A new experience is about to begin in Egypt, with an amphibious bus soon being introduced to glide along the water of the Nile and drive on regular roads.
This unique vehicle, the first of its kind in the country and the Middle East, will offer passengers a seamless journey between the river and the land.
The bus is scheduled to operate in several phases, beginning in Cairo to connect various tourist sites via the Nile. The project comes within the framework of the Ministry of Transport’s plan to modernise the smart transport system and support sustainable tourism by providing modern means of transport equipped to the highest safety and technology standards.
Mofeed Salah, head of the General Authority for River Transport (GART), said the authority is working to operate the bus this month as part of plans to develop the river transport system.
He noted that the bus is currently operating on a trial basis, adding that it will be used for tourism only and not for public passenger transport.
“A designated landing ramp for the bus will be constructed at several sites in Old Cairo to connect with nearby attractions and tourist sites,” Salah said.
The project is a new experience being implemented for the first time in Egypt, after its success in a number of European countries such as Sweden, Portugal, Holland, and the UK.
The amphibious bus is distinguished by its ability to travel on land and on the river in a single sightseeing tour. The trip lasts between one hour and one hour and a half, starting with around 20 minutes on regular roads. After that, the bus continues its journey in the Nile so that passengers can discover tourist sites and landmarks from both land and water before returning to their starting point.
Salah said that trial operation began with the starting point set in the Athar Al-Nabi area and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) to link it with Al-Malek Al-Saleh area in a tour that combines Nile tourism with archaeological sites.
“The next phase of the project will include the cities of Luxor and Aswan,” Salah said, confirming that one of the buses will be open-top to offer tourists a unique experience suited to Egypt’s summer and winter weather.
Mohamed Al-Sherbini, operations manager of the project operating the amphibious bus project, said that ticket prices will range from LE100 to LE150 for Egyptian children (children under 12 will travel free) and LE200 to LE350 for adults.
Foreigners will pay from $5 to $7 for children and $10 to $25 for adults, covering the full trip on both land and river. Al-Sherbini said that booking will be available for individuals via a website, mobile application, or through a QR code, in addition to group tour packages in cooperation with tourism companies.
He stressed that the bus, which is locally manufactured, is equipped to the highest safety standards in accordance with European specifications. It was tested in Malta and obtained ISO certifications and accredited European safety certificates.
The project is being implemented under the name “Nile Bus” or “Swim Bus” as part of Prime Group projects.
Al-Sherbini said that in the first phase the bus route will include several stops, starting from the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and extending to the NMEC. Two special landing points will be allocated for the bus at archaeological stations to link to the historic sites in Cairo.
Drivers and tour guides have received accredited training courses from the GART in the fields of safety and rescue. The bus holds two licences, one for road use like any normal vehicle, and another for river navigation like tourist boats.
This has been done in coordination with the Ministry of Transport and the GART, which has provided full support to ensure the success of the project, Al-Sherbini added.
The bus can reach a speed of 100 km per hour on land, while its speed in the water ranges between eight and 10 knots, equivalent to about 15 to 20 km per hour. It will operate eight round trips daily from 9am until 6pm, providing regular journeys that can accommodate the expected demand from tourists and visitors.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 4 December, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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