According to a cabinet statement, the free emergency-entry visa for air arrivals at Luxor and Aswan airports will be extended during the summer seasons of 2026 and 2027, from May through the end of October, under the same conditions currently in place.
The government also approved extending the free 96-hour transit visa for an additional year, until April 2027. The measure will continue to apply to Egyptian airlines as part of efforts to simplify entry procedures for tourists.
Egypt has been easing visa requirements over the past decade as part of a strategy to boost inbound tourism, diversify source markets, and encourage longer stays.
The emergency-entry visa at Luxor and Aswan was introduced to support cultural tourism in Upper Egypt, where visitor numbers are highly seasonal and depend on international flight connections.
Officials said the measure helped improve passenger numbers on direct flights, encouraged tour operators to include more antiquities-focused itineraries, and supported hotel occupancy during the summer months.
Authorities also said the transit visa policy helped turn transit passengers into short-term tourists, increasing spending on hotels, transport, and cultural sites, while strengthening EgyptAir’s competitiveness.
The cabinet also approved a request from the Ministry of Transport to contract the Egyptian National Railways Authority with Italy’s Arsenale S.p.A. to manage and operate a luxury tourist sleeper train supplied and financed by the company.
The statement said the project is expected to attract high-end tourism and stimulate domestic travel for both foreign and Egyptian visitors, without imposing additional financial burdens on the state.
The decisions form part of the government’s wider push to leverage tourism growth, develop new investment hubs along Egypt’s northwestern coast, and diversify high-value tourism products.
The luxury sleeper train project is part of Egypt’s push to upgrade tourism transport and introduce premium, experience-based products alongside mass tourism.
Italy’s Arsenale S.p.A. specializes in developing and operating luxury rail journeys inspired by historic trains, offering hotel-style services, curated itineraries, and themed cultural experiences.
Officials view the project as supporting Egypt’s wider tourism development agenda, which aims to improve visitor experiences, extend stays, and increase spending per visitor.
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