life, and for the most part, it runs on time.

Today, Cleo Lingo will be explaining…..how to ride the Cairo metro.

Example Phrases To Ride The Cairo Metro

Where is the metro station? : “Fane el mahHAWtit el metro?”

فين محطة المترو؟

Is there a metro (stop) here? : “Fee metro henuh?”
في مترو هنا؟

This is for when things begin. You are walking around, looking like an idiot, and you have no idea where to find the metro. Egyptians will know, assuming you are in an area that has a station. If you aren’t, though……well, that’s not that surprising. Cairo doesn’t have the most advanced metro system, and it’s fairly common to not have easy access to a station. Assuming you do, though, and that you have made your way inside:

Getting Tickets For The Cairo Metro

One/two/three for…: “WAWhid/itNANE/tihLEHtuh…”

…واحد/اثنين/تلاتة

…Sadat/Dokki/Gizza/Maadi. : “…sawDET/DOee/GEEzuh/MAHdee.”

السادات / الدقي / الجيزة / معادي

Usually, the way you “order” your tickets from the ticket counter (you will see people lining up) is quite simple. You just tell them the number of tickets that you want, followed by the name of the metro station. It’s important you tell them the exact station that you want to go to, because (as much as we hate to say it), things have changed.

Tickets are classified by distance: three(yellow), five(Green) and seven(Pink) EGP, all based on the number of the stations. The ticket man is expertly trained in the new pricing system, and will charge you accordingly. If you know already what you want you can tell the guy how many tickets you want, for example:

I want a 5EGP ticket: “Ayz TawzKAWruh b khumsa geneeh”

عايز تذكرة ب خمسة جنية

I want two 3EGP tickets: “ayz Tawzkartein b talatah geneeh”

عايز تذكرتين ب تلاتة جنية

I want 4  5EGP tickets: “Ayz ERbaw tuhZEHkrr b khumsa geneeh”

عايزاربع تذاكر ب خمسة جنية

Ticket/tickets. : “TawzKAWruh/tuhZEHkrr.”

تذكرة / تذاكر

These are useful words to know, but you won’t necessarily use them. The usual way of getting your tickets is the way we already discussed (Number of tickets + Final metro station). If anything, you might not have an idea of where to get your tickets. As if the line of a million angry people wasn’t obvious enough.

The sign will say “tuhZEHkrr”, and there will likely be a man with a mustache sipping tea and looking very unimpressed.

 How much is that? : “BeeKEM keduh?”

بكام كدة؟

 How much is one ticket? : “BeeKEHM tawzKAWruh WAWhihduh?”

بكام تذكرة واحدة؟

By now you are an expert in asking for prices. Just as a reminder, though, Egyptian Arabic is quite similar to English when asking for prices. Simply say “how much,” followed by whatever you are buying.

Conveniently you will find a map inside the metro showing exactly which ticket you should buy. No need to memorize all the metro station prices (although that would be quite impressive). If you want to go to Maadi from the Dokki metro station, just go to the ticket window and tell the guy one ticket to Maadi. Simple as that.

Asking Directions In The Cairo Metro

Where is the direction… : “Fane el-IHTEEgaw….”

…فين اتجاه

Important one here. There are three main metro lines that *try* to cover Cairo (this is a fool’s errand, of course, considering how large Cairo is, but I digress). These are, generally speaking, the line from 1) Giza (south) to Shobra (north), 2) Helwan (south) to el-Marg (north), and the perpetually incomplete 3) Imbaba (west) to the Airport (east).

Basically, just like most transportation systems in the world, you need to know which “main direction” your desired stop is towards. Ask people for specific stops, maybe they won’t know. Ask people for general directions, you’re probably going to get helped out.

If you need extra help, how to ask for directions in Egyptian Arabic can help you out.

I want the direction for…. : “Eyeizz IHteeGAW….”

…عايز اتجاه

Stick with this one when asking for directions. If they take it to mean which “ticket stall” you should go through, it usually doesn’t matter, as both sides will drop you off on either direction. You will see the signs.

It’s normal. There’s no difference between them. : “Aw’dee. Mawfeesh FAWruh BANEhome.”

.عادي. مفيش فرق بينهم.

This could be used in more situations than just the metro. You already know “mawfeesh,” but in case you don’t know “Aw’dee”……shove that into your brain ASAP. This might be the word that most characterizes Egypt to me.

The meeting is cancelled? My wife is mad at me? I just spent my last 5 pounds on an ice cream cone and dropped it on the ground?

Awdee.

