Is Alexandria Safe in October 2026?

Taxis from Alexandria Borg El Arab Airport to central Alexandria (a 45 km journey) frequently quote inflated flat rates, sometimes three to four times the legitimate metered fare. Drivers target arriving tourists and often claim no meter applies to airport routes. The journey is long enough that overcharging can amount to a significant sum.

How to avoid: Use the airport bus or pre-arranged hotel transfer from Borg El Arab Airport. If taking a taxi, negotiate and agree on the fare before entering the vehicle. The approximate legitimate fare to central Alexandria is 150-200 EGP; significantly higher quotes indicate overcharging.

Around Qaitbay Citadel, the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, and the Pompey's Pillar site, unofficial individuals present themselves as licensed guides and offer tours. They lead visitors on extended tours and then demand disproportionate fees, or guide them through affiliated shops. Some claim to be museum staff or ticket checkers.

How to avoid: Hire guides only through the official ticket office at each site. Licensed guides carry a Tourism Authority card with a photo ID. Politely decline any unsolicited approach before the ticket booth and proceed to the official entrance.

Restaurants along the Alexandria Corniche targeting tourists apply inflated pricing through tourist menus with higher prices than the Arabic-language menu, automatic service charges not disclosed, and bills that include dishes not ordered. Seafood restaurants near the Eastern Harbor are the most frequently cited.

How to avoid: Request the Arabic-language menu or an English menu with clearly printed prices before ordering. Confirm whether a service charge is included. Check each item on the bill before paying and query any item not ordered.

Some seafood restaurants near the Eastern Harbor and Abu Qir Bay area display fresh fish at the entrance to attract customers, then charge per kilogram at rates not disclosed until the bill arrives. The displayed fish is sometimes substituted with a lower-grade catch. Bills can arrive at double or triple the amount a diner reasonably expected.

How to avoid: Ask for the price per kilogram and the approximate weight before the fish is cooked. Insist on seeing the fish weighed on a visible scale. If prices are not clearly posted or the staff is evasive about per-kilo rates, choose a different restaurant.

A well-practised scam in Alexandria involves an apparently helpful local approaching tourists near the Roman Amphitheatre, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, or the Catacombs and claiming the site is closed for a holiday, renovation, or special event. The person then offers to take the visitor somewhere equally interesting — typically a perfumery, alabaster shop, carpet store, or papyrus gallery where the guide earns a commission of up to 40% on any purchase made.

How to avoid: Verify opening hours directly with the official site before visiting. Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities posts hours at entrances. If someone on the street tells you a site is closed, walk to the entrance yourself to confirm. Licensed operators and official ticket counters are the only authoritative source for site status.