Its direct translation is “normal,” but it’s often used to mean “whatever,” or even “forget about it.” The use of this word will simultaneously make you scream in anger and fall in love with Egyptians’ ability to just not give a fuck. Fair warning.

 The same thing. : “Nefss’ HAWguh.”

.نفس الحاجة

Another important one. We will be talking about the use of the word “haga,” but this might be the most important use of all. Egyptians use this one a lot. Now that you have gotten your ticket and know which platform to go to, it’s time to talk with the randos.

 Excuse me. : “BAW’dd IHZnuck/ick.”

…بعد أذنك/اذنك/اذنكو

This phrase is used daily. As you can see here, the ending changes bases on who exactly you are talking to.

Quick/Hurry up! : “BeeSOOraw’aw!”

!بسرعة

Damn son, the high-use phrases just keep on coming! This one is used for when somebody is going too slow, or when they are going plenty fast enough and you just want to mess with them.

Which car do you want to ride on? : “Eyeizz TERkawb an-he areuhBAYuh?”

عايز تركب انهي عربية؟

 This is for women only. : ‘DAW lee beeNET bess.”

.دي للبنات بس

There are women-only cars in the Egyptian metro. We will assume you already knew that, but will be giving you some more information in today’s cultural insight. It is quite normal if you are a woman to ride on these. You don’t have to, of course, but they are (usually) less packed, less noisy, and (let’s face it) a whole lot less “sexual harassy.”

When You Are Exiting The Metro In Cairo

 Are you exiting… : “NEHzill/NEHzluh/nehZLEEN…”

…نازل/ نازلة/ نازلين

…..next? : “…elly GUY-uh?”

الي جاية؟…

….the next station? : “…l-muhHAWtut ellyGUY-uh?”

المحطة الجاية؟…

These are SO FREAKING IMPORTANT. This is what Egyptians will say just about 99 percent of the time when they are asking you if you are getting off the metro car. It literally means “Are you stepping down?”, and it does actually make sense. But just remember it as “Are you exiting?”

If you want to ride the Cairo metro, this phrase is essential.

Yes. : “Awhh/Eyewuh.”

.اه/ ايوة

No, go ahead. : “LA’uh, tuhFUHthdll/tfuhTHDUHlee.”

.لا، تفضل/ تفضلي

These are you two go-to answers. If you are using the last one, you could just say “No”, but that sounds weird. Tacking on the polite “Go ahead” is much more common.

If you want to know how to say yes in Egyptian Arabic, or how to say no in Egyptian Arabic….we’ve got you covered!

Some Extra Phrases To Use 

The metro broke down. :  “elMETRO AWtlan?”

المترو عطلان؟

There is a problem, but I don’t know… : “Fee mooshKEHluh, bess mish uh’AWruff…”

…في مشكلة بس مش عارف

My god! : “YAW RUB!”

!يا رب

These are for when you want to get your chat on past the boring, need-to-know stuff. It will make you sound like a total G when you say these things, so watch out. People might just start calling you “Mohammed.”

Let’s go. : “YAWluh.”

!يلا

Can’t believe we hadn’t gotten around to this one yet, but here it is. The world-famous and internationally known “yawluh.” This is, for good reason, often the very first thing that foreigners learn how to say when coming here. You can throw it into just about any sentence in Egyptian Arabic, and it will be alright. Consider this phrase (literally “To God”) the language’s Michael Jackson. Timeless, talented, and likely to be heard at any given party.

I want to exit (The exit is from where?). : “el-huhROOg menANE?”

.الخروج منين

Cultural Insight

Cairo’s metro cars have, without fail, two “women only” cars. When I first got here, I thought it was a flagrant instance of sexism. The women were being shuttled off into their own zone, and they didn’t have a say. How horrible.

Now I realize how great these cars are. “Women only” doesn’t mean that women have to get on them; it just means that men can’t. Women can stand wherever the hell they want, and it’s men that are limited in their choices. Score one for the Egyptian government.

Inevitably, you will come across stories of foreign men that haven’t heard of this. They will stumble into the wrong car, the train will start, and they will awkwardly stand there for two minutes as a bunch of women in burqas look at them. While this certainly happens (the women in burqas will understand, just be sure to smile) it’s fairly easy to tell which cars are which. The groups of women and complete lack of men are usually the only clues you need. If you are a foreign girl that sticks out, the “women only” cars can be an excellent way to avoid the unwanted attention of other men. Something to keep in mind.

Good luck getting on the right train. 🙂

…..

Happy learning,

Cleo Lingo